Gallstones are solid deposits that form in the gallbladder, an organ that stores bile produced by the liver. While many people with gallstones don’t experience symptoms, they can sometimes cause intense pain and lead to complications. In the U.S., the standard treatment for gallstones is often gallbladder removal, based on the idea that the organ isn’t essential. However, I'd argue that the gallbladder plays an important role as a major drainage pathway.

In this post, we’ll explore the types of gallstones, their causes—including lifestyle and hormonal factors—and supplements that may help remove them naturally.

Types of Gallstones

• Cholesterol Gallstones: The most common type, accounting for over 80% of cases, formed from excess cholesterol in bile.
• Pigment Gallstones: Less than 5% of cases, these stones are made from excess bilirubin, often linked to liver disease, bile duct infections, or blood disorders.

Common Causes of Gallstones

• Excess Cholesterol in Bile
• Excess Bilirubin: Often occurs in conditions like liver disease and blood disorders such as hemolytic anemia, thalassemia, or sickle cell anemia.
• Gallbladder Dysfunction: Poor emptying of the gallbladder allows bile to become stagnant, leading to stone formation. Factors such as viruses, toxins and liver flukes are the  major causes of this.
• Pregnancy: Higher estrogen levels during pregnancy slow down gallbladder emptying, raising the risk of gallstones.
• Low Thyroid: Can disrupt overall hormone balance, often leading to estrogen dominance.
• Birth Control: Elevated estrogen from hormone treatments can increase the likelihood of gallstone formation.
• Being Female: Women are more prone due to hormonal shifts, especially during pregnancy or with hormone therapies.

Other Risk Factors

• High Triglycerides
• Sedentary Lifestyle
• Refined Carbohydrate Diet
• Rapid Weight Loss

Symptoms of Gallstones

 While many people have no symptoms, common signs of gallstones include:

• Sudden, intense pain in the upper abdomen or back
• Pain radiating to the right shoulder
• Nausea, vomiting, and bloating, especially after eating fatty foods
• Jaundice, which may indicate a blocked bile duct
• Loss of appetite

Supplements for Gallstone Removal

The following supplements can be used individually or in combination to help dissolve gallstones:

• TUDCA:

  • Acute use: 2 capsules, 3 times a day for 5-7 days to relieve gallbladder pain. 
  • Long-term use: 15-20 mg per kg of body weight daily for an average of 6 months to dissolve stones.
  • As someone at higher risk for gallstones, I’ve been using TUDCA for years to help prevent them. The TUDCA I recommend is Advanced TUDCA by Cellcore. You can sign up for a Cellcore account using my Patient Direct Code and save 15%: FRtTCWs0

• Rowachol:

  • Acute use: 2 capsules, 3 times a day for 48 hours to reduce cholesterol in bile.
  • Long-term use: 1 capsule, 3 times a day for at least 2 months to help dissolve stones.
  • Purchases Rowachol here.

• Milk Thistle: 420 mg per day for 30 days to help prevent gallstone formation. 

  • I like both Sylimarin by Pure Encapsulation and by Metagenics. I recommend Sylimarin by Pure Encapsulation and Metagenics. Both can be found on Fullscript with a 20% discount: https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/paolaxhuli

• Fiber: Adding raw carrots to your daily diet supports gallbladder health as well as cholesterol and estrogen levels. One of the easiest ways to enjoy carrots is by making daily carrot salads. Simply grate the carrots and mix them with olive oil and vinegar. If you prefer saturated fats, you can substitute olive oil with coconut oil.

In addition to the supplements, I highly recommend wearing a castor oil pack on the liver/gallbladder overnight, daily, while using the supplements (except while on your period as it can cause a heavier flow). This is the one I recommend: Queen of Thrones 

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