Intermittent fasting increases the risk of developing gallstones.

What is intermittent fasting?

Intermittent fasting is one of the most popular weight loss methods today. In this method, the body is only allowed to eat during a specific period. After this time, no food is allowed except for water, unsweetened coffee, or tea. Fasting helps the body burn more fat.

By limiting the time of day when nutrients are consumed, calorie intake will naturally decrease. This also helps to boost the burning of excess fat.

There are currently many different methods of intermittent fasting, such as:

- Alternate fasting: Adopt a diet and fasting schedule that applies on alternate days.

- Fasting for several days. Typically, this involves eating for 5 days and fasting for 2 days each week.

- Restricted fasting periods: August 16th; June 18th; April 20th...

The most common method is the 16/8 time-limited fasting, which means you are allowed to eat for 8 hours and fast for the remaining 16 hours.

Is intermittent fasting good for your health?

Intermittent fasting can help with weight loss, but it restricts physical activity. Long-term fasting can lead to fatigue, reduced stamina, impaired memory, and even affect sleep and mood.

Currently, there are still many conflicting opinions about the effects of intermittent fasting. Some people are well-suited to intermittent fasting. However, some people need to be cautious when practicing it, such as those under 18 years old, and those with underlying conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, or cardiovascular disease. Furthermore, pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and those with digestive problems should exercise caution.

However, for fasting and weight loss to be effective, it requires supervision and advice from a doctor or nutritionist. Doctors and experts will base their recommendations on each individual case, creating suitable meal plans to ensure that the body still receives adequate nutrients while limiting calorie intake during intermittent fasting.

Why does intermittent fasting increase the risk of gallstones?

According to Dr. Le Van Duy (Department of Gastrointestinal, Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery - Bach Mai Hospital), fasting or intermittent eating can increase the risk of developing gallstones.

Dr. Duy explained that the gallbladder is where bile is stored. Bile is secreted by the liver and released into the gallbladder, where it concentrates. When the body consumes food, the bile is pushed down to digest it. When the body is not consuming food, the bile is not pushed down but continues to concentrate. Over time, this creates gallstone chambers, increasing the risk of gallstone formation. Furthermore, it can be observed that in patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) who are unable to eat or fast, abdominal ultrasounds often show gallbladder chambers. Therefore, those who eat irregularly or fast have a higher risk of developing gallstones. In reality, intermittent fasting is not scientifically proven, and there are currently no recommendations demonstrating its effectiveness. Therefore, careful consideration should be given to fasting methods for weight loss, and it requires consultation and supervision from medical professionals.

Besides those who fast or skip meals, there are several other groups at high risk of developing gallstones:

- Being a woman, having given birth multiple times, or being over 40 years old; being pregnant or using birth control pills.

- People who are obese or have a diet high in cholesterol.

- There is a history of gallstones in the family.

- Individuals with Crohn's disease or thalassemia.