Lean Mass Loss and Altered Muscular Aerobic Capacity after Bariatric Surgery

Introduction: Patients undergoing weight loss surgery do not improve their aerobic capacity or peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) after bariatric surgery and some still complain about asthenia and/or breathlessness. We investigated the hypothesis that a post-surgery muscular limitation could impact the ventilatory response to exercise by evaluating the post-surgery changes in muscle mass, strength, and muscular aerobic capacity, measured by the first ventilatory threshold (VT). Methods: Thirteen patients with obesity were referred to our university exercise laboratory before and 6 months after bariatric surgery and were matched by sex, age, and height to healthy subjects with normal weight. All subjects underwent a clinical examination, blood sampling, and body composition assessment by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, respiratory and limb muscle strength assessments, and cardiopulmonary exercise testing on a cyclo-ergometer. Results: Bariatric surgery resulted in a loss of 34% fat mass, 43% visceral adipose tissue, and 12% lean mass (LM) (p < 0.001). Absolute handgrip, quadriceps, or respiratory muscle strength remained unaffected, while quadriceps/handgrip strength relative to LM increased (p < 0.05). Absolute VO2peak or VO2peak/LM did not improve and the first VT was decreased after surgery (1.4 ± 0.3 vs. 1.1 ± 0.4 L min−1, p < 0.05) and correlated to the exercising LM (LM legs) (R = 0.84, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Although bariatric surgery has numerous beneficial effects, absolute VO2peak does not improve and the weight loss-induced LM reduction is associated to an altered muscular aerobic capacity, as reflected by an early VT triggering early exercise hyperventilation.

Object Details

• Location: Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Frankfurt am Main
• Extent: Online-Ressource
• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Lean Mass Loss and Altered Muscular Aerobic Capacity after Bariatric Surgery ; volume:15 ; number:2 ; year:2022 ; pages:248-256 ; extent:9 ; Obesity facts ; 15, Heft 2 (2022), 248-256 (gesamt 9)

Contributors, Places and Time

• Creator: Zhou, Na ; Scoubeau, Corentin ; Forton, Kevin ; Loi, Patricia ; Closset, Jean ; Deboeck, Gael ; Moraine, Jean-Jacques ; Klass, Malgorzata ; Faoro, Vitalie

Further information

• DOI: 10.1159/000521242
• URN: urn:nbn:de:101:1-2022040411320213817635
• Rights: Open Access; Der Zugriff auf das Objekt ist unbeschränkt möglich.
• Last update: 15.08.2025, 7:24 AM CEST