Alcohol and Gastric Bypass Surgery

ALCOHOL & GASTRIC BYPASS: A PROBLEMATIC COCKTAIL
According to recent statistics, more than 100,000 obese individuals underwent gastric bypass surgery or another form of bariatric procedure within the past year. Statistics claim that approximately 75% of the people who have this type of weight reduction surgery will lose at least some weight as a result, with some dropping as much as 80% of their total pre-surgery bodyweight. When compared with traditional dieting methods, which often lead to a maximum weight loss of just 10%, bariatric surgery appears, statistically at least, to provide a much higher rate of success.

There are many issues involved with these types of procedures, though, including medical, nutritional, and appearance-related risks and concerns. One such issue concerns the use of alcohol and gastric bypass surgery. Is it okay for a person who has undergone bariatric surgery to consume alcoholic beverages? If so, which ones are permissible and how much can safely be consumes. What are the possible side effects stemming from gastric bypass alcohol related issues? The truth may surprise you.

According to a recent study in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, those who have undergone gastric bypass procedure require less alcohol intake to become inebriated than those who have not had the surgery. In the study, two different groups were observed after consuming an alcoholic drink containing 20% alcohol. One group consisted of those who had undergone gastric bypass, while the other served as a control group. Researches found that not only did the blood alcohol levels of bariatric patients go higher, but they also spiked much quicker than those who had not had the surgery, meaning they would become intoxicated faster and with less alcohol than their non-surgical counterparts.

Why is this so? Since gastric bypass eliminates part of the gut, consumed alcohol passes unrestricted from the stomach pouch into the jejunum, or the middle of the three sections into which the small intestine is usually divided. The jejunum is quite large and tends to absorb the alcohol quite quickly. Another possible reason is that those who have a gastric bypass must reduce the number of calories they consume, and the emptier a person's stomach, the more rapidly they are expected to absorb alcohol.

There are also health risks involved with the consumption of alcohol shortly following bariatric surgery. For example, drinking an alcoholic beverage too quickly following the procedure could result in possible brain damage, because alcohol inhibits the production of certain fuels the brain requires in order to function properly. Disorientation or confusion may occur, and if alcohol use persists, the patient could even fall into a coma or die. Further, it can cause vomiting and malnutrition, as alcohol can also upset the stomach and prevent proper absorption of vitamins and minerals. Alcohol can even slow weight loss, in turn preventing the very thing the surgery was designed to encourage. On the whole, alcohol should be avoided by those who undergo gastric bypass surgery, or at the very least imbibed in miniscule quantities to prevent potential health risks.