–by Dr. Michael L. Johnson
The gallbladder stores and concentrates bile from the liver and releases it into the small intestine to further digest food, especially fats.
BILE FUNCTION
Bile has two major functions in the body…
#1: It breaks down the fats that you eat so that your body can utilize them. Without adequate bile you do not metabolize your fats well which can result in a deficiency of the fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K). You may also have problems digesting the essential fatty acids. Other symptoms would be trouble utilizing calcium, dry skin, peeling on the soles of your feet, etc.
Excessive burping after a fatty meal is one way to tell if the patient is having difficulty digesting fats. They may feel nauseous or experience gas and bloating.
#2: Bile is a VERY powerful antioxidant that helps to remove toxins from the liver. The liver filters toxins (bacteria, viruses, drugs or other foreign substances the body doesn’t want) and sends them out via the bile, which is made in the liver. The pathway of departure is from the liver through the bile ducts and into the gallbladder or directly into the small intestine where it joins waste matter and leaves through the colon with the feces. A healthy liver produces about a quart to a quart and a half of bile daily. If patients have gallbladder problems, they would do well to cleanse their liver and bowel too. Many people with sluggish gallbladders have a tendency towards constipation.
Almost everyone over the age of 40 y.o. has issues with their gallbladder because of years of the Standard American Diet (S.A.D.).
It is Vitamin B6 that keeps the bile salts in suspension in the gallbladder. The problem is that we live in a high stress society, and it is high stress (along with birth control pills and HRT) that depletes B6!
Since B6 keeps the bile salts in suspension, if you do not have adequate amounts of B6, you will not absorb fats.
Many doctors are providing their patients with Vitamin D to support their immune system and overall health BUT they fail to remember that Vitamin D is NOT a vitamin, it is a hormone! More specifically, Vitamin D is A FAT! When you supplement with Vitamin D but you do not address the gallbladder (and liver…please see my article, The Liver!), the patient will not be absorb it or if they are able to absorb it, it will be minimal amounts. The same holds true for the essential fatty acid supplements (fish oil) that many patients take to improve their health.
As a side note, patients that have difficulty falling asleep at night usually suffer from a gall bladder problem. Patients that wake up in the middle of the night and cannot fall back to sleep usually suffer from a stomach problem and feeling groggy in the morning is an adrenal issue.
Problems with the gallbladder can be successfully addressed via diet and by using proper nutritional supplemental protocols. I use BiliVen and Gall Bladder-ND from Premier Research Labs (PRL) to support and address the gallbladder. I only use Premier Research Labs (PRL) nutritional supplements in my office because they are natural, live-source nutritional supplements that are excipient-free.
If you have any questions, please email Dr. Johnson at [email protected].
Dr. Michael L. Johnson is a Board-Certified Chiropractic Neurologist and has been in private practice in Appleton, WI since 1983. He is the author of five books. His first is What Do You Do When the Medications Don’t Work?—A Non-Drug Treatment of Dizziness, Migraine Headaches, Fibromyalgia and Other Chronic Conditions is available on Amazon.com. Dr. Johnson’s second book,You Can Beat Cancer…Naturally!, his third book, You Can Beat Thyroid Disease…Naturally!, his fourth book,You Can Beat Fibromyalgia…Naturally!, and his fifth book, You Can Beat Autoimmune Conditions…Naturally! are all available as a FREE download e-book at www.askdrjohnson.com. His sixth book, You Can Beat Heart Disease…Naturally!, will be released later this spring. Dr. Johnson’s YouTube and Facebook pages are at “Dr. Michael Johnson.”
© 2013 Dr. Michael L. Johnson
