Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 3, 2025

Sleeve Gastrectomy in Mice using Surgical Clips
Published on: November 14, 2020
Bariatric surgery and alcohol and substance use: A case-control survey study
Shannon N Speed1, Garrick T Sherman2, Tammy Wang1
1Clinical Psychoneuroendocrinology and Neuropsychopharmacology Section, Translational Addiction Medicine Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program and National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Division of Intramural Clinical and Biological Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Purpose:
Studies suggest alcohol and/or other substance misuse may develop after bariatric surgery (BS), but findings are not consistent or conclusive.
Procedures:
This cross-sectional online survey investigated alcohol and other substance use, via a modified version of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, before and after bariatric surgery, compared to a non-bariatric surgery sample. Data were anonymously collected via Qualtrics from adults who reported alcohol or substance use (BS, n = 328; non-BS, n = 292).
Findings:
Problematic alcohol, opioid, amphetamine, and cannabis use were reduced post-surgery compared to pre-surgery. After surgery, participants expressed "guilt" associated with alcohol and other substance use (average 0.24 and 0.31 points higher, respectively) compared to pre-surgery. Compared to controls, the bariatric surgery group reported on average 1.99 points less problematic nicotine use pre-surgery (p = .012) and 2.42 points less post-surgery (p = .004). In contrast, compared to people without any history of bariatric surgery, the bariatric surgery group reported greater problematic use of alcohol, cannabis, hallucinogens, and/or inhalants pre-surgery (all p < .001); same results were found post-surgery for all drugs, (all p < .001) except for hallucinogens which was not significantly different between the two groups.
Relevance:
Unlike previous reports, these survey-based results do not show an increase in problematic alcohol and substance use following bariatric surgery. Recall biases and the survey-based methodology are however important limitations of the present study. The observed increase in "guilt" associated with substance use may align with growing evidence suggesting increased subjective response to alcohol and other substances following bariatric surgery.
Related Concept Videos
Endoscopic Procedures IV: Sigmoidoscopy and Laproscopy
Sigmoidoscopy
Sigmoidoscopy is a diagnostic procedure that uses a flexible sigmoidoscope equipped with a light source and camera to examine the rectum and sigmoid colon. The procedure involves inserting the tube through the anus...
Stress Prevention and Stress Management Techniques IV
Binge Eating Disorders
Substance Use Disorders Affecting Sleep
Understanding the concepts of physical dependence,...
CNS Depressants: Alcohol and Nicotine
Inflammatory Bowel Disease V: Surgical Management
Here are some common surgical interventions for IBD:

