Bariatric surgery can be a game-changer, but the journey to optimal health doesn’t end there. Vitamin and supplements after bariatric surgery are essential. Vitamin and mineral deficiencies are common after having bariatric surgery. Our goal is to guide you through essential supplements, beyond a general multivitamin, to support your well-being post-bariatric surgery.
Ready for healthier tomorrows? Let’s dive in!
Key Takeaways
- After bariatric surgery, your body needs extra vitamins. Common ones are Vitamin D, Calcium, and Iron.
- Not everyone can take in enough nutrients from food alone after weight loss surgery. So, special bariatric multivitamins help meet these needs better.
- Skipping vitamins after the operation brings health problems. These may include feeling fatigue, or feeling pain.
Importance of Vitamins and Supplements After Bariatric Surgery
Having bariatric surgery can lead to a big drop in weight. But it changes how you eat food because you eat less food. Eating less makes the body take fewer nutrients from food. This may cause issues with vitamin deficiencies.
Vitamins and minerals help you stay healthy and for your body to work well. They help you stay strong, fight off disease, heal wounds, digest food, build bone, make red blood cells, and do many other things that keep us healthy and active every day. For people who have bariatric surgery, taking extra vitamins is really important for good health.
Why Bariatric Surgery Patients Need to Take Vitamins?
Bariatric surgery brings about several significant alterations in the body’s functioning. One of the most notable changes is the way it processes food and absorbs essential vitamins. Post-weight loss surgery, the body’s ability to obtain an adequate number of vitamins solely from food is limited, primarily because the smaller stomach can no longer accommodate large food volumes. Additionally, certain portions of the digestive tract responsible for vitamin absorption may be bypassed during the surgical procedure.
Bariatric surgery carries a substantial risk of vitamin and mineral deficiencies. For instance, patients who undergo bariatric surgery often experience periodic drops in vitamin D or calcium levels, where supplementation proves invaluable. Then, vitamin B12 levels can significantly decrease several years after having bariatric, and iron becomes another critical consideration. This underscores the importance of supplementing with additional vitamins.
Beyond Standard Multivitamins: Essential Supplements for Bariatric Patients
Explore the importance of specific bariatric vitamin types and options such as Vitamin D, Calcium, Vitamin B12, Vitamin C and Iron for bariatric patients in maintaining overall health post-surgery. Discover why these nutrients go beyond what a standard multivitamin can provide and why a bariatric multivitamin is so important.
Vitamin D
Vitamin DÂ is super important for everybody, but even more so for people who have had weight-loss surgery. It helps your body take in calcium and keep your bones strong. Our bodies normally get vitamin D from the sun, but bariatric patients might not make enough vitamin D on their own due to changes in how food gets digested after surgery.
As a result, most bariatric patients need extra Vitamin D as part of their daily supplement routine. This will help them stay healthy and prevent problems like weak bones in the future.
Calcium
Calcium is a key player in your health, especially after bariatric surgery. Calcium gives strength to your bones and teeth. Your body also uses it for muscle movement. After the weight-loss operation, you might not get enough calcium from food alone because your system can’t take in as much as before.
That’s why doctors often suggest taking extra calcium.
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 holds a key place in your body. Vitamin B12 helps make red blood cells and keeps the nervous system in good shape. This vital nutrient also plays a role in making DNA. After bariatric surgery, the risk of Vitamin B12 deficiency goes up due to changes in the digestive system.
Regular checks help ensure that you have enough Vitamin B12 in your body. Often, multivitamins are not enough, so extra vitamin B supplements or a true bariatric multivitamin may be needed for those who had weight-loss surgery.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is a must for all bariatric patients. Vitamin C helps the body soak up iron and serves as a guard against damage to cells. Taking vitamin C meets your body’s nutritional needs, which might be higher after weight loss surgery.
Failing to get enough Vitamin C can make it harder for your body to heal itself. This potent antioxidant not only promotes wound healing but also supports overall health by fighting cell-damaging free radicals in the body.
Iron
Iron is an important nutrient for our bodies. Iron helps us make red blood cells, which carry oxygen throughout the body. A lack of iron can cause tiredness and other health problems.
People who have had bariatric surgery often need more iron than other people do. This is because they cannot eat as much food after their surgery, so it’s harder for them to get enough iron just from their meals alone.
That’s why taking a supplement that includes iron can be very helpful to keep your body strong and healthy after this kind of surgery.
Potential Consequences of Not Taking the Right Vitamins After Bariatric Surgery
If you skip vitamins or take the wrong vitamins after bariatric surgery, your health can suffer. A lack of Vitamin D can cause weak bones and tiredness. Low levels of calcium may lead to bone pain and broken bones.
Not having enough vitamin B12 could lead to feeling very tired or numbness in the hands and feet. An iron shortage might make you feel weak or give you trouble breathing. These are serious issues that need attention.
So, it is vital you take all vitamins suggested by your nutritionist after bariatric surgery.
Bariatric Supplement Nutritional Guidelines
If you’ve recently undergone weight loss surgery or are considering it, you need the right vitamin and supplements after bariatric surgery. According to the ASMBS Supplement Guidelines you need the following ingredients in your bariatric multivitamin:
- Vitamin B1, also known as Thiamin, is essential. The guidelines recommend at least 12 mg per day. For those at risk, a dose of 50 to 100 mg is advised.
- Folic Acid: A daily dose of 400 to 800 mcg is suggested. For females of childbearing age, 800 to 1,000 mcg per day is recommended.
- Vitamin B12:Â You should aim for between 350 to 1,000 mcg per day, depending on your needs.
- Vitamin D, a daily dose of 3,000 IU is recommended.
- Iron is crucial, especially for higher-risk patients. The guidelines recommend a dose between 18 to 60 mg per day. Importantly, it should not be taken with Calcium. That should be separate.
- Vitamin A, the recommendation is between 5,000 to 10,000 IU per day.
- Vitamin EÂ should be taken at a dose of 15 mg per day.
- For Vitamin K, aim for 90 to 120 mcg per day.
- Zinc is recommended at a dose of 8 to 11 mg per day from your multivitamin.
- And for Calcium, aim for 1,200 to 1,500 mg per day, taken in divided doses.
If you’re looking for a convenient way to get all these essential nutrients, consider ‘Be Slim Healthy Bariatric Multivitamin with Iron.’ It’s designed to meet the specific needs of weight loss surgery patients and aligns closely with these guidelines.
Wrap Up
Bariatric surgery changes your body in many ways. One of those is how it takes in vitamins and minerals. So, to stay healthy after bariatric surgery, you must take extra vitamins every day.
These are not just pills you swallow but a promise for your new life!
FAQs
1. What are the vitamin needs after bariatric surgery?
After bariatric surgery, patients often require increased supplementation of specific vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin B12, folic acid, iron, calcium, and vitamin D, due to altered digestion and absorption. Regular monitoring is essential to ensure adequate nutrient levels and prevent deficiencies.
2. Which supplements should one take post-bariatric surgery besides multivitamins?
As stated, Be Slim Healthy Living Multivitamin with Iron has all the ingredients you need in a multivitamin. It is advisable to take a probiotic + prebiotic and a calcium supplement as well.
3. Are over-the-counter multivitamins suitable for people who had bariatric surgery?
No! Over-the-counter multivitamins may not be enough. Doctors often suggest bariatric-specific vitamins to meet nutritional needs.
4. Why is monitoring necessary after taking these supplements?
Keeping an eye on vitamin levels through regular blood work helps avoid issues like nervous system health problems or organ failure due to malabsorption.
5. What’s unique about the diet of those who had weight loss surgeries like gastric sleeve or bypass?
Individuals who have undergone weight loss surgeries, such as gastric sleeve or bypass, typically require a significantly reduced caloric intake due to the reduced size of their stomach. Their diet prioritizes high-protein foods to support muscle mass, while limiting sugars, fats, and certain fibrous vegetables to prevent digestive complications and dumping syndrome. Additionally, because of altered nutrient absorption, they often need specialized vitamin and mineral supplementation to prevent deficiencies.