Do You Know What Your Gallbladder Does? (And Why You Should)

It’s one of the smaller organs inside you – the size of a small avocado or pear … and you can’t really feel it working, but your gallbladder is important!

While it does its work quietly, your gallbladder’s role in digestion and metabolic health is mighty. From breaking down fats to influencing hormones like GLP-1, it’s an efficiency dynamo that helps your gastrointestinal system function smoothly.

And that’s why you want to keep it operating smoothly. 

Where Is the Gallbladder?

Your gallbladder sits under your liver, on the right side of your abdomen. It’s about 3-4 inches long and 1-2 inches wide. It connects directly to your liver and small intestine through a series of tubes called bile ducts.

Bile is a powerful digestive fluid produced by your liver – and it emulsifies fats so you can absorb them. While your liver is busy making between 27 to 34 fluid ounces of bile daily, it’s your gallbladder’s job to store and release the bile when you need it to digest fat. (But your trusty gallbladder doesn’t just store the bile; it also preps it – concentrating it so that it’s 3 to 10 times its original strength.)

Not only does this process help you get energy and nutrients from fats, but it also helps your body regulate cholesterol and eliminate waste. That’s right – bile also contains cholesterol and waste products from the liver, like toxins. So, the gallbladder works to help your liver function at its best.

How Does Your Gallbladder Affect Metabolic Health?

Here’s where things get even more interesting. Your multitasking gallbladder doesn’t just help with fat digestion; it also indirectly affects your metabolism.

GLP-1, or glucagon-like peptide-1, is a hormone that helps regulate blood sugar, appetite, and fat storage. Bile acids help trigger the release of GLP-1 in the gut. When your gallbladder isn’t functioning correctly, bile flow can be disrupted, which may reduce GLP-1 levels. Lower GLP-1 levels can make controlling appetite and blood sugar harder, potentially contributing to weight gain or insulin resistance.

And that’s one more reason to keep your gallbladder optimally functioning!

But Can You Live Without Your Gallbladder?

Yes. Medically, the gallbladder is considered a “non-essential” organ. Each year, more than 1.2 million people in the US have their gallbladders surgically removed for a variety of reasons, including ongoing problems associated with gallstones, polyps, inflammation, or other more serious issues. 

But here’s the thing: that’s not really what you want to have happen.

After gallbladder removal, the liver continues to produce bile to aid digestion. But the bile is no longer stored and concentrated. Instead, it drips continuously into the small intestine. Some people have no problems with this altered function, but others experience gastrointestinal and fat digestion issues.

So, it’s best to take care of your gallbladder while you have one. And here’s some good news – the principles that keep your gallbladder healthy translate to support for your hardworking digestive system, even if you're living without a gallbladder.

Five Tips to Keep Your Gallbladder Healthy

You may be doing most of these things already. This list includes habits that generally support health and wellness, but they offer specific benefits for your gallbladder.

Eat a Balanced Diet

• Include plenty of fiber from fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
• Opt for healthy fats like avocado, nuts, and olive oil.
• Cut back on processed and fried foods that can strain your gallbladder.

Maintain a Healthy Weight

• Extra weight increases your risk of gallstones, but crash dieting is also a no-no – it can throw your bile balance off. Aim for gradual, sustainable weight loss if you need to drop some pounds. If you decide to incorporate GLP-1 therapy into your weight loss strategy, don’t miss Tip #5 below and take a deeper dive here. 

Stay Hydrated

• Water helps keep bile flowing smoothly, reducing the risk of gallstone formation.

Practice Moderation

• Overeating fatty foods in one sitting can overwhelm your gallbladder. Go easy on the full-fat dairy, fatty meats, and deep-fried foods.

Nourish Your Gallbladder

• Botanicals and other nutrients can support the work your gallbladder does. For example, milk thistle, artichoke, and turmeric improve bile production and promote its release and flow from the gallbladder. They also encourage fat digestion and nutrient absorption. Tauroursodeoxycholic Acid, or TUDCA, is a naturally occurring bile acid derivative that can be supplemented in the bioidentical form.

And if you don’t have a gallbladder? These botanicals increase bile production in the liver and encourage ongoing bile flow. In this way, you’re restoring some of the function that was lost when the gallbladder was removed. 

Unfortunately, GLP-1 medications delay the digestive process, including the release of bile (whether you have a gallbladder or not). This is a counterproductive side effect since more bile release equates to more GLP-1 activity. Happily, not only do these botanicals support the release of bile, but they may also counteract some of the side effects of GLP-1 medications. 

Say a Big Thank You to Your Small But Mighty Gallbladder

Your gallbladder might be small, but its role in digestion and metabolic health is bigger than you might realize. From optimizing fat absorption to influencing hormones like GLP-1, it’s a hardworking ally that helps keep your body running smoothly.

So, the next time you enjoy a rich, buttery treat or a handful of nuts, take a moment to thank your gallbladder.