eating Vegetable Protein May Spare Gallbladder

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eating Vegetable Protein May Spare Gallbladder

July 23, 2004 02:38:35 PM PDT , Reuters

 

Women who get a lot of their dietary protein from vegetables are at reduced

risk for having their gallbladder removed, which is usually performed for

gallstones and related problems, new research suggests.

" In animals, vegetable protein can inhibit gallstone formation, " Dr.

Chung-Jyi Tsai, from the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, and

colleagues note. However, few studies have looked at this association in

humans.

As reported in the American Journal of Epidemiology, the researchers studied

data from some 121,000 women participating in the Nurses' Health Study. Over

20 years of follow-up, 7831 women underwent gallbladder removal, also called

cholecystectomy.

Total protein intake and animal protein intake had no effect on the risk of

cholecystectomy. For vegetable protein, however, the risk of cholecystectomy

dropped as intake increased.

" These results suggest that increased consumption of vegetable protein in

the context of an energy-balanced diet can reduce the risk of

cholecystectomy in women, " the authors conclude.

SOURCE: American Journal of Epidemiology, July 15, 2004.