Medical nutritional drinks for malnutrition

Oral nutritional supplements for malnutrition in old age

What is medical oral nutritional supplementation?

Medical oral nutritional supplements - or liquid nutrition - are portioned ready for consumption and packaged in bottles or cans. A serving of medical oral nutritional supplement usually replaces a complete meal, as it contains all the necessary nutrients. Certain components - such as protein or fiber - are often included in disproportionately high amounts to meet increased requirements or counteract deficiency symptoms.

For example, metabolism changes with age. The body uses less energy per day. Naturally, this also depends on the level of physical activity. During normal “everyday activity,” the body of older people uses up to 300 fewer calories than in younger years. This development is gradual and does not begin suddenly at a specific age.

Therefore, it may be advisable to have adequate nutrient intake medically assessed from the age of 60 to 70. Although seniors need fewer calories, they must pay even more attention to consuming sufficient amounts of important nutrients. This can be achieved by following a professionally prepared diet plan or by consuming liquid nutrition.

As people get older, problems with eating sometimes also arise - swallowing difficulties, for example, are relatively common in people over 50.

Sometimes, intolerances to certain foods or additives also develop. Nausea, diarrhea, or bloating after eating certain foods may, for example, indicate an intolerance to fructose or lactose.

Whether due to illness or as a result of advanced age, declining taste sensitivity or the absence of hunger and thirst can also make it difficult to eat properly in old age.

Medical liquid nutrition offers major benefits, especially in the field of care, as it contains all the necessary nutrients at once and does not need to be prepared separately. At most, powdered products need to be mixed with water, which is also very quick. Patients can consume oral nutritional supplements much more easily, while drinking aids such as spouted cups can provide additional support.

Especially for patients with dementia or intellectual disabilities, it can be very difficult to meet their nutritional needs by feeding them solid food. Liquid nutrition makes things easier for caregivers and patients and can make invasive measures unnecessary. In many cases, it even offers a gentler and simpler alternative to tube feeding.

Are you suffering from unintentional weight loss?

Oral nutritional supplements are not only administered in hospitals or nursing homes. They can also be consumed “in everyday life,” for example to counter malnutrition or swallowing difficulties. A doctor should decide whether and how oral nutritional supplements should be taken. So seek medical advice if you or a family member suffers from being underweight or malnutrition.

A specialist can tell you whether oral nutritional supplements are appropriate, which ones to use, and how to take them. It is also possible to have medical nutritional drinks prescribed on a prescription. Accordingly, the health insurance provider may also cover the costs.

Benefits of oral nutritional supplements at a glance:

• It provides an optimal nutrient ratio with the ideal balance of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, minerals, and vitamins.

• Depending on its composition, liquid nutrition can cover the complete nutritional requirements or even compensate for deficiencies.

• Depending on their composition, they are suitable as specialized nutrition for certain illnesses - for example, diabetes.

• Medical nutritional drinks have a long shelf life when unopened and, with few exceptions, are packaged ready to use with minimal preparation time.

• It is easy to digest and, in cases of difficulty swallowing, easier to consume than solid food.

• Apart from a container for the liquid nutrition, no aids such as cutlery are needed for consumption.

Medical nutritional drinks offer benefits in elderly and hospital care

Where medical nutritional drinks can help

Malnutrition is a deceptive threat because, unlike overweight, it is often noticed only at a late stage. At first, many people may even be pleased to have a few fewer pounds around their waist. However, especially in old age or with certain illnesses, it is important to maintain a certain baseline weight.

Unintentional weight loss can be a sign of more serious health problems. High-calorie medical nutritional drinks help maintain weight and provide the necessary nutrients. The causes of malnutrition should be urgently clarified by a doctor.

There are two types of malnutrition:

• Quantitative malnutrition: not enough calories are consumed. This leads to an inadequate supply of numerous nutrients, which soon becomes noticeable through unintentional weight loss.

• Qualitative malnutrition: it is more difficult to detect because it usually is not accompanied by noticeable weight loss and symptoms develop gradually. This form of undernutrition occurs when certain nutrients are not consumed in sufficient quantities. Examples include vitamin deficiency and protein deficiency. In addition to an unbalanced diet, some illnesses can also cause a deficiency in certain nutrients.

Difficulty swallowing becomes more common with age

Common causes of malnutrition in old age:

Difficulty swallowing or chewing can cause those affected to eat and drink hardly anything and, overall, to consume too few nutrients.

If too little fluid is consumed, an older body becomes dehydrated particularly quickly. If swallowing is difficult or painful, the enjoyment of eating is also lost. In severe cases, a feeling of choking may even develop, or a bite may “go down the wrong way.”

Swallowing disorders (dysphagia) occur relatively frequently in old age, but can also result from diseases or injuries of the esophagus. In most cases, swallowing difficulties are caused by diseases or disorders of the nervous system.

They are often observed as a result of strokes, dementia, Parkinson's disease, or multiple sclerosis. In addition, severe head injuries (traumatic brain injuries) can leave lasting damage such as dysphagia.

Depending on how severe the symptoms are, medical nutritional drinks are available in different consistencies. These range from an almost liquid, syrup-like consistency to a texture reminiscent of pudding.

The more liquid it is, the easier the food is to swallow. Of course, personal preferences also play a role in selecting the right product.

Cancers that drain the body can also lead to unintended weight loss. Tumors in the throat area often also cause swallowing difficulties. They create a physical barrier when their growth narrows the esophagus.

Other diseases that manifest themselves through weight loss include diabetes mellitus, Crohn's disease, anorexia, and diseases of the lungs or pancreas. Conditions such as diabetes require a specific diet - nutritional drinks for diabetics are a reliable, high-quality solution in this regard.

However, particularly in the case of metabolic diseases, it is important that the exact composition of the diet is determined by doctors or nutrition specialists..

Dementia or Alzheimer's often cause those affected to be unable to eat independently or to consume enough food. They lose the necessary cognitive and motor skills or simply forget to eat.

Medical nutritional drinks contain high-quality nutrients

Nutritional drinks for a balanced diet

A balanced diet has nothing to do with losing weight - rather, the opposite is meant. It concerns dietary plans and the use of specific foods to keep the nutrient balance stable or restore it after unintended weight loss. Medical nutritional drinks are usually used for this purpose.

With a supplementary balanced diet, regular food is consumed together with oral nutritional supplements. A complete balanced diet is provided entirely through medical nutritional products. The so-called astronaut diet covers the entire nutritional requirement.

Types of medical oral nutritional supplements

There are various versions of oral nutritional supplements formulated for different medical requirements. Different flavors can generally also be selected. Medical oral nutritional supplements are usually gluten-free and low in lactose.

There are high-calorie “energy drinks” that are suitable as the sole source of complete, balanced nutrition. For example, Nestlé Health Science's Resource® Energy oral nutritional supplement contains 151 kcal per 1000 ml as well as high amounts of carbohydrates (21 grams), protein (5.6 grams), and fat (5.0 grams), with only 0.5 grams of fiber per 1000 ml. This liquid nutrition is available in fruity flavors or in vanilla, chocolate, or coffee flavors.

If a protein deficiency needs to be addressed, medical oral nutritional supplements such as Resource® Protein Drink may be suitable. It is enriched with 9.4 grams of protein per 1000 ml. The product also contains 14 grams of carbohydrates per 1000 ml and is completely fiber-free. In addition to signs of malnutrition, impaired wound healing, for example, can also cause an increased protein requirement.

With its savory, particularly delicious composition, Resource® Soup is intended to encourage food intake even in cases of loss of appetite.

Some oral nutritional supplements contain extra fiber with a prebiotic effect, such as Resource® 2.0 Fibre. This high-calorie nutritional product contains 2.5 grams of fiber per 100 ml.

Resource® Dessert Complete has a rather creamy consistency and, as a tasty, high-calorie, high-protein dessert, can also serve as the sole source of nutrition.

Drinking aids make it easier to consume medical oral nutritional supplements

Drinking aids for easier consumption of liquid nutrition

Drinking aids can make it easier for people with limited mobility or swallowing difficulties to consume oral nutritional supplements. Spout cups or spouted mugs are particularly suitable for this purpose. Products such as Dr. Junghans spout cups can also be steam-sterilized and are suitable for use in hospitals or nursing homes.