Question:
If nutrients aren't absorbed by the body following WLS, why are vitamins?

I realize that post-WLS people have to take vitamin and other supplements because the body doesn't absorb them through food any longer. If the body doesn't absorb the nutrients through eating food, why is it that these nutrients would be absorbed in pill form? Am I making any sense?    — Linda W. (posted on November 27, 2001)

November 27, 2001
I have ask the same thing things that make u go hummmm
   — Jackie P.

November 27, 2001
I think the body still absorbs minerals and vitamins with the RNY, however, because we eat so little in quantity the amount absorbed is less, hence supplementing with a vitamin, iron, etc. Take Care.
   — Karen Renee

November 27, 2001
Because a lot of the nutrients that were previously absorbed, were absorbed in the part of the intestine that is now bypassed in the RNY patient. For example, meat needs to be broken down into amino acids in order to be absorbed. Pre-surgery, the hydrochloric acid in your stomach helped to facilitate this process. Post surgery, you will have no acids until that meat hits the tail of the Y (where your bypassed intestine meets the newly connected intestine. This is why a lot of people take the predigested protein supps (they are already in broken down amino acid form and therefore absorbed much easier. As for vitamins, get a book on nutrition and physiology. Parts will be kind of medical/technical, but you'll begin to see how things are working in there! Good luck and God Bless!
   — Kimberly L.

November 27, 2001
Sorry, I read your question again and I really didn't answer it did I? Using the same principles as above, and assuming that once your vitamins hit the stem of the Y and begin to be absorbed ... you are still absorbing the nutrients in the food but because it is harder to digest (due to some of the digestion principles stated in my previous answer) you're not getting as many nutrients. The body doesn't have to work as hard to absorb vitamins because they are in their pure form (meaning they don't need to be digested and broken down and pulled out of food like the nutrients in your food). Even so, the more distal you are, the more vitamins you may need. Because even these vitamins may not get absorbed due to the amount of time in the intestine.
   — Kimberly L.

November 27, 2001
Yeah, what Kimberly said. If you get a physiology book, it lists what has been "lost" with the rerouting of the food past the old stomach. Protein, iron, calcium, A, D, E, zinc, B12......., as well as some fats/oils and complex carbs. Simple carbs (sugars) are NEVER malabsorbed. Those things were formerly digested in the stomach for easy absorption in the jejunum (first 12-18"). The food no longer goes there, so it can't be broken down in the same way. We use pre-digested protein (chemically, not by an animal or person!), so it arrives into the intestine ready to be absorbed. NO "trying" or pouch stretching necessary. We supplement the other things only in the most absorbable forms available. Again, no digestion can occur until the food mingles with the gastric juices in the tail of your Y. So, some elements have to be as nearly digested as possible before they ever leave the pouch. SOME foods can be absorbed, however, as their point of absorption was much lower in the intestine, anyway. Potentially you can find a book with this little map in there, too. Basically, the certain elements that we supplement are in a concentrated, pre-digested form.
   — vitalady