How Gastric Bypass Helps Cure Depression and Anxiety

Gastric bypass surgery offers patients a means of managing their weight loss. The surgery is also believed to have some connection to a decrease in depression and anxiety. During gastric bypass, the stomach is made smaller through surgery, and a portion of the system is avoided taking food directly to the lower intestine. This means that the body can hold less food to start with, creating a smaller appetite for the patient. It also means that the patient will absorb fewer calories from the food and fewer nutrients. This allows the patient to lower their body weight dramatically and fairly rapidly.

Depression Case Study

In a study in July of 2007, a group of 13 female patients with an average median age of 47 years was scheduled for gastric bypass surgery. When recruited for the study, the patient’s body mass index, blood markers of inflammation, and self-reported measurements of depression and quality of life were taken into account. The patients underwent surgery and were then interviewed again for the same information, with a difference in results one year later.

The significant reduction in instances of depression and anxiety seemed to correlate with a decrease in C-reactive protein (CRP). This indicates that there is a necessary correlation between weight loss and the reduction in CRP that creates a drop in depression. Where there was a decrease in inflammation among patients, there also seemed to be a decline in the depression and anxiety reported by patients. This shows scientific reasoning for the connection between gastric bypass surgery and reducing depression and anxiety in patients.

Life After Gastric Bypass

Since the gastric bypass surgery pushes food past the stomach quickly, allowing for less absorption of nutrients and calories, the reduction will likely have a direct effect on the body, including a reduction in CRP. This reduction in CRP can affect how the body handles stresses and can alter depression and anxiety. This could ultimately change how a patient makes lifestyle decisions going forward and help them stay on a healthy weight path. Patients should be assessed before surgery, and follow-up should be accomplished months after surgery to evaluate the state of their depression and anxiety.

Overall Health Benefits

Another major contributing factor to decreased depression and anxiety is the quality of life after gastric bypass surgery.  This could be an added reason for the improvement in patients concerning anxiety and depression. These findings are an important part of monitoring patients that undergo surgery. It may be useful to keep track of the patient’s CRP and IL-6 levels to understand how the patients are improving. This could also change how patients are counseled before and after surgical procedures.