STOP Doing Gallbladder Flushes with Olive Oil

Summary

This script narrates a personal experience with a gallbladder flush using olive oil, lemon juice, and beet tablets, which mistakenly led to the consumption of bile salts instead of gallstones. It explains the importance of bile in preventing gallstone formation and the role of the liver, gallbladder, and pancreas in digestion. The speaker debunks myths about high-fat diets causing gallstones and highlights factors that decrease bile production, such as estrogen, low-fat diets, stress, insulin resistance, and cholesterol-lowering medications, thus increasing the risk of gallstones.

Takeaways

• 🍋 Lemon juice and apple cider vinegar are beneficial for breaking down stones and promoting bile production.
• 💊 The person in the transcript mistakenly thought that consuming olive oil, lemon juice, and beet pills would flush out gallstones, but this was a misconception.
• 🚫 Gallstones do not float; they are solid and typically sink, contrary to what was observed in the transcript.
• 🌿 The green balls seen in the toilet were actually bile salts, not gallstones, indicating that the 'cleanse' flushed out bile instead.
• ⚠️ Losing bile increases the risk of gallstone formation because bile is needed to emulsify cholesterol and prevent stone crystallization.
• 🚰 The liver produces bile, which is stored and concentrated in the gallbladder before being released into the small intestine to aid in fat digestion.
• 🔁 A gallbladder flush or cleanse can actually increase the risk of gallstones by depleting bile salts.
• 🍗 High-fat diets do not necessarily cause gallstones; it's the balance between cholesterol and bile that matters.
• 🤰 Estrogen can inhibit bile production and release, putting women at higher risk for gallstones, especially during pregnancy or when using birth control pills.
• 🥗 A low-fat diet can also increase the risk of gallstones because fatty acids are needed to stimulate bile production.
• 💊 Medications like prednisone and conditions that cause high cortisol or insulin levels can affect bile production and increase gallstone risk.
• 🍽️ Fatty acids, protein, and hydrochloric acid from the stomach trigger the release of bile, whereas carbohydrates do not.

Q & A

What is the purpose of the gallbladder and how does it function?

The gallbladder is a sac that stores bile produced by the liver. It concentrates the bile which is then released into the small intestine to help break down fats with the aid of pancreatic enzymes like lipase.

What is the role of bile in the body and why is it important?

Bile is crucial for emulsifying cholesterol to prevent it from crystallizing and forming stones. It also aids in the digestion and absorption of fats and fat-soluble vitamins.

Why did the person in the script almost choke on beet pills?

The beet pills solidified in the person's throat, causing a blockage that made it difficult to breathe, which is a dangerous situation known as choking.

What misconception did the person in the script initially have about gallstones?

The person believed that drinking a mixture of olive oil, lemon juice, and taking beet tablets would flush out gallstones. However, they later realized that what they saw were not stones but bile salts.

What is the actual composition of gallstones and why do they form?

Gallstones are typically composed of a super concentrated amount of cholesterol with a low amount of bile salts. They form when bile salts are insufficient to emulsify the cholesterol, leading to crystallization.

How does a gallbladder flush or cleanse potentially increase the risk of forming gallstones?

A cleanse that depletes bile can increase the risk of gallstone formation because bile is necessary to emulsify cholesterol and prevent stone formation.

What are some factors that can decrease bile production and increase the risk of gallstones?

Factors include high estrogen levels, low-fat diets, stress-induced cortisol, insulin resistance, fatty liver, chronic diarrhea, and the use of cholesterol-lowering medications like statins.

Why does a high-fat diet not necessarily cause gallstones?

A high-fat diet can actually trigger the release of bile, which helps in digestion and prevents stone formation. The key is having enough bile to emulsify the cholesterol.

What is the role of carbohydrates in the context of bile release and gallstone formation?

Carbohydrates do not trigger the release of bile or the contraction of the gallbladder. It is the intake of fats, proteins, and hydrochloric acid from the stomach that stimulate bile release.

What are bile salts and why are they important in preventing gallstones?

Bile salts are components of bile that help emulsify fats and cholesterol, preventing their crystallization into stones. They are considered a top remedy for gallstones.

What advice does the script give regarding the consumption of olive oil, lemon juice, and apple cider vinegar?

While olive oil is healthy, it should not be consumed in large quantities like 12 ounces at once. Lemon juice and apple cider vinegar are beneficial for promoting bile production and breaking down stones.

Outlines

00:00

🍋 Misadventure with Gallbladder Flushing

The narrator recounts a personal experience attempting a gallbladder flush using olive oil, lemon juice, and beet tablets to expel gallstones. They mistakenly believed that the green balls they observed in the toilet were stones, only to later realize these were bile salts. The narrator explains that gallstones are actually solid and do not float, and that the flush may have increased their risk of stone formation by depleting bile. They further detail the role of bile in the digestive process, the function of the liver and gallbladder, and the importance of bile in emulsifying cholesterol to prevent stone formation.

05:01

🚫 Risk Factors for Gallstone Formation

This paragraph delves into the risk factors for gallstone development, starting with the impact of estrogen, which can inhibit bile production, putting pregnant women, those on birth control, and hormone replacement therapy at risk. The narrator dispels the myth that a high-fat diet causes gallstones, instead explaining that a low-fat diet can actually increase the risk due to reduced bile release. Stress-induced cortisol, insulin resistance, and fatty liver disease are also identified as contributing factors. The narrator highlights the importance of bile for cholesterol management and mentions that chronic diarrhea, gastric bypass, and cholesterol-lowering drugs like statins can decrease bile production, thereby increasing the risk of gallstones. The paragraph concludes with a recommendation to watch a video on bile salts for further understanding.

Keywords

💡Gallbladder

The gallbladder is a small, pear-shaped organ beneath the liver that stores and concentrates bile produced by the liver. In the video, the gallbladder is central to the discussion about gallstones and their formation. The speaker shares a personal anecdote of attempting to flush out gallstones, which involves the gallbladder.

💡Gallstones

Gallstones are solid masses formed in the gallbladder from an excess of cholesterol or bilirubin in the bile. The video's theme revolves around the misconceptions about gallstones, their formation, and the speaker's experience with a supposed 'flush' method to remove them.

💡Olive Oil

Olive oil is a healthy fat that is mentioned in the script as part of a home remedy to flush out gallstones. The speaker drank a large amount of olive oil mixed with lemon juice in an attempt to dissolve and flush out gallstones, which is a common but not medically recommended method.

💡Lemon Juice

Lemon juice is another ingredient in the home remedy discussed in the video, believed to help in the dissolution of gallstones. It is combined with olive oil and beet pills in the speaker's anecdote, although the video later explains that this method is not scientifically proven and can be dangerous.

💡Beet Pills

Beet pills are a supplement that the speaker took in an attempt to flush out gallstones. They are mentioned as part of the home remedy that the speaker ingested, which led to a dangerous situation where the pills solidified in the throat, almost causing asphyxiation.

💡Bile

Bile is a fluid produced by the liver that aids in the digestion of fats. The video explains that bile is essential for emulsifying cholesterol and preventing the formation of gallstones. The speaker mistakenly believed that the green balls observed in the toilet were gallstones, but they were actually bile salts.

💡Bile Salts

Bile salts are components of bile that help in the digestion and absorption of fats. The script clarifies that the green balls the speaker saw were actually bile salts, not gallstones. Bile salts are crucial for preventing gallstone formation as they emulsify fats and cholesterol.

💡Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a waxy substance that is essential for the body but can lead to health problems if not kept in check. In the context of the video, an excess of cholesterol that is not properly emulsified by bile can lead to the formation of gallstones.

💡Estrogen

Estrogen is a hormone that can affect the production and release of bile, as mentioned in the video. High levels of estrogen, such as during pregnancy or due to hormone replacement therapy, can increase the risk of gallstone formation by inhibiting bile flow.

💡Insulin Resistance

Insulin resistance is a condition where the body's cells do not respond properly to insulin, leading to high blood sugar levels. The video explains that insulin resistance can decrease bile production, which in turn can increase the risk of gallstone formation.

💡Statins

Statins are a class of drugs used to lower cholesterol levels in the blood. The script mentions that while statins are beneficial for heart health, they can also lower bile production because bile is made from cholesterol, potentially increasing the risk of gallstones.

Highlights

The individual attempted a gallbladder flush with olive oil, lemon juice, and beet tablets to remove gallstones.

Beet pills solidified in the throat, causing a near-fatal choking incident.

The person believed they had flushed out gallstones, but they were actually bile salts.

Gallstones do not float; they are dense and sink, contrary to the individual's initial belief.

The gallbladder flush may have increased the risk of stone formation by depleting bile salts.

Bile is essential for emulsifying cholesterol and preventing stone formation.

The liver produces bile, which is stored and concentrated in the gallbladder for later use.

Bile is released into the small intestine to aid in fat digestion with the help of pancreatic enzymes.

Fatty acids, protein, and hydrochloric acid from the stomach trigger the release of bile.

Carbohydrates do not trigger the gallbladder to release bile, unlike fats and proteins.

A high-fat diet does not necessarily cause gallstones if bile production is adequate.

Purified bile salts are a top remedy for gallstones, suggesting bile's importance in prevention.

Estrogen can inhibit bile production, increasing the risk of gallstones, especially in pregnant women and those on hormone therapy.

A low-fat diet may increase the risk of gallstones due to reduced bile production and release.

Stress, cortisol, and insulin resistance can negatively affect bile production and increase gallstone risk.

Diabetics and overweight individuals are at higher risk for gallstones due to insulin-related factors.

Loss of bile through chronic diarrhea or gastric bypass surgery can lead to gallstone formation.

Statins, which lower cholesterol, can also reduce bile production and increase the risk of gallstones.

Olive oil is healthy in moderation, but consuming large quantities may not be advisable.

Lemon juice and apple cider vinegar are beneficial for promoting bile production and breaking down stones.

Transcripts

never forget this is years ago

but i was doing this gallbladder

flush to flush out all my stones because

um i read something where you can drink

olive oil lemon juice

and take beet tablets

to flush out hundreds of gallstones

right and clean your body of these toxic

stones

so i poured this it might have been i

don't know 18 ounces but it could have

been 12 ounces but this huge glass of

olive oil okay

and i put about two ounces of lemon

juice in it

and then i had a handful of beet pills

okay

so i figured i'd just go ahead and do it

all together so i chugged down the beet

pills

slugged down the olive oil slash lemon

juice

and laid on my right side but before i

could lay on my right side these beet

pills solidified

in my throat

and i couldn't breathe so i almost

died i don't know if you've ever had

this sensation where you ate something

and it kind of got stuck in your throat

and you couldn't breathe

that's what happened so i panicked and i

finally relaxed and i got it through

and then i laid on my right side for

about a half hour and what was supposed

to happen was the gallbladder supposed

to flush all these stones out so to make

a long story short um

in the toilet

i noticed these round little green balls

and i'm like wow it worked i flushed out

all these stones so at the time i didn't

know much about health okay i just i was

just doing all sorts of cleanses to try

to help my body but here's the thing you

need to know

stones don't float okay i mean these

gallstones are rocks

they sink and

what i was really looking at

was these little

balls of

bile salts okay so what this so-called

cleanse did is flush out my bile okay so

i i got rid of all my bile and by the

way as i'm about to teach you when you

lose your bile you increase your risk

for getting

stones

so a gallbladder stone is created when

you have a super concentrated amount of

cholesterol

with a low amount of bile

normally the bile is supposed to

emulsify the cholesterol and keep things

thinned so it doesn't form into a stone

it doesn't crystallize but when you

don't have enough bile salts because of

a cleanse like this or other reasons and

then you develop stones

so this gallbladder slash gallstone

flush

actually increased my risk of getting

stones so let me just explain something

you have the liver okay

which makes bile

the bile is then released through these

little tubes called ducts

okay and it starts to drain into this

thing called gallbladder and the

gallbladder is a sac that holds bile it

doesn't make bile it holds the bile and

so the bile can be concentrated so the

next time you eat it can be contracted

and that bile can be released into the

small intestine

so it can start to help to break down

fats and with the help of the pancreas

that then comes in with certain enzymes

like lipase

to break it down to a even smaller level

so it can be absorbed so you need

everything functioning in the liver and

gallbladder and the pancreas to make

everything work right and so there is

also a hormone that causes this

contraction of the gallbladder and so

what triggers the hormone that contracts

the gallbladder are

fats okay fatty acids

protein

and

hydrochloric acid

from your stomach because you just ate

so every time you eat you actually have

this release of this bile that's going

to help you start extracting

fat soluble vitamins omega-3 fatty acids

and other fatty acids now if you have

not noticed

carbohydrates

do not help you release bile they're not

a trigger for the contraction of the

gallbladder so what does that mean it

means basically if you're doing like a

lot of carbs you're not getting the help

of the gallbladder too much it's more

the fat the protein and also

hydrochloric acid now a really common

confusion about gallstones is that

people think that eating a high-fat diet

will cause gallstones well it all

depends on what's happening with your

bile if you're producing enough bile

with the fat you're fine but fat in

itself

causes a release of bile not the

formation of a stone and let me just

tell you again a stone is formed when

you have too much concentrated

cholesterol and not enough bile salts

one of the top remedies for gallstones

is taking purified bile salts so instead

of asking the question what causes a

gallstone a better question would be

what decreases our bile

production and release and so i'm going

to go down the list okay number one

estrogen

estrogen

can inhibit

bile from being produced and released

this is why women who are pregnant who

have a lot of estrogen are at risk for

getting gallstones this is why women who

take birth control pills or start taking

hormone replacement therapy specifically

estrogen replacement therapy

are at risk for gulf stones this is why

women who are estrogen dominant tend to

get more gallstones

than if they're not estrogen dominant

now the next thing that can cause a

decreased bioproduction is very

interesting it's a actually being on a

low-fat diet so if you're a vegan and

you don't consume much fat or you're

just on a low-fat diet your risk for

gallstones are going up because it's the

fatty acids that help you produce and

release

bile so the myth of eating too much fat

will cause gallstones is

just a myth all right the next thing

that will affect your bile production is

having too much cortisol from stress or

prednisone okay a lot of people with

inflammatory conditions are taking

prednisone

uh synthetic version of cortisol and

that can increase the risk of gallstones

all right number four and this is very

important too much insulin

or

insulin resistance

or

a fatty liver which usually comes from

that

and if you have a fatty liver you can't

produce as much bile because there's not

as much liver to produce the bile

but insulin in general and insulin

resistance which usually happen at the

same time

is a very common cause of

lowered bile production this is why a

diabetic has an increased risk of

getting gallstones this is why people

that are overweight are more at a risk

for a gallstone and this is why people

who eat too many carbs are at risk for

getting a gallstone all right next thing

on the list is a loss of bile let's say

you have chronic diarrhea

that is going to cause a loss of bile or

you had gastric bypass

which you're going to be at risk for

getting gallstones because you're doing

a bypass of your intestine

stomach and that's going to decrease

bile and this last one is actually

fascinating

bile is made from cholesterol so

anything that lowers cholesterol like

statins will put you at risk for having

lowered bile and increasing the risk of

gallstones so i hope this increased your

awareness

of gallstones in general and what you

should and should not do but i just want

to mention olive oil is extremely

healthy to consume but probably not in

large quantities like drinking like 12

ounces not the best idea now lemon juice

and apple cider vinegar are really good

for not only breaking down stones and

producing more bile

but gallstones as well as kidney stones

and i think the best video for you to

watch right now is

my video on bile salts it's actually

quite interesting check it out i put it

right here