advice on dietary supplements
It is important that you take a lifelong daily complete vitamin and mineral supplement. By taking a daily complete vitamin and mineral supplement, it will help prevent nutritional deficiencies such as iron, folate, vitamin D, and calcium deficiencies. If you have had a gastric bypass or sleeve gastrectomy you will also require vitamin B12 injections (1mg) once every three months lifelong.
We can arrange to give you your vitamin B12 injections, but multivitamins and minerals should be bought from a chemist or supermarket.
Gastric Band Surgery
You will need to purchase a multivitamin supplement over the counter, as well as iron tablets.
Examples of suitable multivitamins are:
- Forceval (one daily
- Supermarkets’ own A-Z multivitamin and mineral (such as Asda, Tesco, Morrison’s) (two daily)
- Wilkinson’s Total A-Z Multivitamin and Minerals (two daily)
- Sanatogen A-Z Complete (two daily)
- Lloyd’s Pharmacy A-Z Multivitamins and Minerals (two daily)
- Centrum Performance (two daily)
Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy
You will need to purchase a multivitamin as above, as well as iron tablets, and Calcichew D3 (calcium and vitamin D) over the counter.
You will need lifelong vitamin B12 injections
Gastric bypass or duodenal switch surgery
All preparations will be prescribed
You will need lifelong vitamin B12 injections
General advice when taking supplements
- You need to take supplements even if you are eating a healthy diet.
- Take Calcium with food.
- Do not take supplements with tea or coffee.
- Do not take Calcium and Iron at the same time. Take them at least 2 hours apart.
- If you keep forgetting to take your supplements, try setting a phone reminder, or link it with something you do regularly, like brushing your teeth.
- If you become pregnant, contact the GP Surgery. You will need to swap your multi vitamin and mineral to a pregnancy specific brand, and you may also need a prescription for folic acid.