Nutritional Deficiencies Related to Obesity Surgery

Morbidly obese patients often had nutritional deficiencies, particularly in fat-soluble vitamins, folic acid, and zinc, which worsened after bariatric surgery. Additional deficiencies could appear due to limited food intake in gastric reduction surgery and malabsorption in bypass procedures, leading to more severe deficiencies despite greater weight loss. Protein deficiency, anemia, and neurological disorders like Gayet-Wernicke encephalopathy and peripheral neuropathies were observed. Malabsorption of fat-soluble vitamins rarely caused symptoms but could lead to complications such as bone demineralization, hair loss, and hemeralopia. Careful nutritional follow-up, especially during pregnancy, was essential, and systematic micronutrient monitoring and case-by-case supplementation were necessary pre- and postoperatively.