I began taking a chewable multi-vitamin a few weeks prior to my surgery in 2004, and here it is, 2013 and I still persist in taking the same brand of chewable vitamin. Why you my ask? My answer is simple - “If it’s not broke, don’t fix it”. My labs are always good, I do not suffer from any vitamin deficiency, I feel great and at 64 years old am happy and active and living and loving my life. What does all that have to do with vitamin and mineral supplementation? I couldn’t swear to it under oath, but I know that my feeling good has everything to do with my eating healthy, getting regular exercise AND taking the right amount of the right vitamins and supplements daily. My body stays healthy and in balance as does my head.
Prove it? I probably can’t empirically. However here is a little slice of life story. For the past week or two I have been feeling sluggish and out of sorts, cranky, achy and just “not right”. Nothing had changed for me - no diet changes, no added stressors, nothing out of the ordinary. Wait, I had just purchased, and began taking, a new bottle of a generic sublingual B-12, B6 folic acid. Could that be it? Could there be a potential problem with the quality of the product? Or, could my body just be asking for more?
I’ll never know, but what I do know is that when I switched to one of the bariatric brands of sublingual B12, B6 folic acid tablets AND added an extra B complex that had “added nutrients, adrenal support for heightened stress and energizing superfoods and herbs (nothing that contained caffeine in any form) in about 3 days I began feeling normal again with soaring energy levels and definite mood improvements. So there’s some life experience with me and B vitamins.
Here’s another one, way back in 2004 when I started this incredible journey I had been losing weight week after week for about 3 months after surgery when suddenly, one week I showed no loss and my food and water intake had been consistently under 1200 calories and over 64 ounces respectively. I spoke with the bariatric nurse who referred me to speak with another patient. She in turn asked if I had been taking calcium supplements. I had not. All I was taking was my multi-vitamin and being compliant about those was tough enough but I was doing it. It was suggested that I start taking calcium. I tried, I did it, and low and behold, 5 days later I dropped not one, not two, but 7 pounds. Was it the calcium? Who’s to say yes or no?
ASMBS (the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgeons) makes the following recommendation in their guidelines:
“It is important for the bariatric patient to take vitamin and mineral supplements, not only to prevent adverse health conditions that can arise after surgery, but because some nutrients such as calcium can enhance weight loss and help prevent weight regain….. With all procedures, higher maintenance doses may be required for those with a history of deficiency.”
So that’s why your surgeon probably told you to take your vitamins, his/her professional organization recommends that you do….
The following is a chart provided by our friends at WELLESSE showing ASMBS recommendations by weight loss surgery type (and which of their products fits the bill) :
You can view the ASMBS Recommendations and the chart on the Wellesse site here.
You can use these guidelines and have a look at what you are currently taking vs. what is recommended and make your own decisions from that point. If you are in doubt or have any questions please contact your doctor as we do not make any claims to having any medical knowledge.
The advantage of liquid vitamins as well as those other chewable vitamins that have been designed for use by bariatric patients? It is ease of compliance. Personally I “drink” my calcium/magnesium/D3 supplement each evening after dinner. It is pleasant tasting and the combo of calcium and magnesium has been shown to have some calming effects. Perfect for winding down after a long day for me. If you require an iron supplement the biggest benefit of taking one designed for a bariatric patient is that they will not upset your stomach nor cause constipation issues as many of the iron supplements found on your pharmacy shelf do. What sold me in the first place was the bioavailability of the liquid and the chewable bariatric supplements. My body can absorb them easily and utilize them as intended. Many of the “store” brands are not in formulations that make it easy for our bodies to absorb and use efficiently. If I am going to spend money on them, spend the time taking them, and tolerate their “pleasant” tastes (some are better than others- all are within my tolerance levels) I sure better be able to utilize them, or what’s the point?
In addition to the products made by the folks at WELLESSE which are available on line through our Amazon Store we are now offering you the products by Bariatric Fusion.
Purchasing either brand helps support, not only YOUR health, but also the health of Banded Living by covering some of our basic operating costs. If they were not good products -- you would NOT find them on this site. That much I can assure you. I offer NOTHING that I would not, or do not, use myself.
Do your body and your mind a favor, take your vitamins!