Alcohol Use Disorder Following Bariatric Surgery: A Narrative Review

To explore the incidence of alcohol use disorder (AUD) after bariatric surgery and the associated risk factors and specific manifestations of increased AUD risk, such as increased alcohol sensitivity and earlier symptom onset.

This review adhered to PRISMA guidelines. Data were sourced from PubMed, Google Scholar, Cochrane, and Science.gov using search terms related to alcohol, bariatric surgery, and nutrition. Articles were screened based on inclusion and exclusion criteria: Inclusion criteria were English language articles published from 2013-present, availability in full text or open access, and adult patients (≥18 years) who had bariatric surgery. Exclusion criteria were non-English articles, articles written before 2013, unavailable full text or open access, articles that featured pediatric patients or patients who did not use alcohol or had bariatric surgery, and abstracts or opinion pieces. A final total of 11 studies were found.

Studies published from 2013 to the present that involved adult bariatric surgery patients with a history of alcohol consumption.

Findings suggest an elevated risk of AUD post-bariatric surgery, particularly following sleeve gastrectomy or Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery. There was strong evidence of increased alcohol sensitivity and AUD symptoms post-surgery, causing potential health effects.

These results underscore the importance of comprehensive preoperative assessments and tailored interventions for bariatric surgery patients with AUD.