Weight Loss Surgery May Lead to Bone Loss
Weight loss surgery may be the route to take if a person is finding it difficult to lose weight despite diet and exercise. But, new research on bariatric surgery suggests that it may lead to bone loss in some patients.
The study from Garvan Institute in Sydney says that certain types of bariatric surgery, especially the highly invasive ones and those done on adolescents can lead to bone loss.
"Even though we don't yet understand all the mechanisms, we can see that the more radical the procedure, the greater the bone loss long-term," said Dr. Brzozowska, who undertook the review as part of her PhD.
Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery is a common weight loss surgery in the U.S. and also the most invasive one. Much of the stomach is removed in this surgery.
"We are certainly not arguing against bariatric surgery. There is no doubt that it is an effective weapon against obesity and obesity-related diabetes. We just ask that doctors and patients take bone health into account," said Associate Professor Jackie Center.
Researchers suggest that patients at high risk of losing bone density must be recommended calcium intake and screened regularly to avoid any further complications.
Weight loss surgery patients say that repercussions of the surgery are rarely talked about, National reports.
''I didn't have a bone scan or anything like that. But I do worry I am not getting my recommended daily intake of certain nutrients and I think that's why they stress the importance of taking a multivitamin after surgery. You do lose a lot of hair in the first three months afterwards, you feel fatigued, and your diet is pretty much clear liquids," Vanessa Hall who underwent a weight loss surgery told National.
The study is published in the journal Obesity Reviews.
Earlier study published in the journal Pediatrics in 2011 says that bariatric surgery is associated with significant bone loss in adolescents.