Medical nutritional drinks are easy-to-swallow and easy-to-digest foods with a liquid or thickened consistency. Various nutrients, such as proteins, carbohydrates, fats, and vitamins, make up the ingredients of medical nutritional drinks. They are administered, for example, as dietary treatment for increased nutrient requirements or to patients with swallowing disorders.
Nutritional drinks are also called astronaut food because they originated in the space programs of the 1960s. Under the extreme conditions and demands of weightlessness, astronauts need high-calorie food that can be consumed quickly and easily to meet their energy requirements.
Medical nutritional drinks can even serve as the sole source of nutrition if no solid food can be consumed at all. In this article, we explain what nutritional drinks are and provide information about nutrition in old age. We also introduce several high-calorie nutritional supplements and medical nutritional drinks. Simply click the line to jump to the desired section.
Nutritional drinks for malnutrition in old age
What are medical nutritional drinks?
Medical nutritional drinks - or liquid food - are portioned and bottled or canned ready for consumption. A serving of medical nutritional drink usually replaces a complete meal because 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 bodies of older people use up to 300 fewer calories than in younger years. This development is gradual and does not begin abruptly 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 nutrition plan or by consuming liquid food.
As people age, they may also develop problems with food intake - swallowing difficulties, for example, are relatively common among people over 50.
Sometimes, intolerances to certain foods or additives also develop. Nausea, diarrhea, or flatulence after consuming certain foods may, for example, indicate an intolerance to fructose or lactose.
Whether due to illness or advanced age, declining taste sensitivity or the absence of hunger and thirst can also make it more difficult to eat properly in old age.
Medical liquid nutrition offers enormous benefits, especially in care settings, 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, and feeding 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 requirements by feeding them solid food. Liquid nutrition makes things easier for caregivers and patients and can make invasive measures unnecessary. In many cases, it is even a gentle and simpler alternative to tube feeding.
Are you suffering from unintended weight loss?
Oral nutritional supplements are not administered only 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. Therefore, 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 show you how to take them. It is also possible to have medical oral nutritional supplements prescribed. Accordingly, the costs may also be covered by your health insurance provider.
Benefits of oral nutritional supplements at a glance:
- It offers an optimal nutrient ratio with the ideal balance of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, minerals, and vitamins.
- Depending on its composition, liquid nutrition can meet 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 a few exceptions, come packaged ready for use with minimal preparation time.
- It is easy to digest and easier to consume than solid food when swallowing is difficult.
- 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
When medical nutritional drinks can help
Malnutrition is a deceptive threat because, unlike being overweight, it is often noticed only at a late stage. At first, many people may even be pleased to have a few fewer pounds on their hips. 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 recognize 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 amounts. Examples include vitamin deficiency or protein deficiency. In addition to an unbalanced diet, some illnesses can also cause a deficiency of certain nutrients.
Difficulty swallowing becomes more common with age
Common causes of malnutrition in older age:
Difficulty swallowing or chewing can cause those affected to eat and drink very little 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 occur, or a bite may “go down the wrong way.”
Swallowing disorders (dysphagia) occur relatively frequently in old age, but they can also result from diseases or injuries of the esophagus. Swallowing difficulties are usually 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 can be selected in various 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. Personal preferences also naturally play a role in selecting the right product.
Cancers that weaken the body can also lead to unintended weight loss. Tumors in the throat area often also cause swallowing disorders. 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, for example. Conditions such as diabetes require a specific diet - nutritional drinks for diabetics are a reliable, high-quality solution in such cases.
However, particularly in the case of metabolic diseases, it is important that the exact composition of the diet is determined by doctors or nutrition experts..
Dementia or Alzheimer's disease 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 - quite the opposite is meant. It is about meal plans and using specific foods to keep the nutrient balance stable or restore it after unintended weight loss. Medical nutritional drinks are usually used for this purpose.
In a supplementary balanced diet, regular food is consumed together with nutritional drinks. A complete balanced diet is provided entirely through medical foods. The so-called astronaut food covers the entire nutritional requirement.
Types of medical nutritional drinks
There are various versions of nutritional drinks formulated for different medical requirements. Different flavors can generally also be selected. Medical nutritional drinks 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 nutritional drink contains 151 kcal per 1000 ml, as well as high levels 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 food is available in fruity flavors or in vanilla, chocolate, or coffee flavors.
If a protein deficiency needs to be addressed, medical nutritional drinks such as Resource® Protein Drink are a suitable option. It is fortified 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 nutritional drink is intended to encourage food intake even in cases of loss of appetite.
Some nutritional drinks contain extra-high levels of fiber with a prebiotic effect, such as Resource® 2.0 Fibre. This high-calorie food 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 nutritional drinks
Drinking aids for easier consumption of liquid food
Drinking aids can make it easier for people with restricted mobility or swallowing difficulties to consume nutritional drinks. Spout cups or beak cups 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.
