Excess body weight can often affect hormones and the reproductive system more than one might initially think.
Obesity can trigger a major fluctuation in the body’s hormone levels, and lead to decreased sex drive in both men and women, as well as problems with fertility and conceiving. However, a recent study has shown that women who undergo bariatric surgery can experience major improvements in overall sexual health in the months immediately following surgery.
The study, which was published in a recent issue of JAMA Surgery, involved a total of 106 women who had either undergone Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery or gastric banding. At the start of the study, each woman was evaluated to determine how their current state of sexual function affected their happiness and overall quality of life.
One year later, the same women went through the evaluation a second time, and ended up scoring significantly higher. The positive test results indicated that all women who had undergone bariatric surgery were much more happier in terms of sex drive and libido as a result of losing weight. On average, each woman involved in the study was able to lose 32.7 percent of their body weight, and was able to experience a surge in hormone levels after having lost weight through weight-loss surgery.
Researchers who led the JAMA Surgery study have concluded that the reason women generally fare better in sexual health following surgery is because improved hormone levels are able to balance mood swings and enhance sexual libido. Women may also feel more self-confident in general as a result of losing weight, and often feel healthier and better about their lifestyles after bariatric surgery.
If you are interested in weight loss surgery, check out MBL’s Ultimate Guide To Weight Loss surgery.
