Plano, TX, Aug. 09, 2016 – Bariatric surgery may have impacts that go beyond helping those who are obese shed weight in a safe manner. Recent research has shown that surgical weight loss may also have a very positive effect on mechanisms that drive premature aging.
The study in question delved into the impacts bariatric surgery might have on slowing or stopping obesity-related aging. This condition occurs when free radicals form in fat cells. The free radicals are known to shorten “telomeres,” which are markers of aging. Telomeres are located at the ends of chromosomes and serve to protect DNA. As cells divide, telomeres lose length. When telomeres reach a certain point in shortening, the cells associated with them cease dividing or die off entirely. Obesity is known to speed up the process that degrades telomeres.
Researchers have found that obese people are prone to having shorter telomeres and may also show other markers associated with premature aging, such as increased inflammation. A recent study, however, found that bariatric surgery can reverse the effects to an extent. Bloodwork performed on patients one and two years out from bariatric surgery showed markers for inflammation dropped significantly. Patients also displayed telomeres that were about 80 percent longer than in previous samples.
“The study is very encouraging in that it shows bariatric surgery can have a profound effect on obesity-related premature aging,” says Dr. Nick Nicholson, founder and lead surgeon at the Nicholson Clinic for Weight Loss Surgery. “While perhaps not a fountain of youth, weight loss surgery can produce significant and positive effects on the cellular level.”
More research is needed to better understand the cellular changes that occur following bariatric surgery to promote improvements in premature aging. Although the full mechanisms are not yet understood, researchers insist that post-surgical patient cells appeared to be getting younger.
“Bariatric surgery has been proven to have a number of positive and lasting effects on the body,” says Dr. Nicholson. “Potentially stopping premature aging is just one more reason for those who are obese and struggle to lose weight to explore all their options.”
To find out more about the Nicholson Clinic for Weight Loss Surgery, visit the practice online.
About Nicholson Clinic
Founded by Dr. Nick Nicholson, one of the country’s leading weight loss surgeons and co-author of “Weight Loss Surgery: The Real Skinny,” the Nicholson Clinic for Weight Loss Surgery offers a variety of options to help patients gain control of their weight and their lives.