supplements At Foothills Weight Loss Specialists in Knoxville, we create individualized plans for our patients to ensure their success from the minute they begin the weight loss process. This starts well before your procedure even takes place and continues long after to help you sustain your new, healthy life. A vital component of preparing for and recovering from bariatric surgery is nutrition. However, as a bariatric surgery patient, nutrition goes beyond getting important nutrients from the foods you eat, but also from dietary supplements specifically designed for the changes your body undergoes after surgery.

“During surgery, modifications are made to your gastrointestinal tract, which require changes to your eating habits,” explains Dr. Mark Colquitt of Foothills Weight Loss Specialists. “Immediately after surgery, you’ll have to follow post-surgery dietary guidelines, which will initially restrict you from eating solid foods and limit your overall intake. Because of this, supplements are essential in that they ensure you’re getting adequate vitamins and minerals.”

Our team offers Bariatric Advantage’s supplements, which are formulated to meet the unique nutritional demands of both pre-operative bariatric candidates, in addition to Post-Operative patients. In the pre-operative stage, your physician or nutritionist will identify your deficiencies and risk, and may recommend a supplement schedule to follow prior to surgery. The types of supplements prescribed in the Post-Operative stage varies from patient to patient depending on their risk of deficiencies prior to their procedure and the particular procedure. For instance, patients who undergo gastric bypass may be more prone to an iron deficiency. Properly absorbing vitamin B12 can also be difficult for both gastric bypass patients and vertical sleeve gastrectomy.

“For many patients, getting enough calcium, vitamin B12 and iron is important after surgery,” says Foothills surgeon Dr. Jonathan Ray. “It is challenging even for people who have not undergone bariatric surgery to meet their daily requirements of vitamins and minerals only from the food they eat. Bariatric surgery patients have the additional challenge of consuming less, making the role of multivitamins and other supplements crucial. Preventing deficiencies in our patients is a top priority.”

If you have questions about how bariatric supplements will benefit your recovery and overall future health, or concerns regarding your nutrition before and after surgery, contact the Foothills Weight Loss Specialists team at (865) 984-3413.