Formation of Gallstones

Bile is a digestive juice produced by the liver which helps digest fats in the intestine. It is stored in the gallbladder and is pumped out to the intestine when the body needs it.

Gallstone could form when the liquid bile contains too much cholesterol or bilirubin, or when there are not enough bile salts to dissolve the cholesterol. Impaired gallbladder function or cholesterol saturation would lead to crystallization and precipitation of cholesterol together with other chemical components such as minerals.[2] These could be caused by genetics or lifestyles including age, estrogen level, weight and diet. According to the U.S. National Institutes of Health, people at risk for gallstones include: [1]

• women—especially women who are pregnant, use hormone replacement therapy, or take birth control pills
• people over age 60
• overweight or obese men and women
• people who fast or lose a lot of weight quickly
• people with a family history of gallstones
• people with diabetes
• people who take cholesterol-lowering drugs

Formation of Liver and Kidney Stones

Liver stones, also known as intrahepatic stones (IHS), may form in the intrahepatic bile ducts in the liver or originate from the gallstones in the gallbladder. Almost 50% of the patients with IHS have associated gallstones.[3] High cholesterol, parasite invasion and other environmental factors have been associated with risk of IHS. On the other hand, risks of developing kidney stones have been linked to diet, heredity, environment, weight and fluid intake.[4] These factors affect the balance of water, salts, minerals, and other substances found in urine and promote crystal and stone formation. The most common kidney stones are the calcium-type.[4]