Effects of fasting on the composition of gallbladder bile.

Open Access
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Gallbladder bile was aspirated from the duodenum in nine healthy women after three separate periods of fasting after a standardised meal. Mean cholesterol saturation index was significantly greater after a 15 hour fast (1.35 +/- 0.08) than after a 10 hour fast (1.05 +/- 0.10). However, after 20 hours of fasting, mean cholesterol saturation index had fallen to 1.13 +/- 0.10. Total biliary lipid concentration was unaffected. These findings suggest that fasting has a series of effects on gallbladder bile and that bile sampling should be carried out at at standardised period of time after the last meal.