Your Guide to Supplements After Gallbladder Removal

Published on
September 22, 2021
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If you have had your gallbladder removed, then there are a few supplements that you should be taking to make sure that your body is getting all of the nutrients it needs. 

This blog post will go over those supplements and tell you how they can help improve your health after gallbladder removal!

What Is The Work Of the Gallbladder In Our Body?

The gallbladder is an organ that helps the body get rid of bile. Bile is a yellowish-green liquid made in your liver and stored in your gallbladder. It's released from the gallbladder into small tubes called ducts, where it flows to your digestive tract to help with digestion. Your gallbladder is located just under your liver.

In the body, bile is essential for breaking down foods in the small intestine and absorbing fat-soluble vitamins like Vitamins A, D, E, and K, which help promote healthy skin. It also helps with the digestion of fats from food. The gallbladder stores this bile until the digestive system needs it. The gallbladder also releases bile into the small intestine to help digest food that comes from the stomach.

Do I Need Supplements After Gallbladder Removal?

If you have had your gallbladder removed, then there are a few supplements that you should be taking to make sure that your body is getting all of the nutrients it needs. This blog post will go over those supplements and tell you how they can help improve your health after gallbladder removal!

What Supplements Are Good After Gallbladder Removal?

Bile Acid Supplement

Bile acids are produced by the liver and secreted into the small intestine to aid with fat digestion, absorption of dietary fats (vitamins A, D, E, and K), as well as cholesterol metabolism in our bodies. However, after your gallbladder has been taken out, your body no longer has a way to store these bile acids.

When you take this supplement, it binds with the bile in your small intestine and gives them back to your digestive system so that it can be used for what they are intended! This is an essential part of getting all the nutrients from the food that you need after having your gallbladder removed.

Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplement

Another supplement you should take after your gallbladder has been taken out is an Omega-III fatty acid supplement.

Omega III's are important for many different things in our body, but most importantly, they help with inflammation of the digestive system and also reduce cholesterol levels! 

This makes them a great supplement to take after your gallbladder has been removed since you no longer have bile flowing through the liver and small intestine, which also helps with a reduction in inflammation!

Probiotics Supplement

Did you know that when we have an imbalance of good and bad bacteria in our digestive system, it can lead to serious health problems? One big issue is that this will cause inflammation in the gut!

Probiotics are a great way for you to get rid of these imbalances by simply taking them every day. This blog post details how probiotics can help with digestive health after your gallbladder has been removed.

Digestive Enzyme Supplement

If you have had your gallbladder removed, then it's important to remember that the digestive tract is now responsible for breaking down all of our food.

This can be difficult without bile acids and enzymes from our bodies! This enzyme supplement gives your body a boost in these essential nutrients so that you are able to digest foods properly after your gallbladder has been removed.

Why does Some People Gallbladder need To Be Remove?

There are a number of reasons that you would have to have your gallbladder removed.

Gallstones 

There can be many different types of stones, some small and others large enough to cause serious symptoms, including a sharp pain in the right upper part of the abdomen (the area below your ribs) or between your shoulder blades. The stone may also cause nausea, vomiting, and fever. If this happens, you may need to have your gallbladder removed.

Acute Cholecystitis 

This is when a stone causes an infection in your bile ducts or cystic duct (the tube leading from the gallbladder). 

The symptoms of acute cholecystitis include fever and pain that lasts for more than a few hours. If you are experiencing these symptoms, it is important to see a doctor right away as an infection like this can cause serious health problems if left untreated!

Other Diseases 

If there is another disease in your gallbladder causing blockage or damage that cannot be treated with surgery, doctors might recommend having your gallbladder removed.

Infection 

If there is an infection in your gallbladder that antibiotics cannot treat, the doctors might recommend having it removed to prevent future problems. 

If you have a family history of stones or if you are experiencing any symptoms like nausea, vomiting, fever, and pain. See your doctor right away! They will determine what is causing the issue and will help you come up with a treatment plan.

Gallbladder Cancer 

If your doctor finds that you have cancer of the gallbladder, then they will recommend an operation to remove the whole gallbladder straight away.

This is because the early stages of cancer can be treated with surgery, and if your gallbladder is left in place, then there's a risk that it could develop into more serious problems later on.

Gallstones are caused by too much cholesterol or bile salt deficiency! When we have our gallbladder removed, this means that there is no longer bile produced in the liver that flows into our small intestine.

What Will Happen To Your Body After Removal?

When your gallbladder is removed, you will experience a number of symptoms as your body gets used to functioning without it.

The first thing that you might notice is diarrhea- this happens because when the gallbladder isn't there anymore, then bile doesn't get stored in the intestine and instead flows straight into our small bowel. This can cause loose stools and can lead to cramping.

Another thing that you might experience is pain. This is because there are bile salts in our small intestine, and when they aren't stored or released into the bowel, the surrounding tissues become inflamed, which causes a lot of discomfort!

Other symptoms include gas, bloating and nausea, and weight gain. This is because bile salts aren't stored or released into the bowel when the gallbladder isn’t present, which means there are many more fat-soluble vitamins and fatty acids.

This can make you feel bloated as well as give you cravings for sugar and chocolate! You'll also have less energy due to low levels of bile salts, which means that you won't be able to digest your food as well.

You might also notice symptoms like constipation, fever, and jaundice- this is because the gallbladder stores bile in between meals, and when it isn't there anymore, then our small bowel starts absorbing more bilirubin from the intestines, which can cause jaundice.

Finally, you may also experience some symptoms like muscle cramps, and a numb or itchy bottom. This is because one of the side effects of gallbladder removal surgery is nerve damage!

In order to prevent these symptoms from occurring there are certain things that you should do after your operation:

  • Eat a low fat diet
  • Take supplements (e.g. bile salts, vitamins)
  • Drink plenty of water
  • Avoid gas-producing foods
  • Take probiotics and eat yogurt regularly-
  • If you are lactose intolerant, then it is important to know that dairy products can cause bloating and gas if you have your gallbladder removed
  • Exercise to increase bile flow in the intestine which will help with regular bowel movements.
  • Don't eat fatty foods or fried foods and make sure that you chew your food properly!

Bottom Line

Most people who have their gallbladder removed don't experience any symptoms at all and as long as you're careful about the food that you eat, then it doesn't affect your ability to digest fats.

However, some people do notice a lot of changes in their bodies after the operation. This is because our bodies are used to having bile stored and released from our gallbladder regularly.

Suppose you're experiencing any of the symptoms that have been mentioned in this article. In that case, it's best to talk to your doctor about what might be causing them, and make changes to your diet and take supplements such as bile salts or probiotics. There are other ways that you can help your body adjust to life without a gallbladder.

You could even try incorporating some herbs into your diet. These are known for soothing the digestive tract and helping with bowel movements as well as regulating bile flow in the intestine!