An increased number of studies link bariatric surgery to bone loss

Nov 3, 2012 11:14 GMT  ·  By

A new study published in the Journal Obesity Reviews argues that bariatric surgery can lead to a decrease in bone density, especially in the case of young people whose bone structures have not yet fully matured.

According to endocrinologists working with the Garvan Institute of Medical Research, these findings do not change the fact that, for the time being, bariatric surgery is one of the most efficient methods of dealing with obesity.

“Even though we don’t yet understand all the mechanisms, we can see that the more radical the procedure, the greater the bone loss long-term,” Dr. Brzozowska wished to emphasize.

The specialists who looked into this issue believe that the loss of bone mass comes as a result of the fact that fewer vital nutrients are absorbed by the organism.

As well as this, it is believed that a rapid weight loss toys with the body's hormonal balance, and this in turn negatively impacts on the bones.