The Importance of Vitamin A for Bariatric Patients

Vitamin A is an essential nutrient that helps the body in a variety of ways. It’s especially important for bariatric patients, who may have difficulty getting enough vitamin A through diet alone. Taking vitamins after bariatric surgery can help promote a return to wellness.

Let’s look at why vitamin A is so important for bariatric patients and how to make sure they are getting enough of it in their diets.

What Does Vitamin A Do?

Vitamin A, including the 3000 mcg capsule we offer in our shop, plays an important role in many bodily functions, including vision, immune system health, cell growth and development, and more. Vitamin A can also help improve skin health and reduce the signs of aging. It helps maintain healthy mucous membranes which prevent germs from entering the body through our noses and mouths. Finally, vitamin A can help regulate hormone levels and normalize insulin production.

Why Is Vitamin A Important for Bariatric Patients?

Bariatric patients often suffer from vitamin deficiencies due to their limited diets before and after surgery. As such, it’s even more important for them to get enough vitamin A after surgery to ensure optimal health.

Vitamin A helps promote healing by aiding in the growth of new tissue and helping to repair damaged tissue, which is critical for bariatric patients as part of their post-op recovery process.

How Can Bariatric Patients Get Enough Vitamin A?

The best way to get enough vitamin A is through diet — specifically, foods like beef liver, green leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale, and broccoli, and carrots, red bell peppers, and cantaloupe.

However, patients should speak with their dietitians and healthcare providers about any and all diet-related issues, including which foods are safe to eat for bariatric surgery patients. Many of these foods may not be readily available or easy to digest after surgery due to reduced stomach capacity or other dietary restrictions associated with bariatric surgery.

Because of this, it’s important for bariatric patients to consider supplementing with a quality multivitamin that contains adequate amounts of both preformed (animal-based) and provitamin (plant-based) forms of Vitamin A, such as retinol and beta carotene respectively.

This will ensure that they get all the nutrients they need without having to worry about eating large quantities of food or taking multiple supplements daily.

All in all, vitamin A is an essential nutrient that everyone should be taking seriously — especially those who are undergoing bariatric surgery or struggling with obesity.

A balanced diet is always recommended — first and foremost for obtaining proper nutrition. However, if you feel like you could use an extra boost, speak with your dietitian about supplementation.

Doing this will help ensure that you are receiving all the vitamins your body needs so you can focus on recovering from surgery quickly while still maintaining good overall health.