Mental Health

Weight Loss Surgery May Lead to Bone Loss

By Samantha Goodwin | Update Date: Nov 09, 2012 07:23 AM EST

A new study suggests that weight loss surgeries or bariatric surgery can result in the loss of bones for some people.

Here's another reason why exercise and maintaining a proper diet regime are the best ways to lose weight. However, for some people, these methods may be a little too difficult to follow, especially obese individuals, and for them, many suggest that bariatric surgery is the best way to go.

However, a new 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 in some patients.

"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 one of the most common weight loss surgeries in the U.S., where much of the stomach is removed. It is also considered to be the most invasive type of bariatric 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.

After this study, scientists suggest that patients who have a higher risk of bone loss should have their doctors recommend calcium intake and should be screened regularly to avoid any further complications.

Weight loss surgery patients say that the 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.

© 2023 Counsel & Heal All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.

Join the Conversation

Real Time Analytics