Does Apple Cider Vinegar Help With Gallstones

Before diving into the yes or no answer, we must understand first, what are gallstones made of, how did it develop, and whether should we consider apple cider vinegar as a treatment or remedy for gallstones.

WHAT ARE GALLSTONES AND HOW DID THEY FORM?

Gallstones are tiny, stone-like materials that are from a formation or hardened deposits of bile. They are caused mainly by a poor diet. A diet that consists of high cholesterol, high fat, and high protein. It may also form due to excess Bilirubin. Bilirubin is a yellowish substance found in bile, and fluid from the liver.

It is formed when red blood cells break down in the liver. Again, with a poor diet, your body will create more Bilirubin to help with digesting excess food. Now you have excess bilirubin, which in turn flows through your bloodstream, and will end up in your gall bladder. Which finally turns into gallstones.

At first, these tiny ‘stones’ may not be as harmful as some of them usually dissolve or passes through the bile duct or the hepatic duct through your liver, and exit your body through your feces or urine. However, if you have high cholesterol, sudden weight loss, conditions with liver cirrhosis or blood disorder, pregnancy, or a lazy bladder that does not empty the bile completely due to age, then these stones will stay in your gall bladder and start to develop and grow.

This is now a complication as when these large stones try to exit your gallbladder, they will no longer fit the bile duct. Once it gets stuck in the bile duct, the bile fluid gets stuck in the bladder thus causing mild to severe pain. Pain that irradiates from the lower right abdomen, shoulders, and chest. Pain can last between a few minutes to several hours. Severe pain can be subdued after a few hours with abdominal pain medication.

However, in a more serious condition, gallstones can cause acute cholecystitis, wherein the gallbladder is inflamed due to a pressure build-up from bile. A prolonged condition may cause jaundice, as a huge buildup of Bilirubin is now mixed in with your blood and causes your skin, whites in your eyes, and even mucous membranes to turn yellow. An urgent hospitalization and surgery are required to release the pressure from the blockage, and allow the bilirubin and bile to exit your body properly.

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO PREVENT THE SURGERY ROUTE?

After having a pain attack, you were able to recover as the pain medication worked, and somehow the large stone that caused the blockage, exited your body and you are back to your normal state. The next task that your Physician wanted you to accomplish is to do an ultrasound, and check if there are any stones left in your bladder, stones that are large enough that could potentially be a problem if it tries to pass through the bile duct once again.

The results are out, and although stones are still visible around your bladder, these are not large enough to be a problem and would normally flush out. However, this is not your final ordeal, as there is a chance that those tiny stones may not exit the gall bladder and will start to develop. So what can you do?

In most cases, a better diet will solve most digestive system problems. Eating more fiber by consuming more vegetables and fruits, avoiding fatty and fried food, reducing your consumption of sugar and refined carbohydrates, consuming healthy fats like fish oil which causes bladder contraction and allows it to empty regularly, and of course, performing daily exercise even in a short period. It’s not possible to eliminate the risk of developing gallstones, but having a healthy and active lifestyle, will definitely lessen the risk.

DO WE HAVE AN ALTERNATIVE?

People tend to alternative medicine in the belief that the usual, proven route, may not work on their body, or if they have questions about performing something that was consulted by their physician. Hence we arrive at the question, does apple cider vinegar help with gallstones?

The direct answer is no. Although vinegar, which is a form of acid, can dissolve the stones if you put them together, the main concern, however, is that the stones are located in your bladder. This means that after digesting the vinegar, it then gets digested and broken down into various chemical components. So by the time it reaches your gall bladder, it is no longer an acid (1).

But how about consuming apple cider vinegar in a capsule or gummy form? Anything you consume passes through a digestion process, and again, it is broken down into different chemical components, so it will still not end up in an acid state when it reaches your gall bladder.

DO GALL BLADDER FLUSHES WORK?

Any type of flushing can be potentially dangerous. Most of these alternative routes involve consuming lemon juices or fruit juices, which can be dangerous to people with diabetes or insulin resistance, Some even recommend consuming Epsom Salts (magnesium sulfate) in the belief that this will “open up” the digestive system and allow larger stones to exit easily.

But consuming Epsom Salts will result in side effects such as diarrhea, irregular heartbeat, and muscle weakness (2). There are instances wherein due to these ‘flushing’, the stones are actually causing more pain as they are exiting through the bile duct. The bile duct in turn may cause rupture and will result in sepsis and possible death. You may see people attest from their testimonials that trying these alternative methods work, but in reality, there is no direct or scientific proof that these methods work.

Bottom line is, your best chance of preventing the development of stones, is to simply have a healthy diet and lifestyle. And if you have a history of gallbladder disease, always consult your doctor for professional, expert advice. Always think thoroughly, do your research, and don’t make drastic decisions based on recommendations, especially if your health and life depend on it.

 

Article Studies, References, and Resources

1. Effect of apple cider vinegar on delayed gastric emptying in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus: a pilot study -https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2245945/
2. Severe liver injury due to Epsom salt naturopathy By Cyriac Abby Philips – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28970193/