Health ShortsGallstones
Java Trumps Stones
Drinking at least four cups of coffee daily lowers a woman's risk of developing gallbladder disease by almost one quarter, according to data from 80,898 women in the Nurses' Health Study.
[SOURCE: "Coffee and Cholecystectomy," Family Practice News, January 15, 2003] Preventing Gallstones
Studies show a number of diet and lifestyle choices that either increase or decrease the risk of developing gallstones. Protective factors: < UL > · Moderate alcohol intake reduces the risk of gallstones by 25 percent in both men and women. · Some studies have found that coffee consumption lowers risk. · A vegetarian diet is associated with fewer stones. · Regular exercise and a high-fiber diet also reduce the risk. · Factors associated with an increased risk: · One study found that hormone replacement therapy tripled the risk for postmenopausal women. Rapid weight loss or fasting increases the risk of stone formation. o [SOURCE: M. Acalovschi, "Cholesterol Gallstone: From Epidemiology to Prevention," Postgraduate Medical Journal, April, 2001] Running Away from Gallstones
Moderate exercise is known to decrease the risk of gallstones. A recent study of 25,000 adults in the United Kingdom found that more intense exercise has an even greater effect. Those who did an hour or more of exercise daily reduced their risk of gallstones by as much as 60 percent.
[SOURCE: "The Gall of It All," Runner's World, September, 2003] Weight Loss or Gain Ups Risk
Obesity is a known risk factor for the development of gallstones. Ironically, the kind of rapid weight loss achieved with bariatric surgery (in which the stomach is stapled or banded) can also cause stones to form. Doctors recommend moderate weight loss over an extended period for those who are severely overweight. When bariatric surgery produces rapid weight loss, patients can be prescribed medication that inhibits stone formation.
[SOURCE: Malcolm Bateson, "Gallbladder Disease," British Medical Journal, June 26, 1999] | ArchiveAIDS & HIV |
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