CYCLICAL Podcast · Dr. Cassandra Wilder ND

Why Gallbladder Health Matters for Hormones with Olivia Haas

·52 min·5 clips

Olivia reveals how estrogen dominance thickens bile and increases gallstone risk during fertile years.

This episode features host Cassandra Wilder, a naturopathic doctor, interviewing Olivia Haas, a certified nutritionist known as "the gallbladder nutritionist." Haas specializes in gallbladder health after her own emergency experience with the organ. The conversation explores the gallbladder's critical role in hormone balance and overall health. The gallbladder is a small organ that stores and concentrates bile produced by the liver for fat digestion. Haas explains that bile aids in absorbing fat-soluble vitamins, acts as an antimicrobial, and helps detoxify excess cholesterol and estrogen from the body. She outlines three primary hormonal connections: estrogen dominance can alter bile composition and gallbladder motility, increasing gallstone risk. Progesterone can relax the gallbladder, potentially slowing its function. Thyroid dysfunction, particularly hypothyroidism, can impair bile metabolism and gallbladder motility. Haas notes gallbladder issues are more common during fertile years, pregnancy, and with birth control use due to hormonal influences. She shares that many clients, including herself, experience painful attacks around ovulation or their menstrual cycle. A key insight is that gallbladder removal does not address the underlying liver dysfunction that often causes problems. Post-removal, individuals must still optimize bile flow and liver health to support digestion and hormone balance. Common symptoms include intolerance to fatty foods, pain in the upper right abdomen, and light-colored stools. Root causes extend beyond genetics to include diets high in refined sugars and low in fiber, rapid weight loss, chronic constipation, and certain medications. Haas emphasizes a foundational approach using whole foods, bitter vegetables like radish and dandelion greens, and adequate fiber to support bile health. She discusses using supplements like ox bile or TUDCA cautiously and individually, rather than as universal remedies. The tone is educational and conversational, blending personal anecdotes with clinical explanations. It is geared toward individuals, especially women, experiencing unexplained digestive or hormonal issues who seek a holistic perspective. Listeners strictly aligned with conventional gastroenterology, which often views the gallbladder as non-essential, may find the detailed functional approach less relevant.

As heard by us

A practical look at gallbladder symptoms, workup, and the warning signs worth paying attention to.

Cassandra Wilder keeps this one grounded in plain language. The conversation walks through gallbladder trouble in a way that is easy to follow: fatty foods, bloating, gas, burping, heartburn, reflux, bowel changes, right-sided tenderness, back pain, and light or clay-colored…

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Why you'd press play

If greasy meals leave you bloated, this episode maps the gallbladder angle.

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