Gallstones

Summary

• The scientific evidence* links coffee consumption with a reduced risk of developing gallbladder disease (or symptomatic gallstones).  It is thought that coffee may play a preventive role in their development.
• Coffee may have different effects depending on the stage of gallbladder disease. Coffee, and caffeine, appear to trigger contraction of the gallbladder.

  Increased gallbladder contraction may prevent small crystals becoming large gallstones in early disease, but if large gallstones are present, gallbladder contraction may cause pain.

• More studies are required to elucidate the exact mechanisms behind the effects of coffee consumption on gallbladder disease.

*Very few relevant, and significant, human epidemiological studies on the role of coffee in gallbladder disease have been published since 2002.