How Many Gallbladder Flushes Are Too Many?

A gallbladder flush is a great way to flush congestion from the gallbladder, according to natural practitioners. Gallbladder flushes are used in the naturopathic community, not in the medical community. The National Institute Of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease says, “If you are having a gallbladder attack or other symptoms, you need to have your gallstones treated right away, most likely with surgery to remove the gallbladder. Nonsurgical treatments are rarely used.”

The Mayo Clinic says, “A gallbladder cleanse — also called a gallbladder flush or a liver flush — is an alternative remedy for ridding the body of gallstones. However, no scientific evidence suggests that a gallbladder cleanse helps prevent or treat gallstones or any other disease.” According to them, seeing gallstones after a gallbladder flush is not classified as scientific evidence. 

They add, “People who have taken a gallbladder cleanse report finding lumps that look like gallstones in their stool just after the procedure. When analyzed, though, these lumps turn out to be composed of oil, juice and other materials.” It is unfortunate that they do not list how much each represented, and what made up the other materials.

The amount of oil and juice used with each gallbladder flush is a half cup of olive oil and a half to three quarters of a cup of fresh squeezed grapefruit juice. People who do gallbladder flushes say that each gallbladder flush produces different size gallstones, different colors of gallstones and even no gallstones at all. There is not consistency with each flush. In scientific analysis, putting two ingredients in should result in the same two ingredients out, however, this is not the case with gallbladder flushes. 

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Dr. J.E. Williams, OMD, says, “It can (take) up to six months to dissolve gallstones.” This will cause different patterns of exit. 

The World Journal of Gastroenterology showed concern for gallbladder flushes, subsequently printing a study which analysed gallbladder flush videos on YouTube. It was determined, “Gallstone disease is very common, and the public should be informed that widely advertised methods such as the ‘gallstone flush’ are ineffective and may delay appropriate treatment.”

Gut and Liver says, “Diseases of the gallbladder commonly manifest as gallstones and gallbladder cancer.” They estimate gallbladder diseases cost roughly $6.2 billion yearly in the US.

When it comes to supporting the gallbladder while on the GAPS Protocol, or others, the gallbladder flush is pretty standard. Dr. Natasha recommends using Hulda Clark’s gallbladder flush to assist in flushing stones. This protocol is not recommended for children. Hulda Clark recommends doing gallbladder flushes every month until no stones are seen for two months time. 

At the Weston A. Price Annual Conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota, 2017, Dr. Natasha said, “I wouldn’t do them more often than every two weeks.”

I asked her, “Can you do them too much? If you’re still getting gallstones? Hulda Clark said to do them until you go two months without getting them but I’m seeing people who have been doing gallbladder flushes for over a year and they’re still getting stones.”

When asked if 50 gallbladder flushes were done and stones were still coming, she said it’s a great amount, and other approaches should be addressed. 

Dr. Natasha answered, “It’s not going away. It means there are parasites. Many of the parasites live in the duodenum, in the upper digestive system.”

I asked, “When would you hit the parasites after starting the gallbladder flushes?”

Dr. Natasha replied, “I would start them first and then I would do the humaworm, or something like that. I would do humaworm for two months, then give it a break for two months, then do another two months. With diatomaceous earth and always with MSM (5 mg), sulfur.”

She says gallstones start due to parasites passing through the liver and gallbladder, bits breaking off and the body wrapping them to protect the body from the particulates. She says at the center of stones there are worms, bits of worms that have broken off or crystallization where worms or bits existed. Fewer parasites, fewer stones. 

Alternative Medicine Review says, “The gallbladder flush is a folk remedy said to promote the passage of gallstones. While minimal scientific evidence supports the efficacy of this treatment, anecdotal reports suggest the gallbladder flush may be beneficial for some people.”

*Nourishing Plot is written by Becky Plotner, ND, traditional naturopath, CGP, D.PSc. who sees clients in Rossville, Georgia. She works as a Certified GAPS Practitioner who sees clients in her office, Skype and phone. She has been published in Wise Traditions, spoken at two Weston A. Price Conferences, Certified GAPS Practitioner Trainings, has been on many radio shows, television shows and writes for Nourishing Plot. Since her son was delivered from the effects of autism (Asperger’s syndrome), ADHD, bipolar disorder/manic depression, hypoglycemia and dyslexia, through food, she continued her education specializing in Leaky Gut and parasitology through Duke University, finishing with distinction. She is a Chapter Leader for The Weston A. Price Foundation. becky.nourishingplot@hotmail.com

“GAPS™ and Gut and Psychology Syndrome™ are the trademark and copyright of Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride. The right of Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Patent and Designs Act 1988.