Keeping Bariatric Vitamins Simple
Getting on a good vitamin supplement routine is KEY to your health and well being for years beyond your surgery. Vitamin deficiencies are nasty and nothing you want to deal with. You can read more about Vitamin D here and Iron here.
The great news for postop bariatric surgery patients…there are SO many more options than there used to be for bariatric friendly vitamins! It used to be, even a few years ago, I would need to write out a daily plan for patients including about six different times throughout the day they needed to take a vitamin. SIX! I hated it for them, but knew the alternative was worse.
With Gastric Sleeve and Gastric Bypass gaining more popularity, vitamin companies have caught on and have begun catering to postop patients. Wahoo!
Everyone has different struggles when it comes to getting in a good vitamin rhythm. Below are the best options I have found for keeping vitamins simple, one option with a chewable multivitamin and the other option with capsules. Remember…this is not medical advice! Instead these are the basic vitamin recommendations I make for patients without extenuating circumstances.
For the most simple vitamin routine WITHOUT chewable multivitamins, I like to recommend this: (and no, I don’t get any kickback for this!)
Bariatric Advantage Ultra Multivitamin Capsules with Iron (three a day, can take them together or separated)
PLUS
Bariatric Advantage OR Celebrate 500 mg Chewable Calcium Citrate (two to three per day, separated from one another and from multivitamins by 2 hours)
Why I like it:
It’s more simple for patients to take a multivitamin and a few chews throughout their day. All the iron, B12, vitamin D, etc is in the capsules. Bariatric Advantage does make a chewable multivitamin that is also as complete as the capsules, but most patients prefer to swallow their vitamins.
Estimated costs:
30 day supply of capsules runs $19.95, a 90 day supply runs $49.95 (link to website)
Bariatric Advantage 500 mg Calcium Chews are $31.70 for a 90 count (link to website)
Celebrate 500 mg Calcium Chews are $29.95 for a 90 count (link to website)
On average the daily cost would be $1.26 to $1.62 (difference is if you have two or three calcium chews based on your needs. Ex: females and bypass patients usually need 3 per day)
For chewable vitamins only, I like to recommend this:
Bariatric Advantage Advanced EA Chewable Tablets (multivitamin – just one per day!)
PLUS
Bariatric Advantage OR Celebrate 500 mg Chewable Calcium Citrate (two to three per day, separated from one another and from multivitamin by 2 hours)
Why I like it:
The Advanced EA vitamin is as complete as the capsules…in only ONE of the chewable tablets. If you want to chew up your vitamin and get it done with for the day, these may be a good option for you. Then all you need to do is get a few calcium chews in your day, and those taste so good most patients have no problem remembering them!
Estimated Costs:
Bariatric Advantage Advanced EA 60 count bottle = $36.00 (link to website)
Bariatric Advantage 500 mg Calcium Chews are $31.70 for a 90 count (link to website)
Celebrate 500 mg Calcium Chews are $29.95 for a 90 count (link to website)
On average the daily cost would be $1.30 to $1.67 (difference is if you have two or three calcium chews based on your needs. Ex: females and bypass patients usually need 3 per day)
No matter which approach you take, vitamins are a MUST for you to be your very best. Maybe these options still don’t work for you. DON’T give up trying. There are many more brands, companies, flavors and textures out there and believe me…the alternative of giving up and not taking vitamins is just….not….worth it. Keep in touch with your dietitian and ask him or her what other options you have. There really are more!
Best of luck in your vitamin shopping!
Hi Steph. What are your thoughts on the Bariatric Fusion chewable complete multivitamin/mineral supplements? They also just came out with a multivitamin stick pack (looks like a crystal lite packet) that you mix with water twice a day and it has everything you need.
Good not great is my thought. On the chewables you would need to take 4 each day so one may grow tired of them :) They are okay on Iron and Vit D. A little low on B12 but for most probably okay. The calcium is the area I’m unsure of for a couple reasons – iron and calcium compete for absorption so I question how much of the iron and calcium you get from these chewables. Also the calcium provided would add up to be 1200 which is a little on the low side (1500 would be ideal) and the ingredients say both calcium carbonate and calcium citrate so I don’t know which form of calcium it mainly contains (citrate being the preferred form). That being said, many patients may have great looking labs by faithfully taking these (albeit calcium is truly detected by a bone scan instead of lab work). I know that was quite the answer!
The stick packs are less desirable from what I can see. No iron. Doesn’t tell us what kind of calcium. Fine on Vit D. That was just a quick glance :)