A new study, published in the journal JBMR Plus suggested that weight loss surgery not only can result in the decline in bone mass and strength but also increase the risk of fractures.
According to the study, skeletal changes start happening in the patient as soon as he or she undergoes the surgery. Moreover, the changes continue to happen even after the weight stabilizes.
"Current clinical guidelines do address bone health, but most recommendations are based on low-quality evidence or expert opinion," said Anne Schafer from the University of California, San Francisco in the US, according to Press Trust of India
The poor bone health may arise due to nutritional factors, mechanical unloading, and hormonal factors. Changes in body composition and bone marrow fat can also trigger poor bone health.
Thought most of the studies have examined the effects of the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass procedure, researchers are not very sure about side effects of newer procedure like sleeve gastrectomy.
While Roux-en-Y gastric bypass is a procedure where the stomach is divided into a small upper pouch and a larger lower pouch and then the small intestine is rearranged to connect to both, sleeve gastrectomy is done by removing part of the stomach, in turn, restricting the amount of food one can eat.
"Future studies should address strategies to avoid long-term skeletal consequences of these otherwise beneficial procedures," Schafer added, as reported.
