What Are the Benefits of Gastric Sleeve Surgery?
The decision to undergo gastric sleeve surgery should only be made after carefully weighing the benefits and risks with board certified general surgeon Dr. Matthew St. Laurent. Fortunately, the benefits far outweigh the risks for most Houston-area patients, making it an effective option to help lose weight and improve overall health.
Weight loss can only happen when you burn more calories than you consume. For obese patients, this is easier said than done since poor eating habits in the past may have led to stomach stretching. Having a larger stomach requires you to eat more to feel full, which in turn can make your weight loss efforts feel futile.
Gastric sleeve surgery reduces the size of your stomach so you feel full sooner. It also helps reduce the amount of hunger you experience by decreasing Ghrelin levels in your body, a hormone produced in the stomach that stimulates hunger. As a result, you’ll be able to eat less without feeling deprived, making it much easier to shed unwanted pounds over a period of time.
Possible Health Benefits
According to a study performed by Realize®, an organization that specializes in providing bariatric surgery information, patients who had gastric sleeve surgery noticed some remarkable health benefits:
- 77% noticed a reduction in “bad” cholesterol levels
- 50% resolved their high blood pressure
- 70% showed improvement or remission of Type 2 diabetes within five years
- 60% resolved obstructive sleep apnea
Your individual health benefits may vary based on diet, exercise, lifestyle, and genetics.
Other benefits of gastric sleeve surgery include the following:
- Minimally invasive with fewer scars
- Enhanced self-esteem
- Better quality of life
- May increase longevity
To read our procedure guide, click here.
The numerous benefits of gastric sleeve surgery make it worth considering for anyone who is considered obese. Houston-area patients who want to find out more can contact Dr. St. Laurent at 281-301-1404.
