When reading about the benefits of gastric sleeve surgery, there are always two benefits that get discussed more than others: the reduced size of the stomach and the lessened production of ghrelin. But if you aren’t an amino acid afficionado, you might not even know what ghrelin is or how it affects you. So, to help you better understand this benefit of Mexican gastric sleeve surgery, let’s dive into what you should know about ghrelin.
What Is Ghrelin?
Ever wondered what is the hunger hormone? Here’s your answer: ghrelin! When this amnio acid is released, the brain gets the signal that it’s time to eat. The brain then tells the body to start giving off hunger cues—growling tummy, cravings, and even increased saliva production.
How Ghrelin Impacts Weight Loss Efforts?
When you try to lose weight through diet and exercise alone, your efforts are often sabotaged by the hunger hormone.
If you eat when you feel hungry, your ghrelin levels should be at their highest as you start eating. They then decrease in proportion to the calories you take in.
Those who overeat can cause their ghrelin levels to drop lower than the average person’s, which can trigger the brain to associate overeating with a feeling of greater satiation.
That alone can sabotage efforts to eat less. However, ghrelin levels also increase whenever you start to restrict your caloric intake. In other words, when you diet, the hunger hormone goes a little crazy, signaling to your brain that you really need more food, and right now!
For some, their level of ghrelin will stabilize. For others, eating healthier will continue to make them suffer from hunger pangs long term
How Does Ghrelin Change After Gastric Sleeve?
VSG in Mexico removes about 70-80% of the stomach. This includes the gastric fundus, which is where the majority of ghrelin in the body is produced. As a result, the body is unable to create and release a significant amount of ghrelin.
Hunger after gastric sleeve is significantly reduced. Additionally, the stomach is much smaller, which means it achieves fullness faster. Together, these allow patients to eat less without feeling as though they are suffering.
How Does It Impact the Pre- and Post-Surgery Periods?
The bariatric liquid diet pre-op diet is likely to be difficult for the patient to get through, though it is a must for surgery. The severe caloric restriction and lack of fullness will trigger a lot of ghrelin production. However, post-bariatric surgery diets tend to be easier for those with the sleeve than other procedures, like the gastric band. This can help patients achieve long-term success more easily.
To learn more about how the gastric sleeve procedure works, partner with ALO Bariatrics. Fill out our contact form to get started.
