According to an article published recently on Bariatric News, the issue of weight loss patients having nutrient deficiencies while losing weight may have more to do with their obesity than the fact that they are experiencing reduced food intake while losing weight. The study revealed that a significant number of obese patients about to undergo weight loss surgery already had insufficient nutrient levels before their weight loss even began. Particularly, candidates for bariatric surgery lacked vitamin D and iron at levels far greater than the overall population. Yes, nutrient health is an incredibly important and often overlooked aspect of overall health, and everyone, bariatric patients included, should maintain proper nutrition.

While further research will likely be needed to determine exactly how many of the nutrient problems found in some bariatric patients are inherent with obesity rather than with surgically aided weight loss, it is still vital that these patients take doctor-recommended nutritional supplements. Even if a patient has a nutrient deficiency before they begin their weight loss, the reduced food intake to come will likely exacerbate the problem, making a proper vitamin and supplement regimen even more important.  Some patients forget that, although burning through their excess fat may make up for a lack of calories, it does nothing to make-up for decreased nutrients when eating less.

There is no reason for a person of any size to wait until a nutrient deficiency develops to start taking a strong interest in their personal nutrition. Here at BHP, we have a registered dietician, a clinical psychologist, and an experienced weight loss coach as part of our multi-disciplinary team to ensure that patients are as healthy as possible while losing weight. While most of their patients are those who are currently losing a large amount of weight, they also provide support to people seeking to lose weight non-surgically. In addition, they also lend a great deal of institutional knowledge to all of our services and can assist others concerned about maintaining proper nutrient health.