Correlation Between Changes of Amino Acid Spectrum and Alopecia in Patients with Obesity Undergoing Bariatric Surgery: A Prospective Cohort Study

This study investigated the relationship between serum amino acid changes and alopecia in 67 obese patients undergoing laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy. It found that the surgery significantly altered serum amino acid profiles, with most amino acids decreasing except for serine and glycine, which increased. Notably, higher leucine levels at 3 months post-surgery were associated with moderate to severe alopecia, making leucine an independent risk factor for postoperative alopecia. The study suggests that monitoring leucine levels could be important for managing alopecia risk in these patients. Limitations include a small sample size, single-center design, and short follow-up period, indicating the need for further research.