Is Your Gallbladder Causing Your Symptoms?

Gallbladder problems are often overlooked despite contributing to various ailments

Your gallbladder plays essential roles in helping your body digest fats and get vital nutrients. Unfortunately, people rarely realize when it is unwell.Nikodash/Shutterstock

The health and function of the gallbladder is often overlooked unless gallstones cause significant pain or require surgical removal. The vast majority of gallstones are asymptomatic. The reality is, the gallbladder is the root cause of many chronic gastrointestinal issues. You do not need to experience a “gallbladder attack” to have underlying concerns within the biliary system.

First, let’s delve into the biliary tract to understand gallbladder physiology.

The Biliary System

The biliary system consists of the liver, gallbladder, and bile ducts that work together to produce, store, and secrete bile. Bile is made in the liver and then travels through the common bile duct and into the gallbladder. The gallbladder is the storage reservoir for bile. When specific cells in the small intestine sense dietary fats, the hormone cholecystokinin is released. Cholecystokinin then spurs the gallbladder to release bile.