Gastric bypass helps patients lose weight because it (literally) shrinks the stomach. But according to recent research, the surgery can also transform gut microbes, put type 2 diabetes into remission and even rewire your brain.
The procedure is a popular option because it can help people shed pounds and keep them off. Depending on the type of surgery, gastric bypass turns the stomach into a small pouch and shuttles food past part of the small intestine, reducing how much you can consume and the amount of fat, calories and nutrients you absorb.
The surgery therefore helps people eat less and still feel full, a challenge with many weight-loss diets. If someone had to manage the same portions of food without gastric bypass, they would likely get ravenously hungry, overeat and gain the weight back, said Rinki Murphy, a specialist diabetes physician at the University of Auckland New Zealand, in an email.
