The coelacanth fish fossil was considered veritable proof of the evolutionary theory. It appeared as the missing link between fish and tetrapods with its part-fin-part-foot flipper. The coelacanth was believed by some to have been extinct for 65 million years until some fishermen caught one off the coast of South Africa in the 1930s. Oops. Apparently, its flippers are what help the coelacanth push himself along the bottom of the sea where he eats. He was designed this way for a reason.
The evolutionary theory has affected not only the way we look at the world around us, but from my view, it has influenced healthcare, as well. Take the gallbladder, for example.
The gallbladder is a small sac attached to the liver. The liver produces bile, which is stored and concentrated in the gallbladder. The pancreas secretes digestive juices into the intestine through a tube that attaches to the bile duct coming from the gallbladder. Bile is critical for the digestion and absorption of fat and fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamins A, D, E, and K. Just as soap emulsifies grease on dishes, so bile emulsifies consumed fat. By physically breaking down fat into tiny droplets, the surface area of fat is increased, making it available to digestive enzymes. Bile is an alkaline substance that neutralizes stomach acid. It is composed of bile salts, hormones, and cholesterol. Bile is also responsible for the elimination of certain waste products from the body such as drugs, toxins, and excess cholesterol. Bile salts stimulate the secretion of water by the large intestine to help move the contents along.
As partially digested food enters the small intestine, the gallbladder is signaled to release concentrated amounts of bile at the right time and in proportion to the exact amount of fat eaten. Without the gallbladder, a continuous dripping of bile occurs from the liver into the intestines. Bile is no longer matched to the amount of fat in either quantity or timing. If man were made to be grazers of foods that contain minimal fat, rather than meal-eaters, this plan might be effective. But the function of the gallbladder suggests its specialization when it comes to meal eating. It appears inevitable that the removal of the gallbladder would affect digestion and absorption of essential fatty acids and fat-soluble nutrients. Statistically, those without gallbladders have a modestly increased risk of colon cancer.1
Gallstones are the most commonly diagnosed ailment of gallbladders. Bloating, gas, discomfort, indigestion, pain in the upper right quadrant of the abdomen, jaundice, chills, and fever are all symptoms of having gallstones. Medicine states that, “Gallstones are the most common disorder of the biliary tract (gallbladder and bile ducts). It isn’t completely understood how or why gallstones form, but some researchers think that the gallbladder malfunctions and removes too much water from the bile so that it crystallizes. Gallstones occur more frequently in developed countries, and therefore, some researchers think it’s associated with eating a high-fat, low-fiber diet. Heredity and age also may play a part.”2
Many believe that the gallbladder is not an essential organ, and that its surgical removal (cholecystectomy) is the best solution for avoiding the recurrence of gallstones. About 1.2 million cholecystectomies are performed each year in the United States!3 Millions of Americans are walking around without their gallbladders. And while surgery may be the best option in certain situations, my question is: Has man’s lack of knowledge regarding the gallbladder led medicine to too readily dispose of the organ? I wonder if, just as with the coelacanth’s flipper, our appreciation of the gallbladder would increase if we fully understood our Creator’s purpose for it?
To be continued….
- Shao, T., & Yang, Y. (2005). Cholecystectomy and the risk of colorectal cancer. The American Journal of Gastroenterology, 100(8), 1813–1820.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1572-0241.2005.41610.x - Gallstones and Gallbladder Disorders | Section of Minimally Invasive Surgery | Washington University in St. Louis. (n.d.).
https://mis.wustl.edu/patient-care/gallstones-and-gallbladder-disorders/ - Jones, M. W., Guay, E., & Deppen, J. G. (2023, April 24). Open cholecystectomy. StatPearls – NCBI Bookshelf.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK448176/
