Anemia in the Postbariatric Patient

Anemia has deserved a generous share of the research NIH funds considering its prevalence in the general population and reflecting the detrimental associated socioeconomic impact. Iron and/or vitamin B12 deficiency anemias, which have adverse effects on patients’ quality of life, are commonly observed and often overlooked problems after bariatric surgery. Although anemia is considered a small issue by many, if left untreated it may lead to significant complications. A good understanding of the epidemiology and the underlying pathophysiology mechanisms is paramount for effective preventive and therapeutic measures. The former should be the focus at all costs keeping in mind that the bariatric multidisciplinary team should be involved early in the early correction of anemia. Nutritional deficiencies represent the most significant share in the expression of anemia within the postbariatric surgery population. Luckily, there have been several published landmark papers tackling the supplementation doses of those micronutrients. All of these aspects of anemia in the bariatric population will be covered in detail below.