B-12 Deficiency: Are you at Risk?

After weight loss surgery your risk of Vitamin B-12 deficiency increases. A deficiency in Vitamin B12 can be permanently damaging. The good news is it’s easy to prevent! The ABC’s of Vitamin B12 can help you understand why there is a risk and how to prevent deficiency. A is for Absorption. After having gastric bypass or sleeve surgery, ABSORPTION of Vitamin B12 decreases greatly. Changes made to the stomach, during surgery, result in less stomach acid, and less Intrinsic Factor, both of which are essential for Vitamin B12 to be absorbed. This means you will absorb less of the B12 in your foods. B is for Best. The BEST form of B12 is methylcobalamin, which is the form your body uses. OPURITY Vitamin B-12 Plus Folic Acid uses methylcobalamin which is ready for your body to use, as it is. Many other brands use a cheaper kind of B-12 called cyanocobalamin (which has to be converted) C is for Common. A very COMMON vitamin deficiency after gastric bypass or sleeve surgery is Vitamin B12 deficiency. Care must be taken to not become deficient, even years out from surgery. D is for Deficiency. Symptoms of Vitamin B12 DEFICIENCY include:

• memory problems
• weakness
• fatigue
• unsteady balance & disorientation
• tingling/numbness in hands and feet

E is for Enough. You’ll have to take ENOUGH of a supplement to prevent deficiency, for the rest of your life, since you won’t be able to eat enough foods, or absorb enough from the foods that you do eat. How to Help Prevent Deficiency: The makers of UNJURY Protein have a solution to your potential vitamin B12 problem! OPURITY Vitamins. OPURITY Bypass/Sleeve Optimized Multivitamin chewables have 500 mcg of Vitamin B12 per dose. And, for extra security, to help ensure that you get adequate amounts of vitamin B12 and don’t become deficient, our great tasting OPURITY Vitamin B12 and Folic Acid sublingual (under the tongue) tablet contains 1000 mcg of vitamin B12 per dose.