Vitamin research study - ThinnerTimes - Gastric Bypass Forum, Lap Band Forum, and Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy Forum

Suzanne-photog4fun · 06-02-2008, 08:19 AM

Vitamins: You Can’t Stay Healthy Without Them Study Shows

Nutritional deficiencies after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass for morbid obesity often cannot be prevented by standard multivitamin supplementation.

Standard Multivitamin Not Enough After Gastric Bypass

A study just published in the May issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows that the majority of gastric bypass patients cannot maintain their nutritional health on a basic multivitamin supplement. The study followed 137 gastric bypass patients for two years. By the end of year one, 59% of the participants required additional supplements and by the end of year two, this number had increased to 98%. The most common additional supplements needed were B12, folic acid, calcium, iron and vitamin D. Much less commonly, they identified deficiency of thiamine, zinc, magnesium and B6. The authors concluded that basic multivitamins are not effective at preventing deficiency in gastric bypass patients, and typical supplementation to keep a gastric bypass patient health averages about $420.00/year when additional nutrients are accounted for. They also encouraged further study and the use of routine post-operative labs to assess nutritional status.
Source: Gasteyger, Christoph, et al, “Nutritional deficiencies after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass for morbid obesity often cannot be prevented by standard multivitamin supplementation,” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 87, No. 5, 1128-1133, May 2008
Barbara Thompson Weight Loss Surgery Newsletter June 1 2008

Dyann · 06-02-2008, 08:44 AM

At this point and time (and for the last few years) if a surgeon is only prescribing a MVI, they are doing you a disservice . Deficiencies are so hard to correct and some have such devastating long term consequences, that the standard of care should be at the minimum

1. Multi vitamin (preferably one formulated for GBP patients high in thiamine etc.)
2. Iron in the appropriate for (fumurate or glycinate) for menstruating women
3. Calcium gluconate (not carbonate)
4. SL B12
5. Essential fatty acids until you are eating more normal portions of foods and your levels remain good.

the first month after surgery, the flinstone chewables or gummys will tie you over as you should have stores to draw on, but after that, if that is all you are taking, there is great risk.

Just my 2 cents

Godsblessedme · 06-02-2008, 10:51 AM

i can never understand why so many people on here are like NOT taking their vitamins. It agrivates me so bad and i want to slap them because they dont know they are taking such a risk. I plan on taking vitamins for the rest of my life. All my vit's not just a MV

thanks for the info guys

Deirdrea · 06-06-2008, 03:12 AM

Honestly, when people on here say they are only taking a "regular" multi vit. like centrium or something like that it makes me cringe. There are a MULTITUDE of vitamin choices out there that are specifically tailored to gastric bypass patients. Most of them are very sufficient in providing MOST of the vitamins that you need at a reasonable cost. It honestly boggles my mind when people talk about their doc saying that 2 flintstone vitamins is enough for them for life. It's just not. It's just not something to screw around with after you've spent so much time and effort to get healthy to NOT spend the $35 a month (approx... this is about what I pay total) to be healthy for your lifetime.

mistymee · 06-06-2008, 03:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deirdrea

Honestly, when people on here say they are only taking a "regular" multi vit. like centrium or something like that it makes me cringe. There are a MULTITUDE of vitamin choices out there that are specifically tailored to gastric bypass patients. Most of them are very sufficient in providing MOST of the vitamins that you need at a reasonable cost. It honestly boggles my mind when people talk about their doc saying that 2 flintstone vitamins is enough for them for life. It's just not. It's just not something to screw around with after you've spent so much time and effort to get healthy to NOT spend the $35 a month (approx... this is about what I pay total) to be healthy for your lifetime.

Oh the children's vitamins just boggle my mind something fierce. And what bothers me more is when they get recommended to pre-ops as appropriate for post-ops!

Deirdrea · 06-06-2008, 03:35 AM

I'm REALLY glad to hear that it isn't just me. I mentioned it to the dietition who runs my support group and it boggles her mind as well. Like I said.. I can't understand people taking all the time and effort to get healthy and then think that flinstone chewables are gonna cut it post-op.

Marella · 06-23-2008, 12:24 PM

A similar discussion is going on in another thread. I just want to share that I did a comparison with the Vit's I take vs. Flintstones Complete

Flintstones vs. Building Blocks Bariatric Chewable Vitamins
Vitamin Comparison Spreadsheet

Sorry for any typo's.. but WOW, it's a drastic difference!

I'm Googling like crazy to find places that support Flintstones and why. So far, I think it's lack of information about vitamin consequences with GBS and not all doctor's think equally.

teekay · 06-26-2008, 11:10 PM

I am 3 yrs out, but new to "support groups". I think I need to hear about the potential risks for slacking off on vitamins. I am terrible at remembering them, but something keeps nagging me that I need to get on track and be strict about it.

I was trying to search for a list of risks and consequences, but I'm not finding much, where should I search for info? I too was told flintstones, and that registered in my mind that vitamins are not something to freak out or stress about.

I'm feeling pretty stupid at the moment, but I want to educate myself more. Any suggestions of where I should go for info? I just joined up to remind myself that I did indeed have surgery, and I need to take care of my body as a GBS patient. I think there are more people like myself who just need to "re-educate" themselves. Any info would be great!

Scare tactics work for me!

MiladyB · 06-27-2008, 03:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by teekay

I am 3 yrs out, but new to "support groups". I think I need to hear about the potential risks for slacking off on vitamins. I am terrible at remembering them, but something keeps nagging me that I need to get on track and be strict about it.

I was trying to search for a list of risks and consequences, but I'm not finding much, where should I search for info? I too was told flintstones, and that registered in my mind that vitamins are not something to freak out or stress about.

I'm feeling pretty stupid at the moment, but I want to educate myself more. Any suggestions of where I should go for info? I just joined up to remind myself that I did indeed have surgery, and I need to take care of my body as a GBS patient. I think there are more people like myself who just need to "re-educate" themselves. Any info would be great! Scare tactics work for me!

Teekay, there are several threads on this forum discussing what can happen if we don't take our vitamins.

Here are a few helpful threads:

Confused about vitamins; why and how much?

NEWSFLASH ON VITAMINS & NUTRITION! The latest updates

A couple interesting charts

Not taking your supplements is NOT okay

...and if you don't mind some reading that is pretty heavy on the medical language this is full of some really great information. Corrine sent the link to me last night and I found it really good information. I even sent it along to my pcp to help and educate him further.

http://download.journals.elsevierhea...8908001639.pdf

Also here are links to several informative articles:

http://www.bbvitamins.com/physicians_Articles_1.aspx

http://www.bbvitamins.com/physicians_Articles_2.aspx

http://www.bbvitamins.com/physicians_Articles_3.aspx

http://www.bbvitamins.com/research.aspx

http://www.bbvitamins.com/education.aspx

Hope this helps convince you to get back on track.