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  • Gastric bypass, or bariatric, surgery is performed on morbidly obese people to reduce the risk of diseases associated with obesity. During gastric bypass surgery, parts of the stomach and small intestine are closed off to reduce the stomach size and allow food to bypass parts of the small intestine.

    Risk

    Lower caloric intake from feeling full more quickly and the inability to store larger amounts of food leads to long-term weight loss. Permanent dietary changes are necessary to combat the resulting malabsorption of vitamins and minerals, including calcium and Vitamin D, which can lead to the development of osteoporosis.

    Prevention

    Because gastric bypass patients do not properly absorb vitamins and minerals, additional supplementation is recommended. The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) recommends that bariatric patients add 1,500 to 2,000 mg of calcium citrate to their daily regimen. Due to Vitamin D's assistance in the body's absorption of calcium, the ASMBS also recommends that gastric bypass patients consume at least 200 percent of the recommended daily allowance of Vitamin D.

    Recommendation

    In addition to dietary considerations, adding weight-bearing exercises to your wellness routine improves bone density, in addition to helping with weight loss. Weight-bearing exercise prevents the onset of osteoporosis and slows the progress of the disease.

    Diagnosis

    Gastric bypass surgery patients are scheduled for bone density scans on a routine basis to check for the development of osteoporosis. Blood work is also routinely scheduled to monitor Vitamin D levels because sufficient Vitamin D is essential to the body's absorption of calcium.

    Treatment

    Biphosphonate medications are usually prescribed for the treatment of osteoporosis. Due to bariatric patients issues with malabsorption, this medication may be more beneficial when administered intravenously rather than taken orally.

    Source:

    Bariatric Surgery and Osteoporosis

    Nutritional Guidelines for the Surgical Weight Loss Patient

    Osteoporosis

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