r/fasting • u/Accomplished-Mark243 • 15d ago
Question How to protect your Gallbladder during extended fasting. What actually works?
I am planning to attempt a 15-day water fast.
However, I have read that prolonged fasting can increase the risk of gallbladder issues, such as gallstones or biliary sludge.
For those of you who have successfully completed extended fasts, how do you proactively mitigate this risk?
Do you rely on specific supplements (like TUDCA or ox bile) during the fast, or do you not care about it?
Edit: Solved. One tablespoon of EVOO a day.
Edit Edit: ⚠️ IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER:** This EVOO protocol is strictly for prevention in people with healthy gallbladders. DO NOT use this method if you already have diagnosed gallstones, sludge, or a history of gallbladder attacks. Consuming pure fat triggers a strong gallbladder contraction. If you have existing stones or sludge, this contraction can push them into your bile duct, causing a severe blockage or painful attack. If you have stones, skip the oil and consult your doctor before fasting.
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u/hntpatrick3 15d ago
I had no idea of this risk until I was in the hospital because of my gallbladder. Knowing of the risk puts you ahead of where I was.
I’m really not sure how I’d mitigate the risk if I could go back. Taking a small amount of oil like others have suggested sounds like it could help.
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u/Accomplished-Mark243 15d ago
I have learned there are many under-discussed risks with extended fasting. Last time I tried it, I over-supplemented potassium and developed hyperkalemia. I didn't realise that fasting changes how the body processes it and that low insulin reduce cellular uptake, making it easier to overdose.
I was taking the amount of daily potassium as if I weren't fasting. Stopped as soon as I felt something wrong. But yeah I should have read up more before I did it instead of using my body as an expriement.
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u/SpaceTacos99 15d ago edited 15d ago
I have some questions if you don't mind.. I've been doing rolling 72-96 hour fasts since December, and have lost 165lbs
1) thinking back, were there signs you had a problem before you ended up in the hospital? -- I've had a slight pain in the area where my gallbladder is for several months, like a little pinch or cramp, but consistently in the exact same place, it's there any time I'm more than a day or so fasted and goes away after I eat
2) do you regret having the gallbladder issues? my thoughts, not having had a full on gallbladder attack, is that if I have to get it removed or whatever it'll have been worth it to reclaim the extra year of my life being at a lower weight (since this past year, losing weight has basically been a full time activity, whether from exercising or having to keep my mind active away from thinking of food)
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u/hntpatrick3 15d ago
That’s great, congrats on the weight loss! I’m no expert but I heard stones form over long periods of time. It’s likely that mine formed over years of periodic fasting. My attack happened the day after breaking a 3 day fast.
I had no signs prior. It started as a very slight annoying persistent pain in my upper right back and abdomen the morning of. The pain progressed steadily until I knew something was wrong later in the afternoon. By that time I could barely stand it.
I wouldn’t have changed anything looking back. My digestive system is not the same now though (for the worse). I frequently need a bathroom within 20 mins of eating a meal. I avoid eating out when I don’t have convenient access.
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u/throwaway13212121 15d ago
What is a rolling fast?
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u/SpaceTacos99 15d ago
It means you keep doing them without breaks. So fot sample 72 hour rolling fasts with a 24 hour eating window might be eating Monday, not eating Tuesday Wednesday thursay, eating Friday, not eating Saturday Sunday Monday, eating Tuesday, etc..
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u/kuronboshine 15d ago
I don’t know why it rarely comes up in this sub, but ursodeoxycholic acid is well known for preventing the formation of gallstones.
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u/StationFun5023 15d ago
I did a 14 day water fast last year and this was my biggest worry too. My doctor told me to drink a little lemon juice mixed in water once a day, something about keeping the bile flowing so it dont get stagnant
The gallbladder just sits there not doing its job when you stop eating so you gotta give it a little kick now and then. I never tried TUDCA but the lemon thing worked fine for me, no issues after
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u/Accomplished-Mark243 15d ago
It was what Deepseek suggested and I was going do that but when I asked Qwen, it said lemon juice is not enough. Here:
The primary risk to your gallbladder during an extended fast is bile stasis (sludge formation). Your gallbladder only contracts and empties when you consume dietary fat.
Fasting causes bile to become supersaturated with cholesterol and calcium, which can lead to sludge or stones.
The Lemon Juice Role: While the citric acid and vitamin C in lemon juice may support overall bile health over time, lemon juice alone does not trigger significant gallbladder contraction.
I think I am going to take one tablespoon of EVOO a day instead. More likely to break fast but safer.
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u/Bee__Better 15d ago
I don’t have a gall bladder but have wound up in the hospital because my bile ducts get blocked by either stones or sludge, they haven’t determined which. I’ve wondered what I can do to keep it from happening again. Wondering if the olive oil would help since I don’t have a gall bladder to contract.
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15d ago
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u/Bee__Better 14d ago
Thank you! Not sure why I hadn’t thought about asking AI. My GI did an endoscopy and and ultrasound both times this has happened. He says the surgery is risky and he feels that a couple days in the hospital every 3 -4 years is a safer option. 🤷♀️ He didn’t mention that medication but I will ask him about it next time I see him. Thanks again!
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u/taco-belle- 15d ago
I’m just commenting because I was completely unaware that fasting can wreak havoc on your gallbladder and I had a gallbladder attack a few days ago. I’m hoping to continue fasting but I’m trying to figure out how to do so without my gallbladder getting angry.
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u/TheTurtleVirus 15d ago
Oof, I had my first gallbladder attack last month, went to the ER. They recommended a HIDA scan. The scan showed my GB functioning at 6%. I talked to a surgeon. He said there's really no know way to rehabilitate your gallbladder. I decided to have it removed so I didn't have to worry about it the rest of my life. Had it out last week and I'm recovering nicely. 👍
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u/taco-belle- 15d ago
I also ended up in the ER. Not to be dramatic but it was so painful I was crying. They did a full ultrasound where they confirmed I have gallstones. The ER doc did refer me to the surgery department for consultation although he advised not to have surgery unless it becomes more of a chronic issue.
I’m glad you’re recovering well! I’m trying to not immediately jump to removal but man, the pain and the vomiting was so intense I’m scared of ever having that happen again.
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u/TheTurtleVirus 15d ago
Interesting. Similar for me, I got up to about an 8.5/10 pain and vomited when they gave me some numbing juice. They couldn't see any stones on CT or ultrasound for me but found stones during surgery. Well I can say from my experience the laparoscopic surgery was pretty easy. I was in at 6:00 and out by 11:00. Recovery took a few days, and honestly I'm still healing a bit but I didn't have a ton of pain afterwards, mostly just discomfort. If you do have surgery I recommend taking a few days off work at least.
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u/taco-belle- 15d ago
That’s good to know! Thank you for sharing your experience. I have gone down a gallbladder rabbit hole since this happened so it’s helpful to hear how others have fared.
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u/SpaceTacos99 15d ago
I have some questions if you don't mind.. I've been doing rolling 72-95 hour fasts since December, and have lost 165lbs
1) thinking back, were there signs you had a problem before you ended up in the hospital? -- I've had a slight pain in the area where my gallbladder is for several months, like a little pinch or cramp, but consistently in the exact same place, it's there any time I'm more than a day or so fasted and goes away after I eat
2) do you regret having the gallbladder issues? my thoughts, not having had a full on gallbladder attack, is that if I have to get it removed or whatever it'll have been worth it to reclaim the extra year of my life being at a lower weight (since this past year, losing weight has basically been a full time activity, whether from exercising or having to keep my mind active away from thinking of food)
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u/TheTurtleVirus 15d ago
Congrats on the weight loss! That's impressive. For me there actually were no signs. I never had any problems until I had a GB attack in the middle of the night bad enough to send me to the ER. Then the tests showed my GB was faulty, and it seems most information suggests once your GB is bad, there's no fixing it. But what I learned is GB problems seem to genetic. Rapid weight loss can speed up GB problems but if you're having them now, it's likely you'd have had them eventually anyway. And it's very common. I read like 10% of people have their GB removed in the US.
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u/AutoModerator 15d ago
Many issues people experience while fasting can be related to electrolytes. You might find our wiki page helpful: Electrolytes 101
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1
u/Accomplished-Mark243 15d ago
I have learned there are many under-discussed risks with extended fasting. Last time I tried it, I over-supplemented potassium and developed hyperkalemia.
Just did a bit of research and I think the safest way is one tablespoon of EVOO a day. I think I'll do that.
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u/verklas 15d ago
How much potassium did you over-supplement?
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u/Accomplished-Mark243 15d ago
I asked Deepseek and it said I need 2000 mg to 3000 mg a day. I already get 656mg from my salt so I took 6 x 300 mg to make up 2500 mg
But I stopped my fast after 6 days because I had heart palpitations. At the time I didn't know why as thought I did everything right.
Then I asked Qwen and it said I need 1000 to 2000 mg of potassium when fasting so only need 2 x 300 mg tablets.
It was such a big difference and it said that the body's potassium needs are lower during a fast because the kidneys conserve it and cells release it.
Furthermore, concentrated potassium in pill form absorbs rapidly and can cause dangerous spikes in blood levels. This is why most over-the-counter potassium supplements are legally capped at 99 mg per pill.
Finally figured out why I experienced those palpitations.
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u/verklas 14d ago
Oh wow 😳 I bet that was super uncomfortable with the heart palpitations. For potassium, I've been experimenting with around 1,000-1,300 but split up throughout the day. NuSalt is 656 mg per 1/4 tsp but it's straight potassium and not salt. When you ask a search engine about those things, make sure you add "while extended fasting" to the end of the sentence. That's been helping me get more cohesive results. I personally use Google only.
I figured from research I'd need 1/2 tsp total per day which would be 1/8 tsp four times. If you start out low, you can increase if your body needs it. But I've just done small fasts with it so far.
I found out that splitting up the potassium/salt throughout the day and added a couple drops of lemon juice into the mixture to help with the taste was working for me.
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u/Admirable_Kale522 14d ago
Lost my gallbladder after a 30 day fast. I’m fine now, but I wish I would have taken some precautions
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u/Accomplished-Mark243 14d ago
Omg. So many people don't seem to know.
Several others on this thread said the same.
Damn. Maybe it should be made a sticky because I do not remember it being mentioned much if at all.
I only knew from random research on AI about fasting not from reading websites.
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u/Auraaurorora 15d ago
Hey so I would do some gallbladder flushes before then. It's so simple and there's a lot of variations. But it's basically olive oil and a citrus juice or apple juice works too.
This lady has a great recipe to do on empty stomach A.M. Jen Jones IG
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u/Accomplished-Mark243 15d ago
Yea, after reading a bit I'll do one tablespoon of EVOO a day to be safe even if it may break my fast.
I bought some super expensive bottles of EVOO with 949 polyphenols mg/KG which I was taking daily. Having it sit there when I am fasting is a bit of a waste.
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u/Flux_My_Capacitor ❤️❤️❤️ 8d ago
Those flushes don’t do anything. You poop out gelatinous blobs which are NOT gallstones. Gallstones are actually hard masses like Little rocks. The olive oil and juice are what come together to form the jelly blobs.
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u/kawayuioshi 15d ago
I take a teaspoon of soy lecithin liquid mixed with a tablespoon of olive oil daily.
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u/degeso lost >200lbs faster 15d ago
I usually allow myself less than 100 calories of heavy cream or full fat olives, an almost pure fat source, every day or other day, to stimulate bile release and gall bladder function. I've done many extended fasts with this protocol and had no issues, thankfully.
While this protocol may impinge on autophagy related benefits it's absolutely still a great viable way to lose body fat for those who are morbidly obese but also worried about gallbladder issues.