Dr. Stephen Boyce shares his expertise and findings from his bariatric practice, The New Life Center for Bariatric Surgery, “My clinical experience tells me that patients who are deficient in thiamine are the patients who experience the worst nausea and vomiting after surgery. In my practice, as a precautionary measure, I prescribe an additional supplement of 100mg of thiamine daily for one month after surgery to all of my patients.”
Vitamin B-1 is an essential nutrient and is one of the B complex vitamins that is water soluble. Thiamine helps to convert carbohydrates into glucose, which is used to produce energy. It helps to metabolize protein and fats as well as support the nervous system and promote good brain health. It is sometimes referred to as an “anti-stress” vitamin because it is thought to strengthen the immune system and improve the body’s ability to handle stressful conditions.
Dietary sources include, beef, brewer’s yeast, nuts, milk, legumes, pork, rice, seeds oranges, wheat and whole grain cereals.
Dr. Boyce explains the importance of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery thiamine recommendations and why patients sometimes need more thiamine than the recommendations: "The ASMBS recommends 3mg daily for weight loss surgery patients. What patients must understand is that these recommendations are to prevent deficiencies and may not be enough if the patient is already deficient. There are no reported adverse effects from consuming excess thiamine from food and supplements. Most of my colleagues agree that adding a B-1 supplement as a standard protocol after surgery is in the best interest of the patient. Once the patient’s thiamine levels are normal then we recommend at least 3mg daily for maintenance.”
Very little B-1 is stored in the body and deficiencies can develop quickly in the bariatric patient. Thiamine deficiency is quite common in gastric bypass patients due to impaired absorption and decreased acidification of food. Symptoms of deficiency include fatigue, irritability, depression and abdominal discomfort. It can cause problems with digesting carbohydrates which allows a substance called pyruvic acid to build up in the blood causing a loss in mental alertness, difficulty in breathing and even heart damage. (A disease called Beriberi).
Bari Life Bariatric Supplements offers a 30 count (one month supply), 100mg tablet of B-1. Additionally, all of the Bari Life multivitamin formulas contain 6mg of B-1 for daily maintenance.
About Dr. Stephen G. Boyce:
Dr. Stephen Boyce obtained his Bachelor of Science and Masters of Science from Texas A&M University, College Station, before beginning medical school in Dallas, Texas at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School where he received his medical degree. Surgical Residency was performed at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas where he completed his general surgery training and was introduced to weight loss surgery under the tutelage of Dr. Otto Wilbanks, a pioneering father of weight loss surgical procedures.
With more than 24 years of experience performing bariatric surgeries, Dr. Boyce has completed over 4,000 weight loss surgical procedures, has special training in advanced laparoscopic surgery and has also completed a Masters Certification in Bariatric Surgery. He started his own practice the New Life Center forBariatric Surgery in Knoxville, Tennessee in 2002, which shortly after became one of the Nation's first Centers of Excellence (7th in the Nation) in 2005.
He is the Medical Director of the Tennova Center for Surgical Weight Loss in Knoxville, TN. His special interest in bariatric nutrition led him to develop Bari Life Bariatric Supplements, specializing in custom multivitamin formulas for the weight loss surgery patient. Additionally, he is an active educator for Ethicon-Endo Surgery and he was the first physician to be awarded by the Obesity Action Coalition (OAC), "Outstanding Membership Recruitment by a Physician Award.”
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