Ask Your Bariatric Surgeon These Questions Before Committing to Weight Loss Surgery
Are you on the verge of committing to weight loss surgery? If so, you probably have questions. Keep reading to learn which ones to ask so you feel prepared.
Nutritional Risks to Consider When You’re Having Weight Loss Surgery
More and more people are turning to weight loss surgery as a treatment for serious weight problems. Also called bariatric surgery, weight loss surgery is an effective, long-term treatment for severe obesity and some of the health problems that it can cause.
But even though weight loss surgery is generally considered safe for most people, you do have to make changes to your diet after surgery in order to protect your health.
For example, the risk of certain nutritional deficiencies goes up for some patients after weight loss surgery.
Fortunately, our experienced care providers at Peachtree Surgical & Bariatrics in Atlanta, Georgia, have extensive training that prepares them to help patients thrive after surgery. We make sure you have the nutritional education and dietary support you need after your procedure.
Here, our providers point out some of the nutrients that you may need to supplement after weight loss surgery.
Weight loss surgery and nutrition
Our practice offers various types of weight loss surgery, including Lap-Band® and gastric sleeve surgery. Weight loss surgery helps you lose weight by reducing the amount of food you can comfortably eat or by changing the way your body absorbs nutrients.
As a result, taking in adequate amounts of certain nutrients may prove more difficult after surgery. You can still maintain good health, but we recommend that you eat a nutritious diet and take supplements to get the nutrients you need.
Fat-soluble nutrients
Weight loss surgery may affect your body’s ability to absorb fat. Because some nutrients are fat-soluble — meaning they are found primarily in fatty foods or are more easily absorbed by your body when you eat them with foods that contain fat — you may need to take supplements of these vitamins to ensure you get enough. Fat-soluble nutrients include:
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin D
- Vitamin E
- Vitamin K
- Zinc
Other nutrients
Weight loss surgery may also alter the amount of time food spends in your gastrointestinal tract during digestion. Because of this, certain nutrients may not be absorbed properly after surgery. These nutrients, which include the following, may also require supplementation:
- Calcium
- Folate
- Iron
- Vitamin B12
Nutrients specific to your personal health
Everyone has their own personal medical needs and nutritional requirements based on their age, health history, nutritional deficiencies before surgery, and other factors. For example, some patients require extra B vitamins, vitamin C, or the mineral copper after surgery.
To address your nutritional requirements, we connect you with a nutritional expert who can evaluate your personal nutrition needs and recommend supplements that may help you as an individual.
In addition, we advise all patients to take daily multivitamins after surgery.
Learn more about weight loss surgery
To discover more about weight loss surgery at Peachtree Surgical & Bariatrics, we invite you to view our free online seminar. This seminar presents a range of important information about various types of weight loss surgery,
We also welcome you to come to our office for a consultation. To meet with one of our weight loss surgery specialists, contact us to request an appointment.
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