| Bariatric Vitamins After Surgery
Everyone knows that taking vitamins is important in achieving health. Our body needs the right amount of vitamins to gain optimum function. In addition to keeping our bodies healthy, the benefits of vitamins relate directly to losing weight. They regulate several body processes such as hunger or thirst, brain function, metabolism, thyroid and adrenal glands function and absorption of nutrients.
After bariatric surgery, our body is at risk of vitamin deficiencies. This is because malabsorptive weight loss procedures reduce the body’s ability to absorb certain nutrients. On the other hand, restrictive weight loss procedures do not allow our body to hold as much food from which we can get vitamins.
The need to take vitamins after weight loss surgery may vary by procedure and person. Some people may have to take vitamins for the rest of their lives to prevent surgery complications and to maximize weight loss.
Vitamin A, D, K, B12 and Iron deficiencies are especially common in bariatric surgeries like duodenal switch and laparoscopic gastric bypass. It is important to note however that when a restrictive procedure is done, a multivitamin which contains 100% of the recommended daily value for vitamins is needed. For a malabsorptive procedure, a multivitamin with 200% of the normal recommended daily value should be taken.
Food is still the best source of essential vitamins however if what you eat does not give you what you need, vitamin supplements are available. Remember to take these as prescribed by your health care provider, and do not attempt to self-prescribe.
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