06 Feb 2019 --- The way that bariatric surgery helps people with obesity and diabetes is related to changes in the way the gut senses food and nutrients after the operation, University of Cambridge research has found. The study discovered that following surgery, altered patterns of digestion and absorption lower in the gut trigger production of higher levels of gut hormones, especially glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), which in turn causes higher insulin production. The researchers note that future medications for groups of people struggling with hypoglycemic episodes following weight loss surgery could be developed off of these findings. In the even further future, potential drugs that mimic the effects of bariatric surgery could be on the cards, but more research is warranted.
