Mixed
Bariatric surgery induces significant lean body mass (LBM), fat-free mass (FFM), and skeletal muscle mass (SMM) loss, with approximately 55% of LBM loss occurring within the first 3 months post-surgery.
If you undergo bariatric surgery, expect to lose about 8 kg of lean body mass within the first year, with more than half of that loss happening in the first 3 months. This is not just fat loss; it includes muscle. To protect your metabolism and function, you must prioritize protein intake and resistance training immediately after surgery, not just focus on calorie restriction.
At 12-month postsurgery, pooled LBM loss was -8.13 kg... About 55% of 12-month LBM loss occurred within 3-month postsurgery, followed by a more gradual decrease up to 12 months.
Why this rating
Systematic review and meta-analysis of 59 studies.
Source
The magnitude and progress of lean body mass, fat‐free mass, and skeletal muscle mass loss following bariatric surgery: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Malou A. H. Nuijten et al. · Obesity Reviews · 2021
DOI 10.1111/obr.13370
Related findings · Mixed
- Bariatric surgery (VSG and RYGB) is the most effective and sustainable treatment for obesity, producing marked and sustained weight loss that non-surgical interventions cannot match.Strong
- Severely protein-deficient diets (2–3% energy) induce lean body mass loss and metabolic imbalance, whereas adequate protein intake (0.66 g/kg/d minimum) is a prerequisite for maintaining muscle, bone, and physiological function.Strong
- For patients with Class III obesity (BMI >39.9 kg/m2), metabolic bariatric surgery (MBS) is significantly more effective than any currently approved medication, with BilioPancreatic Diversion (BPD) showing the highest estimated weight loss.Strong
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