According to statistics, the risk of gallstones in women is two times greater than that of men, and the main reason for this is estrogen. The main component of bile is “cholesterol”, the rest is phospholipids, bile acids and other substances, clinically 80% of gallstones are mainly composed of “cholesterol”, the common cause of the formation of the gallbladder due to the high content of cholesterol, the formation of cholesterol crystals, a large number of cholesterol crystals accumulate to form gallstones. A large number of cholesterol crystals accumulate to form gallstones. In women, estrogen is a strong muscle relaxant. Under the action of estrogen, the contraction of the gallbladder will be weakened, causing a large amount of bile to accumulate in the gallbladder, so gallstones will slowly form. In addition, estrogen promotes higher cholesterol levels in women – cholesterol crystals are more likely to occur. Therefore, the incidence of gallstones is relatively higher in women. When a woman is pregnant, elevated levels of progesterone have an even stronger effect on the gallbladder, forcing it to contract weakly, leading to increased gallbladder sludge. In summary, premenopausal women are at increased risk of cholesterol stones after a long period of estrogen and progesterone action during pregnancy, but according to epidemiologic evidence, their incidence decreases after menopause. Doctor’s tip: Women are more likely to get gallstones if they skip breakfast. So, make sure you have good habits and don’t forget to eat breakfast even if you are busy!