Diet and lifestyle changes are paramount to managing type 2 diabetes, but it’s not always enough to stop diabetes from progressing or to ward off complications. Fortunately, bariatric surgery is shown to reverse type 2 diabetes and may be an option.
At Bergen Bariatric and Surgical Solutions in Westwood, New Jersey, bariatric surgeon Mikhail A. Botvinov, DO, MD, helps patients improve their health through life-changing bariatric surgery.
Dr. Botvinov performs several bariatric surgeries, all of which can result in successful weight loss.
If you have type 2 diabetes, bariatric surgery is the only treatment that completely reverses the condition in most people who undergo surgery.
Bariatric surgery can have a beneficial impact on type 2 diabetes even before weight loss begins.
Gastric bypass and duodenal switch surgeries, for example, cause a distinct change in your digestive system and how your body digests nutrients. Following gastric bypass surgery, the small intestine produces GLUT-1, a molecule that aids the body’s use of glucose.
GLUT-1 is not normally found in the adult small intestine; it begins to produce this molecule after certain bariatric procedures, possibly in response to food bypassing most of the stomach and upper small intestine.
Bariatric surgery produces such dramatic results that we are now considering bariatric surgery as a treatment for diabetes and obesity if your body mass index (BMI) falls below 30 rather than the previously recommended 40.
Roughly 90% of gastric bypass patients have significantly lower blood sugar levels and require less medication. Even more impressive, 78% of them are in remission, which means they have normal blood sugar levels and do not require medication.
Sleeve gastrectomy produces similar results without bypassing the stomach. Patients can still see changes in gut hormones by changing the size of their stomach alone, which can help treat diabetes.
Bariatric surgery can play an important role in controlling type 2 diabetes. However, lifestyle changes, such as eating well and exercising, are still important in preventing type 2 diabetes and other serious medical conditions.
Any bariatric surgery can help you lose a lot of weight by restricting how much you can eat, but that’s just the start. Dr. Botvinov also offers ongoing support to ensure that you make the necessary lifestyle changes throughout your weight loss journey.
To learn more about how bariatric surgery can help you combat type 2 diabetes, schedule your initial consultation by calling our Westwood, New Jersey, office or booking online today.
