Gastric Bypass Truth

A study published in the May, 2008 American Journal Of Clinical Nutrition finds that regular multivitamins are NOT enough to prevent serious vitamin deficiencies after gastric bypass surgery.

Many doctors – including my own – prescribe nothing more than Flintstones vitamins plus a calcium supplement after surgery. Yet this study clearly shows that this recommendation is simply not enough to prevent gastric bypass surgery complications, much less attain optimum health.

According to this article, the study followed 137 patients for two years following RN-Y gastric bypass surgery. All were prescribed a standard multivitamin, and evaluated for deficiencies at 3, 6, 9, 12, 18 and 24 months following surgery.

34% of patients began to show deficiencies and need additional supplements as early as 3 months after surgery. By the 24 month mark, that number had risen to 98% .

The most common additional supplements needed were B12, folic acid, calcium, iron and vitamin D. Much less commonly, they identified deficiency of thiamine, zinc, magnesium and B6.

All in all, by the time the study was completed, the patients were spending an average of $417.96 a year on supplements.

Basic multivitamins just don’t cut it. You can take them faithfully and STILL wind up with drastically serious health problems. This is one of the things you must take into account before having gastric bypass surgery. Will you be able both financially and behaviorally to take your various supplements every day for the rest of your life?

If you’ve already had surgery, are you taking your vitamins? Are you taking the right ones? Are you taking enough? Make sure before its too late!