Bariatric surgery is a routinely performed procedure and is associated with a reduction in all-cause mortality in patients with obesity. However, bariatric surgery has also been linked to increased alcohol use with up to 30% of these patients developing alcohol use disorder (AUD). The mechanism of AUD after bariatric surgery is multifactorial and includes anatomic, metabolic, and neurohumoral changes associated with post-surgical anatomy. These patients are at increased risk of alcohol associated liver disease and, in some cases, require liver transplantation. In this article, we provide a scoping review of epidemiology, pathophysiology, and clinical outcomes of alcohol-related health conditions after bariatric surgery.

This review synthesized the literature on predictors and mechanisms of post-bariatric alcohol problems, in order to guide future research on prevention and treatment targets.

Consistent evidence suggests an elevated risk of developing problems with alcohol following bariatric surgery. While there is a paucity of empirical data on predictors of problematic alcohol use after bariatric surgery, being male, a younger age, smoking, regular alcohol consumption, pre-surgical alcohol use disorder, and a lower sense of belonging have predicted alcohol misuse post-operatively. This review synthesizes potential mechanisms including specific bariatric surgical procedures, peptides and reinforcement/reward pathways, pharmacokinetics, and genetic influences. Finally, potential misperceptions regarding mechanisms are explored. Certain bariatric procedures elevate the risk of alcohol misuse post-operatively. Future research should serve to elucidate the complexities of reward signaling, genetically mediated mechanisms, and pharmacokinetics in relation to alcohol use across gender and developmental period by surgery type.