Experimentally Produced Gallstones
|
Autopsies indicate that 10 per cent of our population has gallstones, most of which consist largely of cholesterol though a few are formed from bile pigments. Cholesterol stones have been produced in rabbits in a single week by substances causing the walls of the gall bladder to become inflamed; in three weeks their gall bladders were completely filled with stones. The inflammation apparently injured the mucous membrane lining the gall bladder, causing cells to slough off upon which cholesterol could deposit.
When hamsters have been given a diet deficient in vitamin E, all developed cholesterol stones, though no stones occurred in animals receiving the vitamin. It has been generally believed that diets high in fat and/or cholesterol produced stones, but animals given large amounts of cholesterol or saturated or unsaturated fats developed no stones as long as vitamin E was adequate. Conversely, hamsters fed no fat or cholesterol whatsoever all formed stones without vitamin E. The stones developed before any signs of a vitamin-E deficiency could be detected and while the amount of cholesterol in the bile and blood was the same as that in animals having no stones.
Moreover, when animals were kept on a vitamin-E-deficient diet until all had stones and the vitamin was then given them, the stones dissolved. Even a diet still deficient in vitamin E but containing yeast and generous amounts of fat (natural lard) caused half the stones to dissolve; the remainder were small and contained little cholesterol. Yeast and soy flour, added to the stone-producing diet, prevented stones from forming; and the addition of natural grains, peanuts, and minerals decreased the number of stones to half.
The reasons why stones form or are prevented from forming by these diets are not yet clear. It is known that vitamin A is quickly destroyed in the absence of vitamin E; that without vitamin A, millions of dying cells from mucous membranes covering the walls of the gall bladder slough off into the bile; and that stones form around a base of organic material. It would therefore appear that dead cells may catch and hold the cholesterol. Foods such as yeast, nuts, and unrefined grains, containing B vitamins and/or oils, increase the production of lecithin; and they as well as lard stimulate the emptying of the gall bladder. Because lecithin breaks cholesterol into tiny particles and keeps it in suspension; a high lecithin content of bile would appear to be vitally important in preventing stones. Population groups living on refined foods have far more stones than those eating only unrefined products.
Can human gallstones be dissolved?
The general medical opinion is that gallstones cannot be dissolved and that sooner or later surgery is required. Many people with stones, however, have no digestive or gallbladder disturbances; and others apparently have had stones for years without knowing it until a chance x-ray revealed them. There are situations, of course, where surgery is imperative, but if a physician's decision is to postpone surgery, it is worth the effort to try to dissolve such stones.
Investigators have pointed out that the low-fat diets customarily recommended can actually cause stones by preventing the gall bladder from emptying vigorously. The longer bile remains in the gall bladder, the more concentrated it becomes. When the gall bladder fails to empty, thick stagnant bile high in cholesterol may slosh about with each body movement for days or weeks. Cholesterol and bile pigments are thus constantly brought into contact with any dead cells present. Under such circumstances it would be strange if stones did not form.
Human gallstones, implanted in a dog's gall bladder, dissolve quickly. This fact indicates that some constituent in bile keeps cholesterol from settling out; therefore the bile of persons who had had stones removed was studied after various nutrients were given them. Cholesterol settled out quickly when saturated fats were eaten. A teaspoon (3.5 grains) of arachidonic acid--the essential fatty acid in peanut oil--or linoleic acid with 20 to 60 milligrams of vitamin B6 increased the cholesterol-holding capacity of bile as much as 200 per cent. Vitamin B6 is necessary before linoleic acid can be changed into arachidonic acid, 25 needed to produce lecithin.
The diet to prevent gallstones or to help them dissolve, therefore, must be high in vitamins A and E to keep cells from sloughing from the mucous membranes. It should contain sufficient oil and B vitamins to stimulate the gall bladder to empty vigorously during each meal; and it must supply all nutrients known to increase lecithin production so that cholesterol can be held in suspension. Saturated fats should be kept to a minimum, and hydrogenated fats and excess carbohydrates, which change into saturated fat, should be avoided.
Large gallstones cannot enter the bile duct, and tiny ones pass readily through it; hence only medium-sized stones may become troublesome. Possibly because many nutrients aid relaxation and decrease sensitivity to pain. The discomfort lasts only a few hours, and as soon as the stone is forced through the bile duct, it is gone forever. The over-all pain and certainly the expense is considerably less than that incurred by surgery. |
|
Author Resource:-
David Crawford is the CEO and owner of a erectial dysfunction company known as Male Enhancement Group which is dedicated to researching and comparing male enhancement products in order to determine which male enhancement product is safer and more effective than other products on the market. Copyright 2010 David Crawford of premature ejaculation natural This article may be freely distributed if this resource box stays attached.
|
By :
David Jamesonsess
Submitted
2010-06-11 20:48:21 |
Article From Article Mayhem
 Ezine ready view |
|
|
|
Related Articles
|
|
|
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.articlemayhem.com/images/icon_Rss.png "XML Feed For RSS"){kind=icon}
Category Rss Feed![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.articlemayhem.com/images/rss.jpg "XML Feed For RSS")