Prenatal Vitamins After Bariatric Surgery

As the numbers of morbidly obese people continue to rise, more and more patients are turning to bariatric surgery as a method of weight loss. There are several different types of bariatric surgery available, which range from changing the size of the stomach through banding to rerouting part of the digestive tract. Although bariatric surgery often leads to permanent weight loss, it can change the way your body absorbs vitamins. Prenatal vitamins may contain some of the nutrients that you might need following bariatric surgery.

Prenatal Vitamins

Prenatal vitamins are types of multivitamins that you can take as supplements to meet or exceed the recommended daily intake of nutrients that you need in a day. The specific vitamin combinations and their amounts per serving often vary among brands, but most prenatal vitamins contain a mixture of ingredients such as fat-soluble vitamins including vitamins A, E, D and K. They also supply B-complex vitamins such as thiamin, riboflavin and niacin. Additionally, most prenatal vitamins have a combination of minerals of varying amounts including potassium, zinc or copper and some brands may be fortified with calcium. Because prenatal vitamins provide so many nutrients in each daily dose, they can be a helpful supplement for meeting the amounts of nutrients needed following bariatric surgery.

Gastric Bypass

Some types of bariatric surgery alter the way the body absorbs food, which can also have an effect on vitamin absorption. Gastric bypass surgery involves changing the size of the stomach and rerouting the food around part of the intestine. Your body may be unable to absorb some types of vitamins because it needs parts of the stomach and intestine to digest and absorb some nutrients. For example, intrinsic factor is a substance secreted in the stomach that helps the body absorb vitamin B-12. Having gastric bypass surgery may limit how much vitamin B-12 you can absorb. A study published in November 2009 in "The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association" reports that patients who have had gastric bypass surgery can develop deficiencies in certain nutrients, including vitamin B-12, folic acid, zinc, iron and copper. Taking prenatal vitamins following gastric bypass surgery may supplement some of these deficiencies. For example, some prenatal vitamins contain 8 micrograms of vitamin B-12 and 800 mg of folic acid, both of which meet 100 percent of the recommended daily intake.

Gastric Banding

Gastric banding is another form of bariatric surgery that involves decreasing the size of the stomach pouch. The physician places a band around part of the stomach. This smaller stomach creates the sensation of fullness sooner during a meal, so you will not eat as much food. Gastric banding allows you to digest food and vitamins in the same way as if you did not have surgery, but you take in fewer vitamins due to smaller amounts of food and you may need a supplement to avoid vitamin deficiencies. Weight Loss Surgery, Inc. recommends several supplements for patients following gastric banding procedures, including a daily multivitamin with minerals, 600 mg of calcium citrate with vitamin D each day and 500 micrograms of vitamin B-12 daily, plus a minimum of 50 mg of iron daily for those with anemia. Prenatal vitamins are considered multivitamins in that they contain vitamins such as B-6 and vitamin C, as well as calcium and vitamin D, which could meet many of these recommendations.

Pregnancy

If you become pregnant following bariatric surgery, you will need to ensure that you are getting enough nutrients such as folic acid, vitamin D, calcium and iron to prevent your own deficiencies, as well as support the growth of your baby. You can find these vitamins and minerals in most prenatal multivitamins. Depending on the type of bariatric surgery had, you may need to carefully monitor your nutrition status with your physician or a dietitian. If you have difficulties taking prenatal vitamins after bariatric surgery because of their size, you may be able to find a liquid or chewable supplement that provides the same amount of nutrients.

Prenatal Vitamins After Bariatric Surgery