I now have an answer. In 2019, shortly after I announced my decision to undergo a vertical sleeve gastrectomy or VSG, a surgery where a portion of the stomach is removed, the friend reached out.

Vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG) is a type of bariatric surgery. The procedure aims to promote weight loss and improve overall health in people who have a body mass index (BMI) of 40 and above.

They have found that following vertical sleeve gastrectomy, there is a change in bile acids that bind to a nuclear receptor called FXR. In the absence of FXR, the researchers showed, weight-loss ...