Factors influencing gallstone disease
Age
All epidemiological studies showed that increasing age was associated with an increased prevalence of gallstones. Gallstones are 4-10 times more frequent in older than younger subjects. Biliary cholesterol saturation increases with age, due to a decline in the activity of cholesterol 7α hydroxylase, the rate limiting enzyme for bile acid synthesis.[58] Deoxycholic acid proportion in bile increases with age through enhanced 7α dehydroxylation of the primary bile acids by the intestinal bacteria.