How Does the Gallbladder Work?

What Gallbladders Do

The gallbladder is a pear-shaped, dark green, small muscular sack that holds bile until it is needed by the digestive system. The bile, which is made in the liver, is sent to the gallbladder from the liver through very small canals. Once food is eaten, the hormone cholecystokinin, or CKK, is released. This hormone causes the gallbladder to contract, squirting bile into the small intestine where it helps break down the fats in the food.

Location of Gallbladder

The gallbladder can be found behind the liver, on the right side. It is connected to the small intestine, which is in turn connected to the liver by small ducts. Bile moves through these ducts, to and from the gallbladder. The primary duct, which is common to the gallbladder and liver, is appropriately called the common bile duct. The bile that moves through these ducts is yellow in color, and bitter. It contains waste materials filtered from the blood by the liver.

The bile travels from the liver, through the bile ducts, and then some of the bile is stored in the gallbladder, while the rest flows directly into the small intestine.The bile helps break down the fats in the small intestine, but it also is an antioxidant.

Problems With Gallbladders

In some people, gallbladders can become irritated, swollen, blocked or develop stones. If there is a chance that it could burst, then immediate removal of the gallbladder will be recommended. When the gallbladder is removed, the flow of bile from the liver and digestive tract no longer runs smoothly. This means that people who have had their gallbladder removed must be careful about how much fat they eat in their food, what kinds of foods they eat and some may even need to take bile supplements for the rest of their lives.

Resources

• Information on gallbladder disease.