Numerous companies market vitamins to gastric bypass patients, including chewable multivitamins. Not all of these vitamins are created equal, though, and some are not really suitable for gastric bypass patients at all. But how can you tell the difference? Well, the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) has issued specific guidelines for bariatric surgery patients when it comes to vitamins. Let’s see how some popular brands measure up.
Celebrate Vitamins
Celebrate Vitamins markets a fairly comprehensive line of vitamins to bariatric surgery patients. The label on the multivitamins advises patients to take two per day, which gives them 200 percent of the RDA of most nutrients as recommended by the ASMBS. You can select one with iron or one without iron, whichever you prefer or meets your needs best. One negative about Celebrate chewable multivitamins is that while they have 200 percent of the RDA of vitamin A, half of that comes from beta carotene, which is not absorbed well in gastric bypass patients due to decreased production of stomach acid. There are also a couple things missing from Celebrate chewable multivitamins, including potassium and phosphorus.
Bariatric Advantage
Bariatric Advantage also markets a fairly comprehensive line of vitamins to bariatric surgery patients. The label on the multivitamins advises patients to take two per day, which gives them 200 percent of the RDA of most nutrients as recommended by the ASMBS. However, two chewable tablets contain only 150 percent of the RDA of vitamin A and these vitamins are missing a few key nutrients, including vitamin K and potassium.
Opurity
Opurity multivitamins are unique among multivitamins marketed to gastric bypass patients because the label states that patients need take only one chewable tablet a day. Gastric bypass patients generally take so many nutritional supplements daily that the idea of only needing one multivitamin daily is met with enthusiasm. However, it’s only possible to absorb certain amounts of some vitamins at a time, which is why patients are typically advised to take two multivitamins daily, at different times. In addition, Opurity is missing several important nutrients including vitamin K, phosphorus, potassium, iodine and molybdenum. Opurity is also low on vitamin A and half its vitamin A comes from beta carotene, which is not absorbed well in gastric bypass patients. Opurity does not stack up well next to brands like Celebrate and Bariatric Advantage.
Optisource
The manufacture of Optisource claims that gastric bypass patients only need to take four chewable tablets of this vitamin each day to meet all of their nutritional supplement needs. However, patients need to take eight tablets a day in order to get the 200 percent of the RDA of most nutrients as recommended by the ASMBS. Optisource also contains a form of calcium, calcium carbonate, which gastric bypass patients cannot absorb due to decreased stomach acid. Furthermore, gastric bypass patients have little intrinsic factor in their pouches so they need a sublingual B12 supplement, not a chewable supplement like Optisource. The bottom line is, Optisource does not come close to meeting the needs of gastric bypass patients.
Bariatric Fusion
As with Optisource, the manufacturer of Bariatric Fusion claims that gastric bypass patients only need to take four chewable tablets each day. However, patients need to take eight tablets a day in order to get the 200 percent of the RDA of nutrients as recommended by the ASMBS. Bariatric Fusion does contain some calcium citrate, which gastric bypass patients can absorb, but not enough to meet their daily needs. Bariatric Fusion also contains some calcium carbonate, which will not be absorbed. Bariatric Fusion, when taken as directed on the label, doesn’t come close to meeting the needs of gastric bypass patients.
Sources:
Bariatric Nutrition. http://nutrition.otago.ac.nz/__data/assets/file/0005/4784/BariatricNutritionReading.pdf. Suggestions for the Surgical Weight Loss Patient.
Celebrate Vitamins. https://www.celebratevitamins.com/shop/multivitamin/multivitamin-chewables.html. Multivitamin Chewable.
Bariatric Advantage. https://www1.bariatricadvantage.com/catalog/matrix/1/Multivitamins. Multivitamins.
Unjury. http://www.unjury.com/store/protein/opurity-vitamins/bariatric-vitamins/opurity-bypass-optimized-multi-vitamin.html. Opurity Bypass-Optimized Multi-Chewable.
Weight Loss Surgery Vitagarten. http://wlsvitagarten.com/2010/12/26/opurity/. Opurity.
Nestle Health Science. http://www.nestlenutritionstore.com/departments/weight-management-nutrition/post-bariatric-surgery-nutrition/optisource-vitamin-mineral-supplement. Optisource Chewable Vitamin and Mineral Supplement.
Bariatric Fusion. http://www.bariatricfusion.com/supplement.php. Complete Chewable Vitamin and Mineral Supplement.