30/12/2025
Gallbladder removal is one of the most common surgeries performed today.
Itโs often offered as a โsimple fixโ for gallstones, pain, or sluggish digestion.
But the truth is: your gallbladder wasnโt optional.
And once itโs gone, your body undergoes a cascade of changes that most people are never told about.
Letโs dive into what the gallbladder actually does, what happens when itโs removed, and how to support your digestion, hormones, and terrain for the long haul.
๐ ๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐จ๐๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐๐๐ซ ๐๐๐ญ๐ฎ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐จ?
The gallbladder is a small pear-shaped organ that sits just beneath the liver.
Its job is simple โ but vital:
โก๏ธ It stores and concentrates bile.
Bile is a bitter, yellow-green fluid made by the liver, and it plays several critical roles:
โข Emulsifies fats so they can be digested and absorbed
โข Carries out toxins, excess hormones, heavy metals, cholesterol, and bile-soluble waste
โข Triggers peristalsis in the gut (bowel movements)
โข Regulates the gut microbiome and prevents bacterial overgrowth
It also helps:
โข Absorb fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K)
โข Balance cholesterol levels
โข Clear old estrogens and stress hormones
โข Maintain proper gut pH and motility
๐ Bile is your body's built-in detergent, detoxifier, and digestive stimulant โ and the gallbladder controls how much is released and when.
Without it, your body's timing, flow, and fat metabolism become dysregulated.
๐ฉป ๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐๐ง๐ฌ ๐๐ก๐๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐๐๐ซ ๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐ฆ๐จ๐ฏ๐๐?
When the gallbladder is taken out, your liver still makes bileโฆ
But instead of storing it and releasing it in response to food, the bile now drips continuously into the small intestine โ in a weaker, less concentrated form.
This disrupts a finely tuned system and creates several downstream problems:
๐ป 1. Fat Digestion Becomes Impaired
Without the gallbladderโs timing and potency, bile canโt break down fats efficiently.
Even healthy fats may trigger discomfort or go undigested.
โก๏ธ Symptoms:
โข Bloating after eating
โข Floating or pale stools
โข Diarrhea or loose stools
โข Greasy or sticky bowel movements
โข Nausea, especially after rich meals
โข Feeling full or heavy in the upper right abdomen
This leads to fat-soluble nutrient deficiencies โ especially vitamins A, D, E, and K, as well as omega-3s, choline, and coenzyme Q10.
Over time, this can affect:
โข Hormone production
โข Vision
โข Brain health
โข Bone strength
โข Immune resilience
๐ป 2. Toxins Arenโt Eliminated Properly
Bile is also a major detox pathway. It binds and carries out:
โข Estrogen metabolites
โข Excess cholesterol
โข Mold toxins
โข Parasite debris
โข Medications and environmental chemicals
โข Liver byproducts and metabolic waste
Without healthy bile flow, these toxins can be:
โข Reabsorbed into the bloodstream
โข Recirculated via enterohepatic recycling
โข Stored in fat and tissue โ worsening inflammation
This raises the risk of:
โข Hormonal imbalances
โข Brain fog
โข Autoimmunity
โข Rashes, breakouts, and itchy skin
โข Liver congestion and fatigue
๐ป 3. Hormone Imbalances Can Worsen
Poor bile flow = poor clearance of used-up hormones.
Especially for women, this may look like:
โข Estrogen dominance
โข PMS, fibroids, endometriosis
โข Weight gain around hips, thighs, and lower belly
โข Mood swings or irritability
โข Histamine sensitivity, migraines, or breast tenderness
Bile also influences thyroid hormone conversion in the liver and gut โ meaning sluggish bile can mimic or worsen thyroid issues (fatigue, cold hands, hair loss, slow metabolism).
๐ป 4. Gut Imbalance & SIBO Risk Increases
Bile has natural antimicrobial effects that keep the gut ecosystem in check.
Without proper bile release:
โข Undigested fats feed opportunistic bacteria
โข Bile acid imbalance encourages overgrowth
โข Gut motility slows, increasing fermentation and bloating
โข The risk of SIBO, candida, methane overgrowth, and leaky gut increases
This contributes to:
โข Gas, distention, burping
โข Constipation or loose stools
โข Reflux
โข Nutrient malabsorption
โข Chronic inflammation
๐ป 5. Liver Congestion Worsens
When bile flow is altered, the liver has to work harder to excrete waste.
This creates a backlog of toxins, leading to symptoms that are often misdiagnosed.
This may show up as:
โข Headaches (especially over the eyes or crown)
โข Skin rashes, eczema, or acne
โข Chemical sensitivity (perfumes, cleaners)
โข Eye floaters, tension behind the eyes
โข Anxiety, irritability, or restlessness
โข Elevated liver enzymes on labs
โข Worsening reactions to medications or supplements
Over time, this can impact mitochondrial health, detox capacity, and lymphatic drainage.
โ ๐๐ฎ๐ญ ๐๐ก๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฌ ๐๐ญ ๐๐๐ฆ๐จ๐ฏ๐๐ ๐ข๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐
๐ข๐ซ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐?
Gallbladders donโt just โgo badโ out of nowhere.
They become inflamed, sluggish, or develop stones because of terrain-level breakdowns, including:
โข Low stomach acid (which fails to signal bile release)
โข Processed, low-fat diets (which stop the gallbladder from ever emptying)
โข High estrogen levels (from birth control, pregnancy, or HRT)
โข Mold exposure, parasites, and stealth infections (which clog bile ducts)
โข Taurine, choline, magnesium, and bile salt deficiencies
โข Trauma, stress, and nervous system freeze states (which slow digestion)
Stones, sludge, or inflammation are symptoms, not root causes.
And if those terrain imbalances arenโt addressed, symptoms may continue or worsen elsewhere โ even after surgery.
๐ ๏ธ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐
๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐
You can still live a healthy life without a gallbladder but you must compensate for what was lost.
Hereโs how to support your body, step by step:
โ
๐๐ฎ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ ๐
๐ฅ๐จ๐ฐ ๐๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ฒ
โข Take bile salts (ox bile) with meals containing fat
โข Use bitter herbs before meals: dandelion, gentian, artichoke, burdock
โข Drink lemon water or diluted apple cider vinegar 15 min before meals
โข Supplement phosphatidylcholine to support bile viscosity and flow
โข Support cofactors: magnesium, taurine, glycine, molybdenum
โข Consider adding TUDCA (tauroursodeoxycholic acid), a bile acid that helps thin stagnant bile, protect liver cells, and improve bile flow when the gallbladder is no longer present.
Bile is 95% water โ so hydration is critical.
โ
๐. ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐๐ง๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฆ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฅ
โข Use a broad-spectrum enzyme blend with high lipase content
โข Choose formulas with ox bile, betaine HCl, lipase, pancreatin, amylase
โข Adjust dosing based on meal size and fat content
โข Consider HCl support if low stomach acid is suspected (common post-cholecystectomy)
โ
๐. ๐๐๐ญ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐๐ฐ ๐๐ก๐ฒ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ฅ๐จ๐ ๐ฒ
โข Eat smaller, more frequent meals โ avoid large fatty meals
โข Focus on quality fats, not quantity โ avocado, ghee, olive oil, egg yolks
โข Avoid fried, processed, and oxidized oils
โข Add fiber-rich vegetables to bind excess bile acids
โข Stay well-hydrated throughout the day (filtered water with mineral salt)
โ
๐. ๐๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐
๐๐ญ-๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ฎ๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐ซ๐ข๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ
You are now at higher risk of A, D, E, K deficiency.
โข Use emulsified or micellized versions of vitamins A, D3/K2, and E
โข Test vitamin D and retinol levels
โข Include nutrient-dense foods: pasture-raised liver, egg yolks, wild fish, grass-fed butter
โข Use cod liver oil for bioavailable A and D (in balance)
โ
๐. ๐๐๐ญ๐จ๐ฑ ๐๐ฅ๐จ๐ฐ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ข๐ ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฅ๐ฒ
Your bile-dependent detox pathways are more fragile now.
โข Focus on opening drainage before any deep detox
โข Use gentle binders: activated charcoal, bentonite clay, modified citrus pectin
โข Apply castor oil packs over the liver 3โ5x/week
โข Incorporate infrared sauna, dry brushing, and lymphatic massage
โข Avoid fasting, extreme cleanses, or intense parasite protocols until stable
โ
๐. ๐๐๐๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ฆ๐จ๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐ซ๐ซ๐๐ข๐ง
In Chinese medicine, the gallbladder governs:
โข Courage, clarity, and decision-making
โข The ability to โdigest lifeโ and move forward boldly
After removal, many people report:
โข Indecisiveness
โข Fear of change
โข Rage or resentment
โข Difficulty setting boundaries or expressing emotion
๐ Emotional release work, nervous system healing, breathwork, and somatic therapy are often overlooked โ but deeply supportive.
โค๏ธ ๐
๐ข๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐๐ก๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐ก๐ญ๐ฌ
Your gallbladder may be gone โ
But your power to support your body is still fully intact.
This organ wasnโt removed by accident.
It was responding to deeper imbalances in your digestion, stress, mineral status, liver health, hormones, and nervous system.
By restoring what it used to do, compensating wisely, and listening deeply to your terrainโฆ
โฆyou can live in greater health and harmony than before โ not despite the surgery, but because you finally began to support the body in the way it always needed
Pete Wuntz
