How Bariatric Surgery Can Improve Type 2 Diabetes

Every year millions of people die from complications of diabetes. It is one of the top 10 leading causes of death in the country. 

Bariatric surgery, such as inserting a gastric band, has proven effective in the improvement or remission of the disease. 

Diabetes Types 

There are two types of diabetes: type 1 diabetes, where the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin; and type 2 diabetes, where the body still has insulin but doesn’t use it as it should. In both cases, the flow of insulin is disrupted by the disease and blood sugar increases. Medication, diet and exercise can help treat moderate diabetes cases. Insulin injections are usually required for more severe cases. 

Obesity Link to Type 2

About 90 percent of diabetes patients have type 2. Type 2 diabetes is a chronic and progressive disease that gets worse over time. Kidney failure, stroke, heart disease, limb amputations and blindness are just some of the complications caused by the disease. 

Obesity is a significant risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes, and 85 percent of people with diabetes are overweight. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the rate of obesity in the U.S. has risen over the years, along with the number of diabetes cases. 

Although shedding pounds through diet and exercise can help, for severely obese patients, bariatric surgery can offer more long-term results. 

The American Diabetes Association recommends bariatric surgery for people with type 2 diabetes under the following conditions:

• If the patient’s diabetes is controlled on medications and their BMI is less than 40 kg/m2.
• For patients who aren’t taking diabetic medications and have a BMI between 35-39.9.
• For patients who aren’t on diabetic medications, have a BMI between 30 and 35 and have other major cardiovascular disease risk factors.

Types of Weight Loss Surgery

There are three main types of bariatric surgeries:

• Sleeve Gastrectomy: This involves removing about 80% of the stomach. 
• Gastric Band: This procedure involves placing a band around your stomach to limit the amount of food it can hold. 
• Gastric Bypass: This surgery limits the stomach’s capacity by cutting and rerouting the small intestines and digestive tract. 

After Surgery Improvements 

Weight loss from bariatric surgery usually happens much quicker than with traditional diet and exercise. Patients who have undergone surgery also see an improvement in their blood sugars. They have less of a need for diabetic medications or medically managed insulin. They can continue in this improved state as long as they maintain the average body weight. 

Weight loss from surgery can also help decrease a patient’s likelihood of developing diabetes for those who don’t already have the disease. 

Almost 90 percent of type 2 diabetes patients will experience improvements after the surgery. About 45-60 percent of patients see a remission of their diabetes after gastric band surgery.

Before considering any type of surgery, talk to a medical professional who can discuss the pros and cons of different weight-loss surgeries and recommend what may be best for you.