Weight Loss Surgeon | What Vitamins, Supplements Should We Take After Weight-loss Surgery?

All weekday, a CNNHealth consultant doctor answers a spectator question. On Friday, it’s Dr. Melina Jampolis , a medicine nourishment specialist.


Asked by Paulina Thomas of Jacksonville


What vitamins and supplements are endorsed for people who have had weight loss surgery? And how much?
Expert answer


Hi Paulina. This is a really great question, but we can’t give you any definite recommendations without knowing what sort of operation you had and without knowing more about you specifically.


According to my colleague, weight-loss surgeon Dr. John Rabkin, any sort of weight-loss operation will primarily require a few supplementation due to the limited amount of food you can eat post-operatively. When you eat reduction food, you moreover take in reduction vitamins, minerals, and protein, heading to the need for short- and/or long-term supplementation. This is quite critical for optimal recovering post-operatively and for long-term health. In addition, he records that, many (if not most) patients have vitamin and/or vegetable deficiencies at baseline (before surgery) as these deficiencies are quite familiar in the broad population.


Rabkin goes on to notify that many procedures inclusive gastric bypass, duodenal switch, and biliopancreatic diversion require supplementation of the fat-soluble vitamins (A,D, E, K) and minerals (calcium, iron, zinc, occ. copper, keep track minerals). These operations eliminate portions of the tummy where these nutrients are absorbed, so you might must be take aloft amounts to make sure that you obtain an competent dose. In addition, you might must be take the fat-soluble vitamins in a “dry” form to upgrade absorption, that means that they melt away in H2O instead of fat, given the procedures lessen rotund absorption. Gastric banding and sleeve procedures do not eliminate areas in the tummy where nutritious take in takes place, so they frequently require reduction supplementation long tenure and have reduction chance of deficiencies.


The doses of vitamins, minerals and protein change extremely between individuals, so it is critical that you work keenly with your weight-loss surgeon and first caring medicine after the operation to establish the correct amount for you. These surgeries are not a rapid put together and do have side effects, so it is critical to find a weight-loss surgeon who provides long-term care. A great place to beginning would be in selecting a core approved as a Center of Excellence in Bariatric Surgery by the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. In addition, Rabkin records that patients who come together studious encouragement groups do improved long term, so if your surgeon does not offer a encouragement group, look for one out in your community.