Atherosclerosis is a chronic disease that essentially involves the hardening of arteries due to inflammation. It’s a disease that can progress for a long while before any outward symptoms are displayed.  Atherosclerosis that has not progressed enough to present symptoms is known as subclinical atherosclerosis, and can be difficult to screen for.

If left unchecked, the progression of atherosclerosis can lead to serious health problems such as heart disease, angina, and heart attacks.

There is good news, however: a new study has shown that bariatric surgery can cause a relatively fast regression in subclinical atherosclerosis. This means not only will you lose weight due to the surgery, but your risk of developing cardiovascular disease will go down as well.

According to this study lead by Dr Jose Roberto Matos­Souza from the State University of Campinas/UNICAMP Clinics in Brazil, individuals undergoing bariatric surgery saw a regression in atherosclerosis 1 month after their procedure, and results showed that this reduction was sustained after 1 year.

The regression of atherosclerosis demonstrated was most significant within 3 to 6 months of the bariatric surgery procedure, and was correlated with a reduction in LDL cholesterol and an increase in HDL cholesterol. The atherosclerosis reduction occurred before significant loss in body weight.

This finding makes bariatric surgery more than just a procedure that is good for weight loss. It will also improve your overall health and reduce the complications associated with inflammation in your cardiovascular system.