Can Bariatric Surgery Completely Reverse Type 2 Diabetes?

Diabetes is a serious illness that affects close to one in 10 Americans. This condition is often associated with weight gain. Though it isn’t true for every person, the treatment for Type 2 diabetes can sometimes involve dieting and exercise to maintain a healthier weight. 

However, many people wonder if bariatric surgery is an effective and helpful treatment for the long-term maintenance of diabetes. In fact, it’s been recently posited that this surgery can actually reverse the condition. But is this true? 

At Bergen Bariatric and Surgical Solutions, we offer bariatric surgery for patients dealing with life-threatening issues associated with severe weight gain. Dr. Mikhail A. Botvinov can talk you through the procedure and discuss with you how bariatric surgery might help manage — and, in a manner of speaking, even reverse — Type 2 diabetes. 

Why diabetes patients choose bariatric surgery 

Bariatric surgery is an effective treatment for patients whose weight gain is dangerous to their overall health. Patients with other conditions often related to obesity — including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and dyslipidemia — might all seek bariatric surgery as a way of managing their weight.

Depending on which type of surgery you choose, there are different methods and results. But ultimately, the procedure allows you to lose a considerable amount of weight quickly. It also changes how you eat and how your body takes in nutrients. These are all benefits of bariatric surgery for patients who are overweight in a way that is dangerous to their health.

How bariatric surgery helps you manage diabetes 

Type 2 diabetes causes your body to be unable to process insulin properly, which is called insulin resistance. Your pancreas begins to work overtime to create more insulin, but when it can’t keep up, the amount of sugar in your blood rises. This is why people with Type 2 diabetes need to receive insulin shots. 

Bariatric surgery can help your body deal with this issue. Lowering your body’s BMI can help manage your insulin resistance. This means your body might be able to process insulin more normally. In addition, bariatric surgery changes your metabolism, gut hormones, and the amount of food your body can take in. All of these affect your blood sugar levels as well. 

Diabetes reversal through bariatric surgery: fact or fiction?

With bariatric surgery, you can lose weight quickly, minimize the amount of food your stomach can take in, and make changes to your gut hormones and your metabolism. All of these changes can help your Type 2 diabetes. And, in a way, it can reverse many of its effects.

When you have bariatric surgery, it can allow you to take less insulin or even avoid taking it all together. This is known as remission for Type 2 diabetes, and around 78% of people who receive bariatric surgery experience it. Yes, it’s true you will still technically be a diabetic, but if your condition is in remission, you will be much healthier in the long run. 

Of course, it’s important to remember that people with bariatric surgery must live by a strict set of post-procedure rules. These rules keep you from experiencing uncomfortable side effects, and they are part of the reason you can maintain your remission status. As such, bariatric surgery isn’t a cure-all for diabetes but a helpful procedure for its management.

Getting bariatric surgery for Type 2 diabetes 

Many people choose the route of bariatric surgery for treating, managing, and reversing Type 2 diabetes. To find out if you would be a good candidate for this procedure, all you have to do is ask.

Call 201-778-5344 today to schedule an appointment at our Westwood, NJ, office. You can also visit our online calendar to schedule a time at your convenience.