Active Low-Carber Forums - View Single Post - Doing Atkins with no Gall Bladder

Actually the gall bladder does do something. It stores bile from the liver which is used to digest fats you eat.

Quote:

What is the Gallbladder?

The gallbladder is a small pear-shaped organ that stores and concentrates bile. It is connected to the liver (which produces the bile) by the hepatic duct. It is approximately 3 to 4 inches (7.6 to 10.2 cm) long and about 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide.

What is its Function?

The function of the gallbladder is to store bile and concentrate. Bile is a digestive liquid continually secreted by the liver. The bile emulsifies fats and neutralizes acids in partly digested food. A muscular valve in the common bile duct opens, and the bile flows from the gallbladder into the cystic duct, along the common bile duct, and into the duodenum (part of the small intestine).

http://www.mamashealth.com/organs/gallbladder.asp

However, the liver will still produce all the bile you need if your storage area is gone - just has to work harder. People who ALREADY have gallstones, sometimes find that they get pain when the fat in an LC diet provokes bile secretion. However, LCing probably contributes to NOT forming gallstones as the bile would be used regularly on a diet with lots of fat. Low fat diets(which would leave the bile sitting there in storage for long periods) would tend to promote the formation of gallstones.