For those with a lot of weight to lose, surgeries can be a sure fire way to slim down. But new research in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism suggests those surgeries can lead to bigger problems.
In this study, researchers evaluated 23 morbidly obese men and women who underwent gastric bypass surgery. Dr. Silverberg and her colleagues measured serum calcium, vitamin D, and parathyroid hormone levels before surgery and at three, six, and twelve months after surgery. Researchers also measured bone mineral density before and after surgery using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA). One year after weight loss surgery, patients had lost an average of 99 pounds and had significant declines in hip bone mineral density (both total hip and femoral neck measurements).
Researchers say the deficiencies may be due to changes in the gastrointestinal tract that are made during surgeries like gastric bypass. Increasing calcium and vitamin D supplements may help.
The article “The Decline in Hip Bone Density Following Gastric Bypass Surgery is Associated with Extent of Weight Loss,” will appear in the October issue of JCEM.
