Risk Factors for Gallstones

By Diane Voyatzis Norwood, MS, RD, CDE

En Español
A risk factor is something that increases your likelihood of getting a
disease or condition.
It is possible to develop gallstones with or without the risk factors listed
below. However, the more risk factors you have, the greater your
likelihood of developing gallstones. If you have a number of risk
factors, ask your doctor about what you can do to reduce your risk.
Risk factors include:
Higher Estrogen Levels

Estrogen is a hormone that is naturally higher in women. This is why

women tend to get gallstones more frequently than men. Estrogen
levels can also be increased with:
• Oral contraceptives
• Postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy
• Pregnancy
Women that are pregnant or taking the above medicines have a
higher risk of gallstones.
Increasing Age

As you get older, usually age 40 and over, your risk of gallstones
increases.
Obesity and Diet

Having mainly abdominal fat appears to raise your risk of getting

gallstones. Being even moderately overweight increases cholesterol
in your bile, which may easily form gallstones.
In addition, rapid weight loss or fluctuating weight can increase your
risk because low-calorie diets cause the gallbladder to contract less.
People who have had gastric-bypass surgery to lose weight quickly
also have an increased risk for gallstones.
Lack of Physical Activity

Lack of exercise is associated with a higher risk of developing

gallstones. This may be due to fewer contractions of the gallbladder.
Family History of Gallstones
 Like many other conditions, gallstones tend to run in families.
Ethnicity

Native Americans, Hispanic, and those of northern European

descent develop gallstones more frequently than any other ethnicity
in the US. Gallstones occur less frequently among Asians and
African-Americans.
Diseases of the Small Intestines

Diseases associated with gallstones include:

• Crohn’s disease
• Diabetes
• Sickle cell anemia
• Major trauma
• Paralysis
Long-term IV Nutrition

With some medical care it is necessary to provide nutrition through

the veins. The intestines are bypassed and the gallbladder is less
stimulated since there is no food to process. This increases your risk
of gallstones.
Medications

Certain drugs are associated with an increased risk of developing

gallstones, including:
• Fibrates
• Somastatin (eg, Octreotide)
• Ceftriaxone (eg, Rocephin)
Previou Next
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REFERENCES:
Adler DG, Baron TH, Davila RE, et al. ASGE guideline: the role of ERCP in diseases of the biliary tract and the
pancreas. Gastrointest Endosc. 2005;62:1-8.
Ahmed A, Cheung RC, Keefe EB. Management of gallstones and their complications. Am Fam Physician. 2000;61:1673-1678.
Beers MH, Berkow R. The Merck Manual . 18th ed. West Point, PA: Merck and Co; 2006.
Gallstones. DynaMed website. Available at: http://www.dynamicmedical.com/dynamed.nsf?opendatabase . Accessed December
19, 2005.
Gallstones. Mayo Clinic website. Available at: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/gallstones/DS00165 . Accessed January 3, 2006.
Gallstones. Medline Plus Medical Encyclopedia website. Available at: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000273.htm
. Accessed January 3, 2006.
Gallstones. National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC) website. Available at:
http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/gallstones/ . Accessed January 3, 2006.
Portincasa P, Moschetta A, Palasciano G. Cholesterol gallstone disease. Lancet. 2006;368:230-239.
Shaffer EA. Gallstone disease: Epidemiology of gallbladder stone disease. Best Pract Res Clin Gastronenterol. 2006;20:981-996.
Wittenburg H, Lammert F. Genetic predisposition to gallbladder stones. Semin Liver Dis. 2007;27:109-121.
Last reviewed July 2010 by Marcin Chwistek, MD
Last Updated: 7/15/2010
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This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made
available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional
medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider
prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.
To send comments or feedback to our Editorial Team regarding the content please email us
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