Metabolic surgery, also called weight-loss or bariatric surgery, is a medical procedure that helps people lose weight.
Many people with diabetes are choosing this surgery because it often helps control their blood sugar. In fact, studies show that 60 to 80 percent of people who have this surgery may see their diabetes go into remission.
That means their blood sugar goes back to normal levels, and they no longer show signs of the disease.
But researchers were unsure whether this surgery could still help protect the heart in people whose diabetes did not fully go away or came back later. Now, a new study gives us hopeful news.
In 2023, scientists shared results at the annual meeting of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS).
They found that people with diabetes who had metabolic surgery were generally healthier and lived longer than those who did not have the surgery. Most importantly, they were less likely to have serious heart problems like heart attacks or strokes.
The surgery cut the risk of dying from a heart attack by more than 27 percent, and the risk of dying from a stroke by almost 27 percent. Even for people who still had heart problems, the surgery helped them survive more often.
Dr. Jonathan Jenkins, one of the researchers, explained that the surgery seems to help the heart by improving blood sugar levels. Even if someone doesn’t completely get rid of their diabetes, their blood sugar may be easier to control after the surgery, which helps lower the risk of heart issues.
The researchers looked at medical records from 2016 to 2019. They compared two groups of people with diabetes. One group had 70,083 people who had metabolic surgery. The second group had 348,212 people who didn’t have the surgery.
Both groups were similar in age, gender, race, income, and how serious their diabetes was. This made it easier to see the effects of the surgery alone.
The people who had the surgery also spent less time in the hospital and saved money on medical care. On average, they saved between $1,000 and $4,000. They were less likely to need other surgeries, such as heart bypasses or amputations. And even when they did need those surgeries, they had better results than those who didn’t have metabolic surgery.
Dr. Teresa LaMasters, the president of ASMBS, said this study shows that the surgery can still help even if it doesn’t cure diabetes. It helps protect the heart and prevent serious complications. That’s very important because people with diabetes have a higher risk of heart disease, which can shorten their lives.
However, even though the benefits are clear, only about 1% of people who qualify for weight-loss surgery get it each year. The number was even lower in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Obesity, which is closely linked to diabetes, is a growing problem. According to the CDC, more than 42% of Americans are obese. Obesity weakens the body and increases the chances of getting diseases like diabetes, heart problems, and certain cancers. It also makes it more likely that someone will get very sick from infections like COVID-19.
In conclusion, metabolic surgery could be a powerful tool for people who are dealing with both obesity and diabetes. It doesn’t just help with weight and blood sugar—it also protects the heart and can help people live longer. As more people learn about these benefits, the number of surgeries may grow, helping many people live healthier lives.
If you care about diabetes, please read studies about the cooking connection between potatoes and diabetes, and low calorie diets may help reverse type 2 diabetes.
For more health information, please see recent studies about protein power: a new ally in diabetes management, and pineapple and diabetes: A sweet surprise.
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