Will a “Gallbladder Cleanse” Help?
Health influencers often tout the so-called “gallbladder cleanse” on social media as a treatment for gallstones or an alternative to gallbladder removal. There are many recipes but most involve drinking large amounts of citrus juice, Epsom salt, and olive oil.
The advertised benefits may sound enticing, especially if you’re facing a gallbladder removal. However, Erik Holzwanger, MD, the director of endoluminal surgery and bariatric endoscopy at Tufts Medical Center, says that “to date, there is no strong scientific evidence to support” the claim that these cleanses break up gallstones.
When patients report passing small round objects after a cleanse, Dr. Holzwanger says that those are not gallstones. “In fact, they are exactly what you’ve taken by mouth. These are actually small globules of citrus juice, oil, and other contents,” he says.
Holzwanger clarifies that the vast majority of gallstones result from cholesterol and bile hardening. “These are quite tough in texture. They may be round, square, rectangular, or irregularly shaped, and they typically do not float, as they are denser than water,” he says. “The by-products formed from the cleanse are the opposite in buoyancy and texture. In fact, they are more likely to float and may be softer.”
Although Holzwanger supports his patients when they are looking for natural alternatives to medications for the treatment of medical disorders, he recommends natural remedies only if the benefits outweigh the risk. He maintains that this isn’t the case with gallbladder cleanses
“Gallbladder cleanses do carry risk. Most commonly, patients experience symptoms that may include nausea, vomiting, abdominal discomfort, and diarrhea,” he says. “There are also more serious consequences, including drug-induced liver injury, in which a patient may have liver failure, and in rare cases, this could lead to death.”
He warns that marketed mixtures may contain ingredients that are not safe to ingest, and dosages could be at extreme levels that could lead to adverse effects, since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) doesn’t regulate gallbladder cleanse products or recipes.
Check with your doctor before trying any over-the-counter treatment for gallbladder problems.
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