Search online for “gallbladder flush” and you’ll get hundreds of results, mostly from Web pages claiming to have a miracle cure for gallbladder problems. One site claims you can dissolve your gallstones safely and avoid surgery. Another promises a safe, natural method of getting rid of gallstones.
The promises sound enticing, especially if you’re facing the cost and hassle of a cholecystectomy, a surgery to remove your gallbladder. But there are no gallbladder flushes or cleanses that have been proven to break up or eliminate gallstones, says Sanjay Jagannath, MD, a gastroenterologist at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore.
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“There’s not any good evidence out there to suggest there’s anything out there to reliably do that,” Dr. Jagannath says.
Gallbladder Problems: Types of Cleanses
One popular homemade “gallbladder cleanse” recipe prescribes a combination of apple juice, lemon juice, and olive oil to eliminate gallstones. Others suggest using a Chinese herb called gold coin grass. Jagannath says people who ingest these remedies often have subsequent bowel movements that include small round objects thought to be gallstones. However, he adds, the objects are actually the result of the olive oil mixing with bile, the fluid in the gallbladder that digests fat.
“Bile mixes with olive oil to form a yellowish-colored soap,” Jagannath says. “There are no real stones actually pushed out by the gallbladder in most cases.” Jagannath adds that these objects usually float in the toilet, while real gallstones are hard — like pebbles — and sink to the bottom.
One study found that a British woman who followed a lemon juice-olive oil gallbladder cleanse did indeed eliminate several small stones. However, the researchers identified the stones as being byproducts of stomach enzymes and olive oil — soap stones made up mostly of fatty acids rather than cholesterol, the major ingredient in most gallstones.
Gallbladder Problems: Risks of Using Cleansers
Jagannath says the risks of using gallbladder-cleansing preparations to deal with gallbladder problems are generally low, although the oils used in most recipes can cause diarrhea and stomach discomfort. It’s also important to be careful when using any kind of herbal remedy, because you may not be getting what’s on the label.
“The problem with all herbal treatments is there’s no regulation by the FDA,” Jagannath warns. “If you go to [a natural-remedies store] and get a product, there’s no one breaking down the percentages of the products and stating the percentages of active ingredients.” It’s always advisable to check with your doctor before beginning any kind of over-the-counter treatment for gallbladder problems, he adds.
Gallbladder Problems: Traditional Remedies
The presence of gallstones in the gallbladder isn’t necessarily cause for alarm; 80 percent of the gallstones detected in people’s gallbladders are “silent,” meaning that they don’t cause any problems. But for those who have gallbladder attacks — episodes of intense pain in the upper right portion of the abdomen — gallbladder removal is usually advisable, Jagannath says. Most removals are now done laparoscopically, and the recovery time is short.
“It’s a very common surgery,” Jagannath says. “There’s very little risk to not having a gallbladder over time.”
Those who do not want surgery may benefit from ursodiol (Actigall), a prescription drug that dissolves gallstones and dissolves cholesterol in bile, preventing the formation of stones. But the medication can take six months to a year to work, and many patients experience diarrhea as a side effect. “It’s really not a great treatment when we have alternatives like removing the gallbladder,” Jagannath says.
But if you’re not having gallbladder problems, flushes and cleanses aren’t necessary to keep your gallbladder healthy. The best way to prevent gallbladder problems is by eating a low-fat, high-fiber diet, and by staying at a healthy weight. “That’s really the best option of all,” Jagannath says.