People have been searching for a Fountain of Youth for hundreds of years. For potions, miraculous springs, even a mystical challis that might bring health and long life. Who wouldn’t want to live longer, especially if you’re healthy and feeling good? But to date, nothing seems to garner a consistent, proven track record of increased life. Until you look at metabolic surgery.*
Yes surgery. Evidence abounds that metabolic, surgical weight loss does just that.
First consider the unfortunate list of medical conditions that go hand in hand with the disease of obesity and the toll they take on a person’s body:
· Diabetes
· High blood pressure
· High cholesterol
· Sleep apnea
· Increased risk of cancer
· Joint pain
Each of these is improved, prevented, or even put into remission with a 1 to 2 – hour surgery. Little wonder with this improvement comes better health, longevity, and a quality of life that’s impossible without losing the weight.
A Little Science
A Little Science
A recent study comparing weight loss in “metabolic and bariatric surgical patients” to the general, nonsurgical population confirmed a significant improvement in long-term survival in the surgical group. In the study of nearly 8000 patients, surgical patients had an increased life span from 8 to 14 years. In a number of other studies, quality of life is “significantly enhanced.”
To be clear, weight loss surgery isn’t for everyone. And certainly, surgery should never be entered into lightly. But put into the crucible of risk and benefit, the benefits generally far out way the risk. In properly prepared patients, metabolic surgery is truly lifesaving, life extending, and life invigorating.
* metabolic surgery “is the operative manipulation of normal organs, with the intent of effecting change in the body’s internal milieu to achieve health gain.” (FACS Bulletin, 2019)
By Rob Landerholm
MD, FACS
Board Certified General Surgeon, Bariatric & Advanced Minimally Invasive Surgery