Gut Bacteria Changes with Weight-Loss Surgery
Weight loss surgery is medically referred to as Bariatric Surgery, which is an invasive procedure used on patients who normally are obese or want to get rid of excess body fat. Recent studies conducted in Sweden suggest that gut bacteria found after bariatric surgery encourages further natural weight loss potential. According to the study, patients were able to not only get rid of the fat physically with external equipment, but also may possibly had “good” bacteria fighting away any fat trying to return back.
Simplifying the Research
The study was conducted of two groups containing 7 women each. Each group differed in the type of procedure used since there is more than one way to get the task done correctly.
The first group underwent a bariatric surgery where they use the top of the stomach to create a small pouch, which is connected to the small intestine and known as the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.
The second group of women had their stomach made smaller from the use of a band and staples, which is called the vertical band gastroplasty. Both weight-loss surgeries can have positive results, but something interesting in the research was found within their gut bacteria.
The “Good” Bacteria
The gut bacteria found within the gastric bypass patients were found to have a significant difference in their composition when compared to bacteria in the ones who did not have this surgery. The women that underwent vertical band gastroplasty did not show a consecutively significant difference in their bacteria compared to women who have had no surgery, so this was interesting enough to further research the changes in gut bacteria that were found.
Mice that were raised to not have their own gut bacteria were brought in for further testing, and the results were truly unique. The mice have transferred bacteria from patients that underwent the two types of surgeries, and also to obese patients that never had any surgical treatment for their disorder.
The mice that received the gut bacteria from gastric bypass patients took on 43% less body fat, opposed to vertical banded gastroplasty patients whose bacteria only decreased body fat by 26%. These findings are conclusive with previous research and give the researchers more reason to look into the gut bacteria further.
More Research is Required
This is no definite solution since they do not know if these “good” bacteria are around in the long term, which would be around 20 years after surgery, but it does tell them that more research needs to be made into probiotics (the good bacteria) once more information has been found. The only issues holding these researchers back is the small group used for test subjects and the fact that these gut bacteria in bariatric patients were not compared to the ones that existed prior to surgery. The second stage of testing is concluded, and the next is still to come.
Bariatric patients undergo a pretty serious surgery, and taking care of your body before and after bariatric surgery is the best way to a speedy recovery. Nashua Nutrition has high-quality bariatric-specific supplements that possibly support the process of healing before, and after surgery through adhering to scientific principles.
Source: http://www.livescience.com/51739-bariatric-surgery-gut-bacteria.html
- Nashua Nutrition Admin