By Andrea Pelin,
Project Weight Loss editor
February 19, 2008Vitamin deficiency after weight loss surgery may lead to memory loss, inability to coordinate movements, and confusion, according to a recent study. Most subjects suffered from Wernicke encephalopathy as a result of the surgery.
The Wernicke syndrome affects the nervous system because of the lack of vitamin B1 or thiamine. This syndrome may also cause vision problems like rapid eye movements. This affection is often associated with chronic malnutrition or severe alcoholism. In case of obese people, the syndrome may be caused by frequent vomiting.
The syndrome may occur within a period of up to three months after surgery, especially for patients who vomit frequently. However, cases of Wernicke syndrome have occurred as far as a year and half from surgery.
Some of the subjects who participated to the study had other neurological symptoms after the surgery. The subjects complained of deafness, muscle weakness, seizures, pain in the feet or hands, or psychosis and needed medical attention, according to lead author Dr. Sonal Singh from Wake Forest University School of Medicine in North Carolina.
Individuals with Wernicke syndrome are treated with vitamin B1 supplements. Although almost half of the subjects made a full recovery, the others still faced problems such as memory loss, movement coordination difficulties, or weakness.
It is still unclear whether the conditions after the surgery are more common to women. However, it is known that the Wernicke syndrome can appear after all kinds of bariatric surgery, including gastric bypass, lap-band surgery, and others.
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