Common Bariatric Nutrient Status Panel - Quest

Bariatric surgery and other conditions that reduce stomach acid, absorptive surface, or fat digestion can quietly lower fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) and trace minerals (copper, zinc) even when calories seem adequate. This grouping is meaningful because these nutrients travel together through the same absorptive pathways and can decline in parallel, and because copper and zinc are metabolically linked—high-dose zinc supplementation can suppress copper, so measuring both together helps you avoid over-correcting one at the expense of the other. Thiamine (B1) is included because its stores are small and can deplete rapidly after surgery, restricted eating, or heavy fluid loss. Testing reveals which specific nutrients are low, borderline, or well-covered, so you and your clinician can adjust diet or supplement doses precisely rather than guessing. Bundling these markers into a single blood draw is more convenient and typically more economical than ordering each test separately, and it gives you a coordinated snapshot rather than fragmented results collected over multiple visits. Retesting the same panel over time also lets you confirm that a corrective plan is actually working.