Any studies or observations of level of ketosis for a gastric bypass patient?

#1

I was told buy a gastric bypass counselor that they don’t know the mechanism behind the extreme weight loss, that it is unknown, but that it just works.

I am speculating that gastic bypass surgery is just a forced state of ketosis. I got counseling for gastric bypass surgery (never went through with it) and I’ve seen what they eat the first few months after the surgery. It’s just those protein shakes you can buy from walmart. They are low carb. They eat a low fat, low carb, moderate protein liquid diet. Then those who have part of instestine removed, not all of the protein consumed is absorbed I imagine. So basically it’s like fasting with a minimal amount of protein. They are feeding off the bodies adipose tissue and excess protein from skin, etc…

So tell me why doctors advocate against intermittent fasting and ketogenic diet? They are all for very invasive surgery which is known to have complications and often not a lifetime solution… because the stomachs get bigger and people resume eating large amounts of refined carbs.

Why are they for surgically enforced fasting and not for something not so extreme as just eating less often or eating to one’s carbohydrate tolerance?

I’m sure it’s the same thing. A state of ketosis… one being less risky than the other.

(Full Metal KETO AF) #2

My doctors aren’t against KETO or IF. If that were the case I’d be looking for a doctor who I can work with. All my doctors love the KETO IF results I have had.

And besides you might answer your question by following the $$$$$ What does the medical profession stand to make if you lose weight and get healthy through a healthy diet and lifestyle? How much do they make off of bariatric surgery, diet management, post surgical care, pharmaceuticals…? :cowboy_hat_face:

#3

That’s all true, thank you. Yeah not all doctors are against it, just most seem to be. One doc a few years ago told me mom she was going to kill herself with the low carb fad diet. It pissed me off so much because I had spent weeks with her helping her on the diet, which she was doing very well at.

But I am still curious if anyone has taken a BHB meter to someone the weeks after gastric bypass surgery. I wonder what sort of level of ketosis they are in. > 3.0 BHB?

(Jack Bennett) #4

Another interesting factor is that the symptoms of diabetes and metabolic syndrome are reported to reverse prior to any fat loss. Could it be fasting and enforced food restriction? I suspect that’s a large part of the effect.

(Full Metal KETO AF) #5

@Daisy might be able to help you. :cowboy_hat_face:

#6

I don’t know of any studies, sorry.

I have a sleeve and I suspect you are right about ketosis - in the early stages anyway. Interestingly, my migraines almost went away completely for a good few months after I had my surgery. With hindsight and seeing the impact of keto on migraines, I think it might have been ketosis that helped. I don’t know though because I wasn’t following keto at the time or testing.

As you know, you can get into ketosis a number of ways and extreme calorie restriction is one if them.

Some surgeons are moving closer towards a keto diet post op but not all. I suspect this is more the case with bypass because of the whole dumping situation which can happen when you eat too much fat as well as too much sugar.

I have heard people calling surgery enforced fasting but it isn’t, it’s enforced calorie restriction and, in the case of bypass and DS, malabsorption on top of that. It isn’t enforced fasting and actually I would argue it is almost the opposite as most people are told to eat little and often.

There is no good reason why doctors don’t support fasting and keto other than they don’t understand either very well. Surgery is more clear cut in their minds and so more easy to recommend. One could also argue there is more money in it. Not all doctors are the same though and more and more ARE supporting lifestyle changes as a first course of treatment.

(Heather Meyer) #7

I got the sleeve done in Mexico and ALL of the Drs there advocated patients to be on a high protein, low carb diet pre and post op…even after healing.

However, most of the Drs i have come across in my part of Canada, have taken on a “plant based” view of health. BUT… our province is very health conscious and we have one of the lowest rates of obesity out of all of Canada. There are more vegans and vegetarian types as well as the typical whey protein chugging types. People consume a lot of salads with rice and quinoa and we eat lots of potatoes and yams in our province(not as much as Quebec).

(Heather Meyer) #8

I would agree with Daisy that i believe the majority of weight lost is due to severe caloric restriction. I had complications with my surgery and could not follow the protein only method. I was stuck living on mashed potatoes and baked beans and yogurt. I still lost just as much weight as others who had the surgery done the same time as me. But when i counted up how many calories i was eating, it fell way below 700 calories every day. So i think its the severe caloric restriction thats causing the weight loss. Also, the bigger you are, the more quickly you lose. So the amount of weight lost seems extreme but not really, when you think of how much the person has to lose to be in a healthy range.