I’m 14 months post surgery, reached goal weight, very happy and healthy. I’ve just had one year blood test follow up. Every test within normal range and naturally vastly improved results than pre surgery. I don’t take any vitamin supplements. Now here’s my question. How do we know we should take vitamins if at all? My nutritionist recommended to take a multi vitamin daily for the rest of my life but to be honest I just didn’t bother. Never a fan of supplements pre or post surgery and if results are good and diet good, why take them? Thoughts and feedback appreciated.

I think there is a lot of mixed research out there about whether vitamins help or not. One thing is for sure though....No vitamin will work as well as the vitamins you get from food. Food has the vitamins in the state that they were supposed to be in, and in the combinations that help you absorb the vitamins the easiest.

If your levels are good, and you are having them checked regularly.....You should be good.

One thing that I would caution about is that not all vitamins are tested for in your blood work. They might not test for Lutein, Folate or Manganese in the bloodwork, but depending on what you eat, you could still be deficient in each of these. You wouldn't know it until you start having symptoms.

Congratulations on Getting under goal!

Some people absorb vitamins, minerals and other nutrients more optimally than others. Simply put, I need my supplements because I don't absorb them well from food.

Due to hypothyroidism, I'm prone to multiple deficiencies (zinc, vitamins A, B12 and D, iron, etc).

I've been deficient in thiamine (vitamin B1) 1 year post-op and required an injection, so I supplement with a vitamin B complex in addition to whatever else I take.

I also had deficiencies in vitamins A and D prior to weight loss surgery, so I take those.

I'm black. Vitamin D deficiency runs rampant in the black community. Our people need triple the sun exposure time to produce enough vitamin D naturally due to darker skin pigmentation, so I'll supplement with it for life.

Blacks also have magnesium deficiency more often than those from other racial/ethnic backgrounds.

The moral of the story is that some of us need supplements to avoid nutritional deficiencies.

Edited October 4, 20178 yr by Introversion

I had vitamin deficiencies before surgery. Anemic, and prone to low vitamin D due to race as @Introversion mentioned.

I don't need a multi if I am eating normally but I am going to have to take Iron and Vitamin D forever. That is just how it is.

Most people don't seem to follow up a lot with their blood work so I would be really hesitant to suggest people skip vitamins, also post-op bariatric diets vary greatly from person to person.

If not taking vitamins work for you, keep it up. It isn't an option for me and I am not willing to risk the side effects at all, having experienced them. Never again.

It depends upon the surgery. For RNY gastric bypass patients and Duodenal Switch patients taking vitamin supplements is an absolute must.

Get the levels tested. Go for every 6 months, and then see what it is like after 3 years out.

Until this year, I always had Vit A, E, some of the B's tested. I have known issues, those are the ones I keep on top of, but ones that have stayed consistently well within the normal range I don't have checked. I have several other GI issues that require the bloodwork and sometimes infusions, along with others I have certain vitamin shots, etc.

Yes, it depends on your surgery. If you had the sleeve, you're just not eating as much. If you had the bypass or the switch, you're not eating as much AND you're not absorbing as much from your food, including vitamins. For most of us, vitamins are required for life. It may not show up this early, but I've read about horrible things happening down the road, like teeth falling out, bones getting brittle, hair loss, malnutrition. Do you really want to take that chance?

Thanks everyone for the feedback. Good discussion. I have a gastric sleeve so eat a good diet but not the volume. I appreciate some of you must take vitamins due to various factors but my point was more if I don’t have any negative results/low levels do I NEED to take multivitamins as I really don’t see the point. The only thing prescription wise I’ve been given is a vitamin D tablet monthly and zinc tablets as results showed low end of normal readings for that.

On 04/10/2017 at 9:53 PM, OutsideMatchInside said:

I had Vitamin deficiencies before surgery. Anemic, and prone to low vitamin D due to race as @Introversion mentioned.

I don't need a multi if I am eating normally but I am going to have to take Iron and Vitamin D forever. That is just how it is.

Most people don't seem to follow up a lot with their blood work so I would be really hesitant to suggest people skip Vitamins, also post-op bariatric diets vary greatly from person to person.

If not taking vitamins work for you, keep it up. It isn't an option for me and I am not willing to risk the side effects at all, having experienced them. Never again.

Black people have low vit d due to race? Is it because alot of black people dont want to get darker so avoid the sun lol or is there actually an issue absorbing vit d? I know i put my arm out when driving and feel ten shades darker lol so i do not stay in the sun long lol were as my friends who are white love the sun , luckily vit d is good for now

On 06/10/2017 at 1:34 AM, els said:

Thanks everyone for the feedback. Good discussion. I have a gastric sleeve so eat a good diet but not the volume. I appreciate some of you must take Vitamins due to various factors but my point was more if I don’t have any negative results/low levels do I NEED to take Multivitamins as I really don’t see the point. The only thing prescription wise I’ve been given is a Vitamin D tablet monthly and zinc tablets as results showed low end of normal readings for that.

It seems people are sayin your blood results may be fine but some things do not show up in usual blood work.. So .. How do you really know there are no issues if some things are not tested for? I am just curious?

I am not the best at remembering vits, but you may not see the point, but you are not super human. It is a standard recommendation not out of thin air, but from research on what has shown bariatric patients need. Issues may not show up from day one, does not mean they never will.

Hi my dietitian said that elevit for women is a good vitamin supplement to take it has everything in it. I cant take some of the vitamins they suggest the adverse affects arent nice lol , i also take a soft chew calcium and vitamin D yummy chocolate flavour ..

19 hours ago, dreamingsmall said:

Black people have low vit d due to race? Is it because alot of black people dont want to get darker so avoid the sun lol or is there actually an issue absorbing vit d? I know i put my arm out when driving and feel ten shades darker lol so i do not stay in the sun long lol were as my friends who are white love the sun , luckily vit d is good for now

http://jn.nutrition.org/content/136/4/1126.full

Quote

This is primarily due to the fact that pigmentation reduces vitamin D production in the skin.

It is because of the melanin in our skin. I spend all summer in the sun and I walk in the sun every day in the winter no matter what and I still had low vitamin D.

Quote

Furthermore, it is becoming increasingly apparent that vitamin D protects against other chronic conditions, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and some cancers, all of which are as prevalent or more prevalent among blacks than whites. Clinicians and educators should be encouraged to promote improved vitamin D status among blacks (and others) because of the low risk and low cost of vitamin D supplementation and its potentially broad health benefits.

29 minutes ago, OutsideMatchInside said:

http://jn.nutrition.org/content/136/4/1126.full

It is because of the melanin in our skin. I spend all summer in the sun and I walk in the sun every day in the winter no matter what and I still had low Vitamin D.

Thank you for the info , black people hiding from the sun wont help the already desposition situation, that is interesting, no offence but are you super dark? is it the darker you are the more likely to have vit d deficiancy? I think I am quite dark. but not super dark but never had an issue.

Hi my dietitian said that elevit for women is a good vitamin supplement to take it has everything in it. I cant take some of the vitamins they suggest the adverse affects arent nice lol , i also take a soft chew calcium and vitamin D yummy chocolate flavour ..

What’s the brand you take?