Your body is undergoing a lot of different changes after weight loss surgery. Not only is it healing, but it will be adapting to your new lifestyle changes as you eat differently and exercise more. Vitamins and minerals are a critical part of any person’s diet, but they are especially important after bariatric surgery.
In many cases, we get our recommended daily amounts of vitamins from fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and other foods we eat. However, during the first few weeks after surgery, those foods are unavailable to you. So you will need good sources of vitamins and minerals to keep your immune system strong.
Here are some important must-knows about vitamin and mineral supplements after surgery.
What types of vitamins are best?
After surgery, you will need specific vitamins made for bariatric surgery patients. Vitamins that are on the market for the general public will not be able to meet the needs of people that have recently undergone weight loss surgery. Bariatric specific vitamins have higher doses and are readily absorbable, which will cause less irritation in your body as it heals.
Our doctors at WeightWise will discuss which vitamins you need so you can leave your surgery with the right ones. Which specific vitamins and minerals are necessary after weight loss surgery? You will need a variety of vitamin and mineral supplements to help keep your body healthy, including:
- Multivitamin: Options include an advanced EA chewable (twice daily), a Multi Ultra Capsule (three times daily), or a Multi Chewy Bite (two per day)
- Iron: You will only need this supplement (18-45 mg/day) if you are taking the Multi Chewy Bite, or if your doctor thinks you need additional iron.
- Vitamin B12: You will need 1000 mcg a day either orally, through injections, or with a nasal spray. This supplement should be prescribed only if the multivitamin does not offer the right dose of vitamin B12 that is needed.
- Calcium Citrate: You will need to take between 1000 and 1500 mg each day, in doses of 500 mg at a time. This allows for maximum absorption.
- Probiotic: A multi-strain probiotic is ideal and can be taken along with the other supplements. This promotes good gut health.
- B-Complex: This includes folic acid, vitamin B1, B6, biotin, and other B vitamins.
- Vitamin D: This vitamin is generally prescribed as 3,000 IU per day, but you may need a higher dose if indicated by your doctor.
Do not stress over finding supplements. WeightWise offers all of these vitamins for you so you know you are getting quality supplements that are made for the bariatric patient. Visit our store at estore.weightwise.com to see what is right for you.
For the best long-term results, you will need to make sure you take care of yourself in the short term. These supplements help with wound healing, bone health, iron deficiency, and more. Your health journey is important to us and we want to make sure you have all the tools you need to be a success. Contact us today to talk to us about getting your weight loss journey started.