What Is the Duodenum and How Does It Affect Weight? Here’s What You Should Know

Many believe that sticking to a healthy diet and exercising regularly are the only ways to lose significant weight.

While those are great options for weight management and overall health, sometimes they’re just not enough, especially for those categorized as overweight or obese.

Various factors contribute to your risk of becoming obese, your metabolic function, and how your body processes what you consume.

One factor to consider is how your duodenum plays a role in weight gain and regulation. This part of the digestive system can profoundly affect how your body processes food and nutrients.

Whether you’re struggling with excess weight or are trying hard to lose it with no long-standing and measurable results, our experienced team of bariatric experts is here to help.

Offering an in-depth look at your unique health and wellness journey is the best way to understand the contributing factors to your weight gain and provide the most meaningful and effective treatment options, such as the duodenum switch.

Let’s discuss the duodenum’s role and its effects on your body weight in further detail. 

So, What Is the Duodenum?

The duodenum is part of the small intestine, an integral part of the digestive system that connects the stomach to the colon.

The small intestine is made up of a total of three parts: the duodenum, the jejunum, and the ileum. The duodenum is the first section and connects directly to the stomach.

The Duodenum’s Role in Body Weight

The primary function of the duodenum is to complete the first stage of digestion.

Food from the stomach is mixed with enzymes from the pancreas and bile from the gallbladder in the duodenum to help break it down into simpler forms.

Once thoroughly broken down, nutrients from food, including vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, fats, proteins, and water, are absorbed to be used throughout the body.

When the duodenum is rerouting during a duodenum switch procedure, the length that food and nutrients pass through the digestive system is shorter, allowing less time for calories and fats to be absorbed and stored. Over time, this switch leads to rapid weight loss.

Without the procedure and increased caloric consumption, body weight will continue to increase based on your daily diet.

The Duodenum Switch: An Effective Weight Loss Option You Can Feel

If you or a loved one is struggling to lose weight on your own after diet changes and exercise, we can help.

Beltre Bariatrics offers a variety of weight loss options, including the duodenum switch procedure, to help you lose weight and keep it off, changing the way your digestive system operates for the better.

By resizing the stomach and rerouting the small intestine, the principles of malabsorption and restriction come into play with the duodenal switch procedure. In fact, the average weight loss with a duodenal switch is 80% of excess weight over 2 years.

With the proven effects of significantly decreasing your body weight, alleviating obesity-related health conditions, and helping you control your appetite, the duodenum switch will be the change you need in your weight management journey.

Contact our team of bariatric experts today to schedule a comprehensive consultation—the first and most important step in your weight loss journey.