Emerge CareCan losing weight quickly cause gallstones?
Rapid weight loss is a recognised risk factor for gallstones. What the NIDDK says about why, and what it says about the pace of loss.
Rapid weight loss is a recognised risk factor for gallstones, and the NIDDK treats it as well enough established to warn about directly. The mechanism involves changes in how the liver handles cholesterol and how often the gallbladder empties during a period of very reduced intake.
The risk is associated with the speed of loss rather than weight loss itself, which is why gradual loss is generally described as lower risk than very fast loss. Gallstones can also form during the weight-loss phase without causing symptoms at all.
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