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Gastric Bypass Effects on Nutrition

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Gastric Bypass Effects On Nutrition

After the surgery, patients tend to feel extremely full after eating a small amount of food. They also feel completely satisfied and may not want to eat. The food amount they consume is remarkably reduced. Because of the stomach pouch’s new size and the reduction of food intake, patients must follow the surgeon’s instructions on nutrition demands and food consumption such as:

  • How many meals to be eaten
  • Sufficient intake of protein
  • Using mineral and vitamin supplements

Bypass patients must use the following supplements:

  • Vitamin B12 supplements
  • Iron supplements
  • Protein supplements
  • Multi-vitamins
  • Calcium supplements

After surgery, food intake and food absorption will decrease rapidly and the amount of acid-producing cells in the stomach will increase. For that reason, doctors will prescribe patients medication that will lower the acid to deal with the high amounts. Due to this, patients might experience achlorhydria, a condition where there’s not enough stomach acid. This will lead to bacteria overgrowth.

When there is a high amount of bacteria in the stomach, it causes the ecology of the gut to change and cause both vomiting and nausea. For this reason, the rate of food absorption changes and leads to a deficiency in both nutrition and vitamins. This is a common aspect in many post-surgery patients.

Calorie Intake Post Gastric Bypass

Bariatric surgery will lead to a reduction of calorie intake, which will lead to the body using fat tissue to handle the deficit. This will lead to the loss of weight. As time passes, the body will become smaller and the energy requirements will drop. While this happens, the patient might be able to eat more food. When the consumed energy equals the consumed calories, weight loss stops.

Vitamins and Suppliments After Gastric Bypass

After the surgery, the amount of food consumed is dramatically different, which means the vitamin content will also be lower. Supplements will need to be taken daily to get the minimum everyday requirements of vitamins. After the proximal GBP, the absorption of the majority of vitamins is generally unaffected. However, Vitamin B12 is not as well-absorbed in several people, which means Vitamin B12 supplements are needed. According to several studies, patients who take probiotics after the surgery could retain high amounts of Vitamin B12 than those who did not take them.

Alcohol Metabolism After Gastric Bypass

Gastric bypass patients tended to have a lower alcohol tolerance because the digestive tract soaks in alcohol much quicker than those who have never done the surgery. It also takes them longer to get sober after they drink alcohol.

The Many Benefits and Results Of The Gastric Bypass Surgery

It’s not uncommon for patients to lose between 65 and 80 percent of their additional body weight after the surgery. However, there are several significant effects that come with the gastric bypass surgery:

  • 70 percent of patients no longer suffer with hypertension; medications are usually dropped because of this
  • More than 70 percent of patients have their hyperlipidemia corrected
  • A significant improvement in obstructive sleep apnea; most patients see improvement in snoring too
  • Nearly 90 percent of people have a reversal in type 2 diabetes, which means they don’t need medication
  • Most patients have relief from gastroesophageal reflux disease
  • Alleviation in leg swelling
  • Improvement in joint and lower back pain

According to a study, there is a nearly 90 percent reduction in mortality in the five years after the surgery compared to the non-surgical group of people. Most patients who have undergone gastric bypass can enjoy family and social functions.

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