I had my gallbladder removed over 20 years ago - I eat a lot of fat and have no issues at all, but everyone is unique.

I think this is highly individual. CW says no. I prove that wisdom to not be so wise. In fact in the throws of my gallbladder disease all I could eat was fatty beef so go figure. I eat plenty of fat and have no signs that it is undigested. None.

You CAN do a paleo diet that is lower in fat so maybe you can just tell her that there certainly are people without gallbladders who can ingest large quantities of fat but she should try it, maybe start out at a more moderate level) and then listen to her body.

Just curious. Those of you who think the gallbladder-less should be taking salts, do you think it's just impossible that we are digesting the fats. Do you think it's possible that those of us who seem to have no apparent issue with fats just aren't aware, aren't getting the usual symptoms of fat malabsorption? I might like to try the salt therapy just to see the difference but honestly if I'm not digesting my fats at this point I'm not sure I want to start as I'll end up the size of barn I think.

SAVE THE GALL BLADDER!!! I swear, I want to start a petition. These things get removed left and right like some sort of irrelevant mass thats in your way....Seriously, there are ways to promote a healthy system were you dont have to just take this thing out. Surgeons jump on removing this way too quick in my opinion. Kinda like, hey while i'm in here fixin your hernia you want me to go ahead and take out that pesky appendix and gall bladder?

Find a Chiropractor that uses Standard Process Products in your area-- Cholacol are natural bile salts. We were given a gallbladder for a reason--whether or not you get "the rumblies" (Great word, by the way, Vern), the optimally functioning body would emulsify fats appropriately with bile stored in the gallbladder and digest them accordingly, including EPA/DHA, which are certainly longer chained fats. I guess what I'm saying is this--it's dangerous to base whether or not you are digesting fats based on presence or lack of symptoms...

This came up in my nutritional training, because another student had no gallbladder. The instructor suggested she take Biotics bile salts after muscle testing her, and she did really well eating more fats with the addition of the bile salts. I agree that we are all unique, and there is no one size fits all protocol, but you could definitely suggest she try bile salts, and gradually add more fat as long as it keeps feeling good in her body.

I had mine removed, and it was hard at first, but adapted. Dr. Kruse says that the biliary duct forms a sort of primitive gallbladder. I'm not sure that's enough.

However, when I went paleo last year, it was suggested that I take Now SuperEnzymes, which is a replacement for bile with Betaine HCL, and that I use these immediately before every meal that contains fats and proteins in the right amount.

I usually take one SuperEnzyme pill right before starting to eat meats, and the rest spaced out as I eat the meal.

The protocol Robb Wolf recommends to finding out the proper dose is to take these, upto 5 and no more, one at a time until you feel heat right at the top of your stomach with your hand. For me, it's about 2-3 per meal, but I also add in a betaine-HCL capsule as well as I previously had issues digesting proteins. (Not sure I need the extra Betaine-HCL anymore, but they don't seem to hurt.)

Robb says that if you don't have a gallbladder, you should always take these as you won't get proper digestion otherwise. So it's sadly for life.

I can say that they've made a huge difference, and I can tell via the shape of bowl movements when I've not had these - they come out lumpy, like clusters of grapes, instead of straight and smooth - from undigested fats.

The other thing to keep in mind is that since coconut oil is more than half MCTs and since MCTs don't require bile to process, eating relatively more coconut oil than other fats gets rid of the need for bile.

BUT there is one huge danger from the gall bladder removal surgery and that is that it increases the risk of colon cancer. I remember all sorts of issues with acid reflux (but it actually was bile reflux) after the surgery. If I didn't eat anything at night at all to avoid reflux, I'd throw or reflux up a bright yellow/green bitter liquid which of course was bile.

So I took to eating cheese at night since the fats in the cheese would counter the bile. This worked for a few years, until it didn't, then I found the dairy itself - almost any dairy, would cause acid reflux. So was in a catch-22.

I cleaned up my diet a couple of months after the surgery and found I could tolerate olive oil, so mostly ate paleo like salads, but also had pasta, beans, and whole wheat bread, as I found The Perricone Prescription PBS special and got his book, and that made my health a lot better, though I still had broken digestion when it came to fats. (I suppose EVOO was ok since it's mostly MUFAs and that didn't need bile to digest either.)

Over time, this stopped working, but luckily last year, I found Mark Sisson's site, and then Robb Wolf's site and Squatchy on that site recommended I take SuperEnzymes - with the same kind of advice at the top of this answer, and that made the entire difference.

So yes, you can digest fats even without a gallbladder, you can do it without the bile pills, but it's inefficient and certain types of fats work better than others.

Now, I don't have to care about the types of fats (obviously avoiding trans and n6-PUFAs, but not because of digestion issues), I can happily eat 4 rashers of bacon along with 4 eggs and have no issues at all.

Yes, but maybe not everybody, and it may take some time to adapt.

I can eat high-fat no problem. I think my gallbladder wasn't working well prior to the removal, so I think I adapted to less bile before my gallbladder even came out.

I believe certain fats require less bile and may be easier to digest as well (MCTs, emulsified fats like cream, etc...)

I had a Gastric Bypass, as well as had my gallbladder removed in 2001.. ten years later and I don't really have any problems with fats, but I ate terribly before my surgery and eat very well now, so I don't really have the best way to compare how my body would/should have behaved prior to my surgery.

I occasionally experience oily stools and I certainly don't absorb as much fat as I eat (due to the Gastric Bypass) but I don't eat a ton of fat. When it comes to my proteins, I eat a lot of fish. When I do eat foods higher in fat (heavy cream in coffee or bacon) I do sometimes get a few rumblies, but nothing that would otherwise keep me from eating it.... you know. cause it's bacon.

Including more sources of short and medium-chain fats can be beneficial for those who do have gall bladder issues or issues digesting fat.

Obviously things like Coconut Oil, MCT Oil, Ghee and even butter are good options. If you can tolerate them, raw milk, cream or other raw dairy sources are also good.

Maybe a little (colloidal) manganese supplementation could help (or from food/herbal source). I read that it is helpful in the metabolism of fats and sugars...

I had my gall bladder removed in '99 ... even though I had been doing a gall bladder cleanse about every 6-8 months, acupuncture, herbs, etc. I ran late on a cleanse that year when I was in school for massage therapy, and the end result was total disaster.

I've never had anyone suggest bile salts to me, but now I am wondering if I should pick up some of the Standard Process ...

I've stayed 99% paleo/primal since March, not overdoing it on the fats either. A few walnut halves or mac's once a week or less, obviously no grains, dairy or even a potato. But there has not been any loss, and only a small amount on the inch loss (which I know is due to my workouts and lifting weights). I'm not a slave to the scales, but I do check every month or so.

Bowel movements have varied, but overall, are looser than what they should be. So considering that factor, I should be using the salts then ? Would this factor into the struggle to lose the extra body fat as well ?

Am I absorbing ANY fat soluble vitamins? Post gastic bypass 2001 and minus gall bladder 2007; I am concerned about my body being able to absorb fat soluble vitamins. Vitamin A, D,E, K and Krill Oil? I eat a low fat diet. My skin is now dry, it never used to be.

                    Thank you,
                              R

I have been told I have a pollup in my gall bladder. I can't digest fats hardly at all, it seems...I eat mostly vegetables and fish occasionaly. My face is littered with white bumps and I have to dig them out...I am so disolutioned with my good diet, it seems nothing helps. So, my question is, is bile salts the answer? thanks so much.

I had my gallbladder removed back in April of this year. After the surgery I was on a low fat, high fiber diet. After about 1.5 weeks I started to add fat back into my diet, mostly almonds. I just kept adding more and more over time so my body could adjust. I have no problem with fats, the majority of my caloric intake is from fat. From what I understand most people who have their gallbladder removed have no problem with fats, but there are always exceptions. Just remember that you're losing an organ, it will take some time for your body to adjust post-surgery.

Just came across this forum.. I had my gallbladder out when I was 18, via emergency surgery. Another day, and my gallbladder would have burst. No question that it had to come out, along with the 8 marble-sized gallstones.

With that being said, I am now 45 (in a week), and I continue to have issues. However, I see my issues as blessings. I do not normally eat food high in fat. I'm not a vegetarian, but pretty close. If ever I experience constipation from being sick or due to multivitamins, or other reasons, I just eat something really high in fat and I no longer have a problem.