Another study proclaiming the importance of thiamine (vitamin B1) states that a deficiency in vitamin B1 could be very serious complication after a surgery to treat obesity. This is based on a study published in Neurology, the scientific journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
The study further elucidates that if untreated, vitamin B1 deficiency can lead to Wernicke’s encephalopathy, a severe neurological condition.Women undergoing obesity surgery were studied. The sample was of a 35-year-old woman who developed many difficulties after gastric bypass surgery. The various complications were nausea, anorexia, fatigue, hearing loss, forgetfulness, and ataxia, or an inability to coordinate muscle movements. There was tremendous weight loss.
Heidi Schwarz, MD had these comments to make, “This case highlights the variability of Wernicke encephalopathy where the classic trio of eye movement abnormalities, confusion, and ataxia are seen in less than 20 percent of patients. It is unusual because the patient also had hearing loss."
Highlighting the relation and importance of vitamin B1 is Raul N. Mandler, MD, a Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology and neurologist at The George Washington University in Washington, D.C, "The neurological complications following gastric bypass surgery are diverse. Vitamin B1 deficiency and Wernicke encephalopathy should be carefully considered in surgically treated obese patients."
Therefore it is very important to take thiamine in order to effectively sail through the surgery.
