Bariatric Vitamins 101
Essential Vitamins and Minerals After Bariatric Surgery
Life after bariatric surgery brings exciting changes, but it's also important to take care of your body's nutritional needs. This section highlights the crucial vitamins and minerals you'll need to thrive.
Why Supplements Matter
Bariatric surgery changes how your body absorbs nutrients. To stay healthy, you'll need to take specific vitamins and minerals daily. We've focused on the most important ones to help you understand why they're essential.
Your Personalized Nutrition Plan
While this information provides a solid foundation, it's not a complete guide to all necessary supplements. Your doctor will recommend the best plan for you based on your individual needs. Remember, choosing the right supplements and taking them consistently is key to your overall well-being.
Questions Answered
Whether you've recently had bariatric surgery or are considering it, this information can help. Keep reading to learn more about the vitamins and minerals in our products.
Vitamin A
Balancing Vision,
Skin Health, & Safety
A fat-soluble vitamin that is most notable for the role that it plays in night vision, it is also important for bone health. Supplemental vitamin A is found commonly in two different forms: as preformed vitamin A (acetate or palmitate) or as beta-carotene.
Pre-formed-Vitamin A is most readily absorbed when taken in its preformed state and available for immediate utilization by the body. Beta-carotene-This is a water-soluble form of vitamin A. However, you must take about 6X the amount of beta-carotene as pre-formed to achieve the same result. And, your body must first process the beta-carotene and convert it to vitamin A before it can be of any use. Therefore, taking a supplement that contains both preformed and beta-carotene is recommended.
Carrots, broccoli, sweet potatoes, kale, butter, spinach, leafy vegetables, pumpkin, collard greens, cantaloupe melon, eggs.
A water soluble vitamin that is best known for the prevention of scurvy, vitamin C is also known to be an effective antioxidant that aids in the reduction of oxidative stress. Additionally, vitamin C is also important for the proper absorption of iron. The most common form of vitamin C is ascorbic acid, but other forms are acceptable.
Red pepper, parsley, kiwifruit, broccoli, brussels sprouts, papaya, strawberry, orange, lemon, cantaloupe, cauliflower, grapefruit, raspberry, tangerine, mandarin orange, passion fruit, spinach, cabbage (raw), lime, mango, potato, honeydew, cranberry, tomato, blueberry, pineapple, grapes, apricot, plum, watermelon.
The primary function of vitamin D is to aid the body in the absorption of calcium, which makes it critical to ensure healthy bones and teeth. Vitamin D also promotes normal cell growth, weight loss, and aids in the prevention of some cancers. While it is a fat soluble vitamin, the levels associated with toxicity are fairly high. Symptoms associated with vitamin D deficiency may include muscle pain, bone fractures, fatigue, low immunity, depression or problems sleeping. Celebrate's Bariatric Vitamin D Supplements provide 4000 IU between our multivitamin and Calcium Plus 500. If needed, additional 5,000, 25,000, and 50,000 IU therapeutic level vitamin D is also available and the only form that we utilize is a dry, water-miscible form of vitamin D3 (as cholecalciferol).
Egg yolk, mushrooms, fatty fish (e.g., salmon, tuna, sardines), vitamin D-fortified milk.
A water-soluble B-complex vitamin that aids the body in converting carbohydrates into energy. It is also essential for proper heart and muscle function. Proper supplementation is most critical in the first several weeks after bariatric surgery or at any point that persistent vomiting may occur. Caffeine, carbonated beverages, certain medications, and alcohol intake can interfere with thiamin absorption, so increased supplementation is recommended if these items are included in daily intake.
Thiamin deficiencies are best known for causing Wernicke-Encephalopathy or Beriberi, which can result in irreversible neurological conditions or even death. Since your diet is greatly restricted and your body cannot store large amounts of thiamin it is possible to form a deficiency. Daily multivitamin supplementation should include at minimum 12 mg of thiamin daily.
Green peas, spinach, beef, pork, navy beans, nuts, pinto beans, bananas, soybeans, whole-grains, bread, yeast.
Another water soluble B-complex vitamin, vitamin B-12 is responsible for maintaining red blood cells and nerve cells, as well as assisting the body in making DNA. It is probably the most talked about vitamin following bariatric surgery. Following a malabsorbtive procedure such as a gastric bypass, the body's ability to absorb vitamin B-12 is greatly diminished due to the reduced levels of gastric acid and intrinsic factor (IF). Some gastric bypass vitamins receive greater exposure than others as is the case with vitamin B-12. Symptoms associated with B-12 deficiency include weakness, fatigue, dizziness, and brittle nails. A deficiency can lead to pernicious anemia. In the case of a severe B-12 deficiency, neuropathy may develop, resulting in irreversible neurological damage. Celebrate Vitamins deliver 500 - 1,000 mcg daily in our multivitamin (for gastric bypass or gastric sleeve), which is the highest level of vitamin B-12 available in a bariatric multivitamin. It is important to note that while many people believe that it is impossible to absorb vitamin B-12 in an oral tablet following surgery, this is actually not true. Vitamin B12 is absorbed orally through a process known as passive absorption. However, only about 1-2% of intake may be absorbed through this process but since your body utilizes approximately 2 mcg of vitamin B-12 per day, the level in our multivitamin will be appropriate for most patients. In addition to the vitamin B-12 that is in our multivitamin, we also have developed a separate B-12 sublingual for those patients who require additional supplementation. Be sure to consult your bariatric program to determine your specific needs.
Fortified breakfast cereal, beef, dairy products, eggs.
More commonly known as folic acid, this B-complex vitamin plays an important role in the production and maintenance of new cells. It is especially important to women who may become pregnant to reduce the risk of premature births and some birth defects. A common effect of a folate deficiency is anemia, which can be associated with fatigue, muscle weakness, or dizziness. One concern associated with folate deficiency is that it may actually mask a vitamin B-12 deficiency, so it is important that your healthcare provider be monitoring both of these levels. Our bariatric vitamins deliver 800 mcg per day, which is the level that most bariatric professionals agree is appropriate to ensure proper health while not interfering with vitamin B-12.
Fortified breakfast cereal, soy flour, chickpeas, pinto beans, spinach, lima beans, papaya, avocado, wheat germ, asparagus, orange juice, whole wheat flour, peas, white rice, dry roasted peanuts, wheat flour, broccoli, crunchy peanut butter, banana.
The most abundant mineral in the human body, calcium is critical to your overall health. Known primarily for its purpose in ensuring healthy bones and teeth, it is also needed for muscle contraction, the secretion of hormones and enzymes, and for sending messages throughout the nervous system. Calcium is also known to help facilitate weight loss. Early symptoms of deficiency can include muscle cramps, facial spasms and brittle nails. Long-term effects include brittle bone disease or osteoporosis. After bariatric surgery, calcium citrate is the form of calcium most widely recommended and calcium supplementation is important regardless of the type of surgery that you have had. There are other forms of calcium that are also acceptable such as calcium lactate-gluconate but calcium carbonate is NOT recommended. When selecting a supplement, you need to be sure that it contains adequate levels of vitamin D to increase absorption. Magnesium is also recommended both for its benefit to bone health but also to help reduce the risk of constipation. Celebrate's Bariatric Supplements provide the most complete bone health formula available in a bariatric supplement. A daily dosage of our Calcium PLUS 500 contains 1500 mg of calcium citrate, 1000 IU of vitamin D and more.
Milk, yogurt, cheese.
The most important function of iron is to carry oxygen in red blood cells to muscles. It is also essential to the production of energy. Iron deficiencies are common among patients that have undergone a malabsorbtive surgical procedure but can be a potential risk associated with any bariatric surgery. Symptoms associated with iron deficiency include fatigue, lowered immunity, restless leg syndrome and pica. Pica is a condition in which a person has a desire to eat chalk, ice, dirt or other strange items. Iron deficiency can lead to anemia. When taking a separate iron supplement, it should contain vitamin C to increase acidity in the pouch. Celebrate's Bariatic Iron is available in 18 mg, 30 mg, 45 mg, and 60 mg daily doses and includes vitamin C to increase absorption. Speak with your bariatric dietitian or surgeon to determine what is most appropriate for you.
Beef, chicken, pork, turkey, some fish (cod, flounder, salmon, tuna), kidney beans, baked beans, spinach, white rice(enriched), whole wheat bread, apricots, lima beans, dates, spaghetti, bagel, peas, white bread, broccoli(raw).
A key mineral necessary for building healthy bones, manufacturing proteins, and regulating body temperature. Symptoms associated with deficiency include muscle cramps, muscle pain, constipation, and headaches. Insomnia, anxiety, hyperactivity, irritability and panic attacks may also be attributed to a magnesium deficiency. Much like calcium, the form of magnesium is also important. You should choose a supplement that contains high concentration of magnesium citrate, as it is more readily absorbed than other forms. Celebrate Bariatric Supplements provide the highest level of magnesium citrate available in a bariatric supplement. In most cases, magnesium is listed in multiple forms. If magnesium citrate is listed first, you can be sure that the magnesium is at least 51% citrate.
Halibut, almonds, cashews, soybeans, spinach, mixed nuts, shredded wheat cereal, oatmeal, baked potato, peanuts, peanut butter, wheat bran, black eyed peas, yogurt, bran flakes, baked beans, brown rice, avocado, kidney beans, pinto beans, banana, milk.
Sweetening Smart
How Celebrate Chooses Safe Alternatives for Your Health
In order to make a great tasting chewable or drink mix supplement, it is necessary to utilize some form of sweetener. Since many bariatric surgery patients react negatively to sugar (and since it has higher calories associated with it) we try to minimize the use of sugar in our products. Celebrate® does use some artificial sweeteners but will NEVER use Aspartame or Acesulfame potassium (Ace-K) due to the low rating by these products by the CSPI (Center for Science in the Public Interest). These sweeteners are used by several of our competitors.