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Updated: Aug 5, 2026
Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Operation in Rats
Published on: June 11, 2012
Developmental Stage Modulates Mineral-Hormonal Adaptation After Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass: A Translational Life-Course
Mariana Luna1, Bruno Rodrigues1, Andréa Ramalho1
1Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-590, Brazil.
Background:
Vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent in individuals with severe obesity and may worsen after malabsorptive bariatric procedures. Adolescence represents a critical period of skeletal and metabolic maturation and may influence mineral-hormonal adaptation after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB).
Objective:
To investigate whether developmental stage influences longitudinal mineral-hormonal adaptation after RYGB in adolescents and adults with severe obesity.
Methods:
This prospective observational cohort study included 120 participants undergoing RYGB: 60 adolescents (15-19 years) and 60 adults (20-49 years) with a history of severe obesity. Assessments were performed preoperatively and at 6 and 12 months postoperatively. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D, ionized calcium, phosphorus, and parathyroid hormone (PTH) were measured. Group comparisons were performed using non-parametric tests within a translational life-course framework.
Results:
Vitamin D inadequacy (<30 ng/mL) was highly prevalent at baseline in both groups (78.3% vs. 85.0%). Despite substantial weight loss in both cohorts, adolescents exhibited higher frequencies of hypocalcaemia and hypophosphataemia (p < 0.001), progressive elevation of PTH levels, and a higher prevalence of secondary hyperparathyroidism at 12 months. Adults showed a comparatively less pronounced endocrine-mineral response but also experienced persistent increases in PTH throughout follow-up. Vitamin D inadequacy remained highly prevalent in both groups despite standardized supplementation.
Conclusions:
Postoperative mineral-hormonal adaptation after RYGB differs according to developmental stage. Adolescents exhibited greater endocrine-mineral vulnerability during a critical period of skeletal maturation, suggesting that biological stage may influence postoperative adaptation beyond anthropometric response alone. These findings support developmental stage-specific monitoring and individualized postoperative management after metabolic surgery.
