Why are vitamins so important after gastric bypass surgery?

Gastric bypass changes the anatomy of your stomach and intestines that causes deficits in vitamins and minerals. The procedure reduces your food intake and digestive enzymes and acid necessary for digestion.

Numerous studies have been done looking at deficiencies that are common after gastric bypass. Vitamin B12 is a deficiency that can easily occur if gastric bypass patients are not taking their weekly dose of vitamin B12. Some signs of B12 deficiency include numbness, loss of feelings in the legs, unsteadiness when walking, color blindness, confusion, irritability and depression. These medical problems can easily be prevented by simply taking the B12 supplement!

Other common deficiencies include iron and calcium. Iron deficiencies may occur shortly after surgery or years and years after the surgery. Symptoms include fatigue and weakness. Calcium deficiencies cause bone loss after the surgery, irregularities in muscle, heart or nerve functions, defects in certain hormones, and even weight gain. Calcium supplements need to be the form of calcium citrate, not calcium carbonate or coral calcium.

Folate and thiamin are other common vitamin deficiencies in gastric bypass patient. It is essential that they are in the patient’s daily multivitamin!

Because of the changes in anatomy after the gastric bypass procedure, there will always be a risk for vitamin and mineral deficiencies. It is essential to remember to take supplements daily and for life but also to have annual blood checks for levels of vitamins and minerals.