Can Probiotics Benefit Weight Loss Surgery Patients?

 

Are you familiar with probiotics? These humble little bacteria may offer an impressive array of health benefits, especially for digestion. But if you’re considering or have already undergone weight loss surgery, you may find that these supplements provide a host of other valuable attributes!

In a study conducted at Stanford University School of Medicine, the results of this probiotics study were published in the Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery. The findings showed that probiotics offered relief for vitamin B12 deficiency, a common gastric bypass side effect.

Vitamin B12 is an essential nutrient shown to ensure healthy metabolism, proper formation of red blood cells, and the well-being of the central nervous system. Probiotics are a beneficial strain of bacteria found in yogurt and other cultured milk products, as well as miso, some juices and soy beverages, and nutritional supplements. Research illustrates that these nutrients may impart benefits for digestive health.

The study’s subjects included 44 individuals who had undergone some type of weight-loss surgery. It was shown that those subjects who consumed a probiotic supplement everyday for three months following their procedure demonstrated higher levels of vitamin B12 than that of the control group.

It was also shown that these men and women experienced almost a 48% weight loss compared with the 38.5% weight loss for those who consumed a placebo.

SOURCE: http://www.personalliberty.com