Is It Safe to Have Facelift and Liposuction While Taking Amino Acids?

I take the amino acids: l-glutamine and l-tyrosine. I started taking them three weeks ago and found that I crave wine less. I was drinking three to four glasses a day, now down to one or two and getting less by the day.

I do not take any other medications or supplements and apart from my wine vice, I am super healthy and excercise regularly. Can I still proceed with surgery? Facelift and body Liposuction?

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8 Doctor Answers | Asked by toppa in Out of state

Doctor Answers (8)
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Discontinue all supplements prior to surgery

In general taking amino acids is probably an acceptable idea. However, we do require patients to discontinue all non-herbal and herbal supplements two weeks prior to surgery and two weeks after, in an effort to minimize any bleeding tendencies during the surgery and after.

Amino acid supplements and alcohol consumption prior to liposuction and facelift

It is usually recommended that all supplelments are stopped prior to surgery because not all interactions and effects on healing are known. The chronic consumption of one bottle of wine per day may have permanently affected your liver which may interfere with your clotting. You could compromise your post operative course by bruising significantly, developing a colleciton of blood under the skin called a hematoma, and this hematoma could cause pressure on the overlying skin causing an... more

We advise all supplements be discontinuted before surgery

Dear Toppa It is important to understand the dietary supplements are essentially unregulated. Is your dietary supplement going to interfere with surgery? No one can answer this with certainty because it is impossible to know what is in your dietary supplement. I am concerned that you are a poorly treated alcoholic. This need to have 4 glasses of wine requires more investigation. Have you been drinking in sufficient excess to damage your liver? This can affect the ability of the body to... more

Kenneth D. Steinsapir, MD

8 reviews

Los Angeles Oculoplastic Surgeon

Nutritional supplements and amino acids before facelift surgery

There is probably nothing wrong with taking amino acids around the time of surgery. They are typically secreted in the urine if taken in excess. Many supplements such as fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K that can be taken to excess, and many homeopathic medications such as ginko, St. John's Wort, ephedra, etc. which are more harmful.

Amino acids and surgery

It is safest to stop them as no one can tell for sure, the one I am mostly worried about is the glutamine and how that might affect your sleep and ease of excitation after the surgery.

Facelifts, liposuction, and amino acids

There are a multitude of unregulated supplements that people take for various reasons. Although I have no experience with amino acids, I do not see any potential drawbacks from the standpoint of the surgical procedures you desire, liposuction and a facelift. The biggest problem with supplements is that many of them have an anti-coagulation effect contributing to bruising and potential surgical bleeding. When in doubt, an option could be to stop the amino acids for a week or so before... more

Facelift / Liposuction while taking l-glutamine and l-tyrosine

There are no safety considerations, to my knowledge, with performing Cosmetic surgery and specifically Facelift or Liposuction surgery, involving l-glutamine and l-tyrosine. I would mention this to your surgeon and anesthesiologist to be on the safe side. Dr. P. Aldea

Supplements and surgery

I am not aware of any contraindication to surgery while taking the supplements you mentioned. Make your surgeon aware of any items you take, but I have personally had patients who take these items and they have all been medically cleared and went on to have successful surgery.