Can diabetes cause gallstones?
On One Hand: Leading ContributorDiabetes is a serious disease that can lead to many ailments–including gallstones, which usually are small, pebble-size rocks that develop in the gallbladder. They form when liquid stored in the gallbladder hardens into pieces of stone-like material that can be as large as a golf ball or as small as a grain of sand. A person could develop hundreds of tiny gallstones, one large one or a combination.On the Other: No Direct LinkThere is a link, but it may be a stretch to tie diabetes directly to the development of gallstones. People with diabetes have a high level of fatty acids called triglycerides in their blood, a leading contributor to gallstones, according to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse. However, it can be argued that fatty acids, not diabetes, can lead to gallstones. After all, everyone has fatty acids, including people who are not diabetic, according to the American Heart Association.Bottom LineDiabetes is not a direct
