Gallstones are nothing but stone-like structures, which usually develop within the gallbladder. In appearance, these gallstones look like small, pear shaped sacs and are positioned in the upper right abdomen and just beneath the liver.

There are 2 distinct types of gallstones -- Pigment stones and Cholesterol stones. The latter are yellow-green in color and are made mainly from hardened cholesterol.

Gallstones can be caused by various different factors present all around. Some of these can be categorized under certain specific categories. Given below are certain reasons that may be held responsible towards the development of gallstones:

• Researchers consider the fact that these gallstones are developed when there is a huge amount of bile accumulated inside the body and there is no such salts to empty the bile. Thus these things may lead to such a situation of gallstones.
• Obesity is taken as one of the most important factors that cause gallstones especially among the women. It has been proved that even the moderately overweight people are greater risk of developing these gallstones, obese may have to face even worse situation.
• Excess amount of estrogen produced by the body too result in similar conditions. There are factors such as pills for birth control and hormone replacement therapy that may lead to gallstone development by increasing the cholesterol levels in the human body.
• Gender and age are again very important factors in terms of gallstones development. This is in light of the fact that women between the age group of 20 to 60 years are twice at a greater risk than other people. Even people, who have crossed the age of 60, are much likely to be prone to it rather than the younger aged people.
• Rapid loss of weight and fasting are some more causes of gallstones which are caused after the increased concentrations of cholesterol within the body.

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