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The
biliary system consists of the gallbladder,
bile ducts, and three sphincters (ring valves
made from smooth muscles used to close body
openings). There are two sphincters in the gallbladder
and the "Sphincter of Oddi," located
where the common bile duct opens into the duodenum.
The biliary system is comprised of the organs
and ducts by which bile is formed, concentrated,
and carried from the liver to the duodenum.
This network of bile-drainage channels carries
the bile out of the liver by way of the hepatic
ducts, which join together to form a common
duct running into the duodenum. Bile gains access
into the duodenum by way of the cystic duct.
It is first concentrated and then stored until
needed in the gallbladder (a pear-shaped reservoir
lying in a hollow under the liver).
When food is eaten, fat in the duodenum causes
the secretion of digestive hormones, which promote
opening of the valves so the bile and pancreatic
juices flow into the duodenum. This causes the
gallbladder to contract, squeezing stored bile
via the cystic and common bile ducts into the
duodenum.
The total secretion of bile by the liver cells
each day is between 700-1200 ml. The main constituents
of bile, apart from waste products, are cholesterol,
bile salts, lecithin, and electrolytes. Bile
is an extremely important substance, assisting
in the digestion and absorption of fats and
eliminating waste products from the body.
Bile is also responsible for the following:
• increasing the solubility of cholesterol,
fat, and the fat-soluble vitamins A, E, D, and
K to aid in their absorption. Fat from food
passes from the stomach into the duodenum in
the form of large droplets. Bile released into
the duodenum contains bile salts that disperse
the fat into smaller droplets. The fats now
are more easily broken down by the pancreatic
enzyme lipase and absorbed through the intestinal
lining into the blood.
• keeping the small intestine free from
unwanted microorganisms and parasites.
• softening the stool by promoting the
incorporation of water into the stool. Without
enough bile, the stool can become quite hard
and difficult to pass.
• eliminating excess cholesterol.
With age the liver manufactures less and less
bile. Stress, chronic infection, inflammation
of the pancreas, smoking, drug and alcohol abuse,
a sedentary life style, overeating (especially
fatty foods), or fasting decreases secretion
and elimination of bile.
Liver diseases, such as Hepatitis B & C,
Alcoholic Liver Diseases, Fatty Liver, Liver
Cirrhosis, parasites, and tumors compromise
the function of the biliary system. When the
synthesis and secretion of bile is inhibited,
toxins stay in the liver longer and cause damaging
effects on the liver and general body health.
Gallbladder Stones (Cholelithiasis)
and Inflammation (Cholecystitis).
One of the problems of the biliary system is
the formation of gallstones, or collections
of crystals of cholesterol and/or pigments in
the gallbladder or bile ducts. If the liver
fails to produce adequate amounts of bile acids,
gallstones can form even in people who eat properly.
The chief ingredients of bile are cholesterol
and bile acids. Normally, the concentration
of bile acids is high enough to keep the cholesterol
in liquid form. However, a diet high in animal
fats and refined sugars can tip this delicate
balance, causing the liver to produce more cholesterol
than the bile acids are able to handle. As a
result, some of this excess cholesterol begins
to solidify into crystals, which we call gallstones.
The
statements made in this website have not been
evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
The products and procedures presented at this
website are not intended to diagnose, treat,
cure or prevent any disease or illness, to prescribe
any medication or to be a substitute for medical
treatment. |
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