Conditions:
Gallstones

Principal Proposed Treatments
  • · There are no well-established natural treatments for gallstones.
Other Proposed Treatments
  • Peppermint, Milk Thistle, Artichoke Leaf, Boldo, Dandelion Root, Fumitory, Greater Celandine, Turmeric, Betaine Hydrochloride, Coffee (for Prevention), Vitamin C

The job of the gallbladder is to store the bile produced by the liver and to release it on an as-needed basis for digestive purposes. However, it isn't easy to keep this complex mixture of chemicals in liquid form. The various elements of bile have a natural tendency to form sludge, lumps, and hard deposits called gallstones. The body uses several biochemical methods to prevent such condensation from occurring, but this natural chemistry does not always succeed. More than 20% of women and 8% of men develop gallstones at some time in their lives.

You could have gallstones in your body for many years without experiencing any problems. According to current medical guidelines, no treatment is necessary unless pain or other problems begin to develop. However, when a gallstone plugs the duct that leads out of the gallbladder, the organ becomes inflamed and often infected, creating a condition known as cholecystitis.

Generally, gallbladder pain begins with occasional minor attacks that subside rapidly. Perhaps the stones are blocking the duct temporarily and then moving out of the way. However, when full obstruction occurs, the pain often becomes severe and recurrent.

The most reliable symptom of cholecystitis is intense pain beneath the right lower rib cage, often occurring from midnight to3 A.M. Typically, pain radiates to the right shoulder and is accompanied by a loss of appetite and sometimes nausea. Frequently, fatty meals seem to bring on the pain with particular force.

Techniques for removing the gallbladder have become quite sophisticated. Today, the gallbladder can be removed quickly and usually without complications, bringing full relief of symptoms.

Living without a gallbladder does not seem to bring any long-term consequences. However, many people are opposed on general principle to removing an organ that nature has placed there. The medication Actigall may be able to dissolve gallstones when it is taken for many months.

Proposed Treatments for Gallstones

The only time it is appropriate to use alternative treatments for gallstones is before acute cholecystitis develops. Once the gallbladder has become completely blocked, there is a real danger of imminent rupture. Another risk is that a stone may escape the gallbladder and obstruct the common bile duct. When this happens, the liver cannot unload the bile it produces, putting it at risk of permanent injury and creating a true surgical emergency.

However, during the period in which pain is only occasional or intermittent, the risks incurred by postponing surgery are slight. During the same interval when the medication Actigall might be tried, some of the agents described here could be considered as possibilities. Unfortunately, none are well established as effective. Medical supervision is definitely essential.

Peppermint

Preliminary clinical trials suggest that formulas containing peppermint and related terpenes (fragrant substances found in plants) can dissolve gallstones.¹ For more information, including dosage and safety issues, see the full peppermint article.

Milk Thistle

Milk thistle, standardized to its silymarin content, has been shown to improve the liquidity of bile,² although its actual effects on gallstones in real life are unknown. For more information, including dosage and safety issues, see the full milk thistle article.

Other Herbs and Supplements

Herbs that are widely prescribed in Germany for gallbladder pain include artichoke leaf, boldo, dandelion root, fumitory, greater celandine, and turmeric.³ The supplement betaine hydrochloride is also sometimes recommended for gallbladder problems, although there is no real evidence as yet that it works.

Warning: Consult a qualified physician before using these substances, as they can cause increased pain and may present other risks such as liver toxicity.

There is some evidence that regular coffee drinking can reduce the risk of developing gallstones, at least in men aged 40 to 75. In an observational study that tracked about 46,000 male physicians for a period of 10 years, those who drank 2 to 3 cups of caffeinated coffee daily had a 40% reduced risk of developing gallstone disease.⁴ Those who drank more coffee had an even greater reduction of risk.

It may be the caffeine in coffee that helps, as other sources of caffeine were also associated with reduced risk of gallstones, while decaffeinated coffee didn't seem to help. Caffeine is known to increase the flow of bile, so this connection makes sense. However, observational studies can be misleading, so these findings can't be taken as absolutely reliable.

Similar evidence suggests that regular use of vitamin C supplements might help prevent gallstones in women.⁵

Last reviewed March 2002 by Medical Review Board

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