Experiencing lighter-colored stools? It could be your gallbladder.
Noticing changes in your stool color can feel a little uncomfortable to talk about, but it’s one of the ways your body gives you clues about what’s going on inside. While occasional changes are normal, stools that are consistently pale, clay-colored (or yellowy/orange), or very light can sometimes point to an issue with your gallbladder or bile flow.
The role of your gallbladder
Your gallbladder is a small organ that stores and releases bile. Bile is a digestive fluid made by your liver that helps you absorb fats and gives stool its normal brown color. When we eat fat, your body sends a signal via a hormone to the gallbladder to release bile into the small intestine for fat absorption. When bile isn’t flowing properly, stools can appear much lighter than usual.
The issue…
Light-colored stools may suggest that bile isn’t reaching your intestines the way it should. This can happen for several reasons, such as gallstones blocking bile ducts, inflammation of the gallbladder, or other issues that affect bile production or flow. When it comes to nutrition, the biggest issue with a decrease in bile flow is that you are then not absorbing fats properly. We need fat for energy, to aid in the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (vitamins A, D, E and K), hormone production, brain health, blood sugar management, reducing inflammation, cholesterol/heart health, and protecting organs/gut lining. So if we aren’t absorbing fat well with proper bile production/flow, any of those things just mentioned could be impacted.
Other symptoms to pay attention to
If you’re dealing with light stools, you may also notice:
Discomfort or pain in the upper right side of your abdomen
Nausea after eating fatty foods
Bloating or indigestion
If these symptoms sound familiar, it’s important to check in with a healthcare provider to rule out gallbladder problems or other conditions affecting your liver or pancreas.
How the gallbladder relates to your menstrual cycle and hormones
There’s a few things to pay attention to here:
As mentioned above, fats play a crucial role in hormone production. Fat helps make cholesterol, and cholesterol is the precursor to making sex and adrenal hormones (think estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, cortisol, etc.). If your gallbladder isn’t functioning properly and bile flow is poor, you might not be absorbing enough fat. This is one of the many reasons as to why I do a thorough intake of my client’s gut symptoms, even if it seems like it has nothing to do with their menstrual cycle!
Estrogen increases the amount of cholesterol in bile, and too much cholesterol in bile can cause gallstones, which will block bile flow and can be incredibly painful. So if someone has too high levels of estrogen or experiencing estrogen dominance, this needs to be addressed.
Progesterone slows down bile flow from the gallbladder. I often find that many of my clients experience a change in bowel habits the week or so before their period, which is when progesterone is at its highest and then starts to dramatically dip. In these cases, supporting the liver and gallbladder can make a big difference in helping offset some of those frustrating changes!
Supporting your gallbladder with nutrition
While medical evaluation is key and very important, nutrition can play an important role in supporting gallbladder health. Generally, I start with helping clients consume more foods that support both bile production in the liver, and bile flow from the gallbladder. It might also be important to reduce consumption of certain types of fats to help manage symptoms as we adddress the root. In some cases, supplements that contain higher doses of compounds that support the liver/gallbladder may be helpful and important.
Also, if your estrogen or progesterone levels are imbalanced, we can directly support the gallbladder and proper bile flow by getting those in check.
When to Seek Help
Occasional changes in stool color aren’t usually a cause for alarm. But if light-colored stools are happening regularly or are paired with other symptoms, it’s best to seek medical advice. Your gallbladder, liver, and digestive system are all interconnected, and catching issues early can make a big difference!
If you think you might have some gallbladder issues, don’t wait! In addition to getting things checked out with a GI professional, nutrition is key. Schedule a free discovery call today!