Does Surgical Weight Loss Cause Bone Loss?Researchers at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota may have stumbled on an unexpected risk associated with bariatric surgery. According to their recent study, having weight loss surgery may make you more likely to break a bone in the future. Researchers analyzed the records of 97 people, most middle-aged and female, who had had either gastric bypass or gastric banding surgery. Seven years after surgery, 21 of them had 31 bone fractures. The fracture rate for the weight loss surgery patients was compared to the fracture rate for residents of Olmsted County, Minnesota. It was discovered that the people who had undergone some form of bariatric surgery were nearly twice as likely to have broken a bone for the first time as people in the general population. However, researchers were unable to determine what may have lead to the increased risk for bone fracture. Weight loss surgeons have speculated that a vitamin D or calcium deficiency may be to blame. Many people don't get enough dairy in their diets and could suffer from deficiencies before having surgery. Vitamin D and calcium are vital to bone strength. Broken bones may also be the result of absorption problems, which can sometimes occur after bariatric surgeries. Weight loss physicians recommend closely monitoring vitamin levels and suggest taking vitamin supplements to make up for any changes in how the body is absorbing essential nutrients after bariatric surgery. Reader Comments (1) |
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I wonder if there's any correlation with the actual weight loss and its effect on how a newly skinny person moves differently that they are accustomed to move?
As for vitamin absorption, how would one monitor that? or is it something the Dr. has to do? I take a vitamin supplement, as well as a calcium and potassium supplement every day, but how would I know if it was being absorbed?
Friday, February 12th, 2010 12:20 PM | Marc Davidson