The Mechanism of Metabolic Surgery: Gastric Center Hypothesis

Abstract

Background: There is growing evidence that bariatric surgery can lead to remission of metabolic syndrome. But the mechanism by which bariatric surgery alleviates metabolic syndrome is unclear.

Materials and methods: Several present hypotheses which include decreased caloric intake following the surgeries, foregut and hindgut hypothesis, bile acid and bacterial flora changes, and proposed gastric center hypothesis were discussed.

Results: None of the currently available hypotheses is solely capable to lead to a reasonable explanation regarding improvement of metabolic syndrome by various bariatric surgical procedures. Proposed gastric center hypothesis could give a better explanation of the mechanism.

Conclusions: All the present bariatric surgeries are involved in changes of the stomach. There could be some particular cells on the stomach, which could secrete unknown special hormones, and then lead to control the metabolic process.

Keywords: Bariatric surgery; Gastric center hypothesis; Metabolic syndrome; Obesity.