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July 6, 2008, 3:55 pm
Flag as Inappropriate BabeRuth  

Does anyone know what causes gall stones? I don't have the typical risk factors for the condition and am a little curious as to what might have triggered them.

I imagine besides the usual risk factor of a high fat content in the diet there is a hereditary factor and I suspect stress wouldn't help either. The people I know who suffered gall stones all worked or lived in high stress environments.

Has gall bladder disease ran in your family? I'm pretty sure it can be hereditary because my gram and mom both had it, and my doctor once said I was at higher risk for it because of that.

Here is some info on the causes of gallstones that I found on wikipedia.

Progress has been made in understanding the process of gallstone formation. Researchers believe that gallstones may be caused by a combination of factors, including inherited body chemistry, body weight, gallbladder motility (movement), and perhaps diet. Additionally, people with erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP) are at increased risk to develop gallstones.[1]

Cholesterol gallstones develop when bile contains too much cholesterol and not enough bile salts. Besides a high concentration of cholesterol, two other factors seem to be important in causing gallstones. The first is how often and how well the gallbladder contracts; incomplete and infrequent emptying of the gallbladder may cause the bile to become overconcentrated and contribute to gallstone formation. The second factor is the presence of proteins in the liver and bile that either promote or inhibit cholesterol crystallization into gallstones.

In addition, increased levels of the hormone estrogen as a result of pregnancy, hormone therapy, or the use of combined (estrogen-containing) forms of hormonal contraception, may increase cholesterol levels in bile and also decrease gallbladder movement, resulting in gallstone formation.

No clear relationship has been proven between diet and gallstone formation. However, low-fibre, high-cholesterol diets, and diets high in starchy foods have been suggested as contributing to gallstone formation. Other nutritional factors that may increase risk of gallstones include rapid weight loss, constipation, eating fewer meals per day, eating less fish, and low intakes of the nutrients folate, magnesium, calcium, and vitamin C.[2] On the other hand, wine and whole grain bread may decrease the risk of gallstones.

My husband recently underwent gallstone removal surgery. Eating greasy food made his flare up, of course the stones had already formed at that time. His mother had gallstones as well, so it seems that heredity does come into play. Or it could be eating habits that are passed down as well.