Someone here at work says that eating meat with dairy products causes goll stones? Is this true??? (Yes…I know cows are techincally dairy products…but work with me here.)
My mother blames her gallstones (and subsequent surgery) on daily consumption of ice cream. </anecdotal evidence>
Gallstones are pieces of solid material that develop in the gallbladder when substances in the bile, primarily cholesterol and bile pigments, form hard, crystal-like particles. There are two primary types of gallstones:
Cholesterol stones are usually white or yellow and account for about 80 percent of gallstones. They are made primarily of cholesterol. Pigment stones are small, dark stones made of bilirubin and calcium salts that are found in bile. They account for the other 20 percent of gallstones.
Gallstones vary in size and may be as small as a grain of sand or as large as a golf ball. The gallbladder may develop a single, often large, stone or many smaller ones, even several thousand.
Researchers believe that gallstones may be caused by a combination of factors, including inherited body chemistry, body weight, gallbladder motility (movement) and perhaps diet.
Scientists believe cholesterol stones form when bile contains too much cholesterol, too much bilirubin, not enough bile salts, or when the gallbladder does not empty as it should.
The cause of pigment stones is uncertain. They tend to develop in people who have cirrhosis, biliary tract infections and hereditary blood disorders such as sickle-cell anemia.
It is believed that once one gallstone forms, more gallstones are likely to develop. However, other factors that may contribute to a higher risk of gallstones have been identified and are listed below.
Obesity: Obesity is a major risk factor for gallstones, especially in women. A large clinical study showed that being even moderately overweight increases the risk for developing gallstones. The most likely reason is that obesity tends to reduce the amount of bile salts in bile resulting in more cholesterol. Obesity also reduces gallbladder emptying. Estrogen Excess estrogen from pregnancy, hormone replacement therapy, or birth control pills appears to increase cholesterol levels in bile and decrease gallbladder movement, both of which can lead to gallstones.
Ethnic background: Native Americans have a genetic predisposition to secrete high levels of cholesterol in bile. In fact, they have the highest rates of gallstones in the United States. The majority of Native American men have gallstones by age 60; among the Pima Indians of Arizona, 70 percent of women have gallstones by age 30. Mexican-American men and women of all ages also have high rates of gallstones.
Sex: Women between ages 20 and 60 are twice as likely to develop gallstones as men in the same age group.
Age: People over age 60 are more likely to develop gallstones than those under age 60.
Cholesterol-lowering drugs: Drugs that lower cholesterol levels in the blood actually increase the amount of
cholesterol secreted in bile. This in turn can increase the
risk of cholesterol gallstones.
Diabetes: People with diabetes generally have high blood levels of fatty acids called triglycerides. These fatty acids increase the risk of gallstones.
Rapid weight loss: As the body metabolizes fat during rapid weight loss, it causes the liver to secrete extra cholesterol into the bile, which can cause gallstones.
Fasting: Fasting decreases gallbladder movement causing the bile to become overconcentrated with cholesterol, which can lead to gallstones.
No clear relationship has been proved between diet and gallstone formation. However, low-fiber, high-cholesterol diets, and diets high in starchy foods may also contribute to gallstone formation.
Highest risk groups for gallstones:
Women
People over age 60
Native Americans
Mexican-Americans
Overweight men and women
People who fast or lose a lot of weight quickly
Pregnant women, women taking hormone therapy and women who use birth control pills.