Healing Eczema: Uncovering the Liver-Gallbladder Connection

By Dr. Diane Angela Fong, ND and Tori Taggart, MS, CNS

The liver and gallbladder are two of the most crucial yet often overlooked organs in your body, essential for detoxification, digestion, and overall metabolic health. When these organs are not functioning optimally, it can lead to a range of issues, from digestive discomfort and systemic inflammation to skin conditions like eczema.

In this blog, we’ll dive deep into the roles of the liver and gallbladder, help you assess whether you might be experiencing dysfunction in these organs, and provide practical strategies to support their health. By understanding how these organs work and recognizing the signs of trouble, you can take proactive steps to enhance your overall well-being and skin health.

How to Identify Liver and Gallbladder Issues

Recognizing liver and gallbladder dysfunction early on can be crucial for preventing more severe health issues. Some common signs that your liver or gallbladder might be struggling include:

Pain Under the Right Rib: Discomfort or pain in this area can indicate liver congestion or gallbladder issues, especially if it worsens after eating fatty foods.
Nausea and Vomiting: Persistent nausea, especially after meals, may be a sign that your liver or gallbladder is not processing foods effectively.
Sensitivity to Alcohol or Chemicals: If you experience heightened symptoms like headaches, nausea, or general discomfort after consuming alcohol or being exposed to chemicals (e.g., cleaning products, perfumes), it may point to compromised liver function.
Sea or Car Sickness: Frequent motion sickness can be related to issues with bile flow and liver detoxification, as both systems influence your body’s balance and processing of toxins.
Symptoms After Eating Fatty Foods: If you notice bloating, indigestion, or discomfort after consuming fatty meals, it might be a sign that your gallbladder isn’t releasing bile properly.
Changes in Stool: Pale or clay-colored stools can indicate a lack of bile reaching the intestines, while very dark stools can be a sign of liver dysfunction. Similarly, chronic diarrhea or greasy stools may indicate fat malabsorption due to bile insufficiency.

Identifying these symptoms and seeking medical attention can help in addressing liver and gallbladder issues before they lead to more significant health problems. By supporting these vital organs, you can improve your overall well-being, including your skin health. Now, let’s take a closer look at these vital organs and their crucial roles in maintaining your health.

The Liver: A Vital Organ in the Body

The liver plays a crucial role in many bodily functions, including detoxification, metabolism, and nutrient storage.

“Liver stagnation” can contribute to these elevated liver enzymes, dysbiosis, and skin issues by impairing the liver’s ability to detoxify and regulate bodily functions effectively. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, liver stagnation is thought to impair the liver’s ability to manage Qi (energy), blood, and detoxification processes.

Traditional Chinese Medicine offers a unique perspective on organ dysfunction. When the liver experiences stagnation—often due to stress, poor diet, or lifestyle factors—it can lead to various physical and emotional symptoms, including:

Digestive issues (bloating, constipation)
Mood swings and irritability
Menstrual irregularities
Fatigue
Skin conditions, including eczema

Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners often use techniques such as acupuncture, herbal medicine, and dietary recommendations to address liver stagnation and restore balance.

Liver Function

When the liver is overburdened, it can lead to elevated liver enzymes. This increased enzyme activity indicates that the liver is working harder to process and detoxify substances, which can contribute to systemic inflammation. Elevated liver enzymes may, therefore, reflect liver stagnation and an impaired detoxification process, which can exacerbate conditions like eczema. Having high ferritin levels often also indicate inflammation in the body. This inflammation can be due to poor liver function and since inflammation is a key driver of eczema flare-ups, elevated ferritin levels might further complicate eczema by exacerbating systemic inflammation.

Liver stagnation can impact eczema in several ways:

1. Impaired Detoxification: A stagnant liver struggles to process and eliminate toxins efficiently. This can result in a buildup of toxins that manifest in the skin as eczema.

2. Emotional Stress: Stress, a known trigger for eczema flare-ups, is linked to liver stagnation. Stress can worsen eczema by increasing inflammation and disrupting skin barrier function. In TCM, anger and frustration are thought to reside in the liver.

3. Immune System Impact: The liver plays a crucial role in immune regulation. Disruption in liver function due to stagnation can affect the immune response, potentially exacerbating eczema.

Liver detoxification occurs in two phases, each requiring specific cofactors and nutrients to function optimally. Phase 1 involves making toxins into more water-soluble forms which relies on nutrients such as B vitamins (particularly B2, B3, and B6), vitamin C, and minerals like magnesium and zinc to support enzyme activity and reduce oxidative stress. Phase 2, or conjugation, further processes these now water-soluble toxins by attaching them to molecules like glutathione, sulfate, or glucuronic acid, making them easier to excrete. Key nutrients for this phase include amino acids (such as glycine, cysteine, and taurine), as well as sulfur-containing compounds found in foods like garlic and onions, and B vitamins that are vital for the conjugation reactions. Adequate intake of these cofactors is crucial for ensuring detoxification is running smoothly and preventing the accumulation of potentially harmful substances in the body. If phase 1 is moving at a faster rate then phase 2, it can also cause issues as these water-soluble toxins are temporarily more toxic and need to be excreted! Hence, it is important that both phases work well and efficiently.

The Gallbladder

The gallbladder is a crucial part of the GI system. It is a small organ located beneath the liver that stores and concentrates bile, a digestive fluid produced by the liver. Bile aids in the digestion and absorption of fats and fat-soluble vitamins. Proper gallbladder function is essential for effective digestion and overall metabolic health.

Key functions of the gallbladder include both storing and releasing bile. Bile is produced in the liver and sent to the gallbladder for storage until it is needed for digestion. Releasing bile occurs when we eat something with fat content, and the bile is sent to the small intestine to help break down the food and digest it properly.

When the gallbladder isn't functioning properly, it can lead to various issues, including gallstones, bile duct obstruction, and other digestive problems such as irregular bowel movements, gas and bloating.

Bile’s primary role is to aid in the digestion of fats and the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins such as A, D, E, and K which are all nutrients that are vital for maintaining skin health:

Vitamin A: Essential for skin cell production and repair. A deficiency can lead to dry, flaky skin and worsen eczema.
Vitamin D: Plays a role in skin barrier function and immune system regulation. Low levels of vitamin D are associated with increased eczema severity.
Vitamin E: Acts as an antioxidant and helps maintain skin integrity. Insufficient vitamin E can contribute to skin problems.

Inadequate bile flow, whether due to bile duct obstruction, gallbladder dysfunction, or sludgy/thickened bile, can impair the digestion and absorption of these crucial nutrients, potentially leading to deficiencies that exacerbate eczema. Bile assists in the detoxification process by helping eliminate waste products and toxins through the digestive system. Proper bile flow ensures that these waste products are efficiently expelled from the body. When bile flow is impaired, toxins can accumulate. Toxins that are not properly eliminated can accumulate in the body, leading to systemic inflammation. Chronic inflammation is a key driver of eczema flare-ups.

How Bile Impacts Bowel Movements

Fat Digestion and Absorption

Bile plays a critical role in how we eliminate toxins through the colon- through bowel movements! Proper bile flow helps in breaking down dietary fats into smaller molecules, making them easier for the intestines to absorb. This process influences bowel movements in the following ways:

Regular Bowel Movements: Efficient fat digestion supports regular bowel movements. Poor bile flow or bile duct obstruction can lead to fat malabsorption, resulting in symptoms like diarrhea or steatorrhea (fatty stools).
Consistency: Adequate bile flow contributes to the consistency of stools. Bile helps to add bulk to the stool and promotes proper bowel function. Insufficient bile flow can lead to loose stools or diarrhea, while excessive bile can cause more frequent, watery stools.
Color: Bile gives stool its characteristic brown color. Alterations in bile production or flow can affect stool color, which may be an indicator of digestive health issues.

Gallbladder Function and Bowel Health

The gallbladder stores and concentrates bile, releasing it into the small intestine when needed. Dysfunction in the gallbladder, such as due to gallstones or inflammation, can affect bile release and thereby impact bowel health:

Gallstones: These can obstruct bile flow, leading to symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, and irregular bowel movements.
Gallbladder Inflammation: Inflammation or infection of the gallbladder can impair bile release, affecting digestion and leading to changes in bowel habits.

Strategies to Support Bile Flow

Given the significant role of bile in both skin and digestive health, supporting optimal bile flow can have beneficial effects on eczema and bowel movements. Here are some strategies:

Nutrition:

Healthy Fats: Include sources of healthy fats such as avocados, nuts, seeds, and fatty fish which support bile production.
Fiber-Rich Foods: Include fruits, vegetables, and whole grains to support healthy bowel movements and aid in bile elimination. Artichokes, beets, and citrus foods can all stimulate bile flow.
Stay Hydrated: Drink plenty of water to help maintain healthy bile consistency and promote regular bowel movements.
Vitamin B rich foods (grass fed meat, organic eggs, fruits, veggies, nuts and seed) and cruciferous veggies will help support both phase 1 and phase 2 of liver detoxification.

Support Gallbladder Health:

Support Gallbladder Function: Maintain a healthy diet and avoid excessive intake of fatty or processed foods. Regular physical activity can also support gallbladder health and bile flow.
Use supportive supplements such as nutritional supplements if deficiencies or insufficiencies are suspected, including vitamins A, D, and E or in some cases we use gallbladder specific supplementation that can improve bile flow.

Bile plays a crucial role in both digestive health and skin health. Proper bile flow is essential for effective fat digestion, nutrient absorption, and toxin elimination. Impaired bile flow can lead to deficiencies that exacerbate eczema and affect bowel movements, contributing to symptoms such as diarrhea or changes in stool consistency. By supporting healthy bile production and flow through diet, hydration, and medical care, you can potentially improve both your skin condition and digestive health. Both the liver and the gallbladder are important organs when it comes to eczema. It is important to work with a professional to figure out if your liver and gallbladder need support to help improve your skin.

Testing for Liver and Gallbladder Function

Assessing liver and gallbladder function through specific lab tests is a crucial step in identifying any dysfunction early on. Here are the key tests that can help evaluate the health of these vital organs:

AST (Aspartate Aminotransferase) and ALT (Alanine Aminotransferase):

What They Mean: AST and ALT are enzymes found in the liver. Elevated levels of these enzymes can indicate liver inflammation or damage, as they are released into the bloodstream when liver cells are injured.
How to Get Tested: These are standard liver function tests that can be ordered through your healthcare provider or directly through Cleanbody’s Healthspan Assessment Panel, a comprehensive lab option that includes these markers.

GGT (Gamma-Glutamyl Transferase):

What It Means: GGT is an enzyme that plays a role in the metabolism of glutathione, a powerful antioxidant. Elevated GGT levels can indicate liver disease or bile duct problems, often associated with alcohol consumption or bile flow issues.
How to Get Tested: GGT is included in most liver panels and is also part of our Healthspan Assessment Panel, which you can order directly.

LDH (Lactate Dehydrogenase):

What It Means: LDH is an enzyme found in many tissues, including the liver. High levels of LDH can suggest liver damage, though it’s not specific to the liver and can indicate other conditions as well.
How to Get Tested: LDH can be measured through a standard blood test and is included in the Healthspan Assessment Panel.

Bilirubin:

What It Means: Bilirubin is a substance produced by the normal breakdown of red blood cells. The liver processes bilirubin, and elevated levels can indicate liver or bile duct problems, leading to jaundice.
How to Get Tested: Bilirubin levels are part of routine liver function tests and are also included in our Healthspan Assessment Panel.

Working with Us for Comprehensive Testing

You’re ready to get these labs drawn, but what’s the best way to ensure you’re getting the most accurate and meaningful results? First and foremost, it’s crucial to work with a functional practitioner who understands the significance of using reference ranges that assess for "optimal" function, rather than just "normal" ranges. When conventional doctors order these labs, they often rely on standard ranges that may only flag severe imbalances, potentially missing early signs of dysfunction. Catching imbalances before they fall outside of these normal ranges is key to proactive health management.

By partnering with our team at Cleanbody, we can help you interpret your results through this more precise lens and identify any additional tests that might be beneficial, such as toxic burden assessments. This comprehensive approach ensures your testing and treatment plan is customized to your unique health needs.

If you’re not quite ready to commit to working directly with us, you can still take the first step by ordering the Healthspan Assessment Panel through our direct-order service. This panel comes with a discovery consultation, during which we’ll help you understand your results and guide you on the best next steps to achieve and maintain optimal health.

Remember, early detection and personalized care are essential for preventing more serious issues down the line. We’re here to support you every step of the way, empowering you to take control of your health and live your best life.

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About the Authors:

Dr. Diane Angela Fong, ND, is the CEO and founder of Cleanbody, a wellness company dedicated to treating and preventing chronic disease. She is the creator of the Cleanbody Method, which follows a three-step process: Evaluate (digging into the root causes of chronic disease using lab testing and other evaluation tools), Optimize (enhancing health foundations by addressing nutrition, lifestyle, and toxic exposures), and Support (optimizing organ functions through healing protocols).

Tori Taggart, MS, CNS is a Cleanbody Nutritionist specializing in meeting people in their healthy journeys by digging into the root causes of various chronic diseases and conditions. Through the use of healthy food along with aspects of the natural world around us (sunshine, nature, clean water, stress management, relationships, etc), she helps to empower her clients to take charge of their own health and trust their bodies to thrive and heal.

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5. Javanbakht, M. H., Keshavarz, S. A., Djalali, M., Siassi, F., Eshraghian, M. R., Firooz, A., & Seirafi, H. (2014). Effects of synbiotic supplementation on skin inflammation and the gut microbiota in pediatric patients with atopic dermatitis. Advanced Biomedical Research, 3, 162. doi:10.4103/2277-9175.142807

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