Nora Currently, the core nutritional solutions for the elderly in circulation are divided into three categories: the whole protein type suitable for ordinary malnourished elderly people, the short peptide type suitable for people with weak digestive function, and the amino acid type suitable for people with severe illness/loss of digestive function. There are also specially customized types for chronic diseases such as diabetes and kidney disease.
Last week, a community nurse came to follow up on 82-year-old Grandma Li. She had lost all her teeth and could only drink porridge. She lost 6 pounds last month. After an evaluation by the nutrition department, she was prescribed a whole-protein nutritional solution. After half a month of drinking it, she gained 2 pounds. This kind of solution combines whey protein and soy protein. Combining various vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber in proportion is equivalent to turning a well-balanced meal into an easy-to-swallow liquid. As long as the elderly have no major problems with their digestive function, they can drink it if they usually eat little or lack nutrients. The taste is mostly bland, and they are highly acceptable.
If you encounter an elderly person with a weak stomach, frequent diarrhea, or an elderly person who has just been discharged from the hospital with pancreatitis or gastroenteritis, drinking whole protein will increase the burden on the gastrointestinal tract. At this time, short peptide type is suitable. I met a 76-year-old man in the clinic before. After his gallbladder was removed, he had diarrhea after eating anything oily. He also felt uncomfortable drinking the whole-protein nutritional solution. After switching to the short peptide version, it was much better. This kind of protein is broken down into small fragments composed of two or three amino acids in advance. The intestines and stomach can absorb it with almost no effort to digest. The only drawback is that the taste is a bit astringent and bitter. Warm it to about 37 degrees before drinking, which can slightly suppress the strange smell.
There is also a more "extreme" amino acid-based nutritional solution, which is mostly used by the elderly after severe surgery, intestinal resection, or those who cannot digest food at all. It is equivalent to breaking down all nutrients into the smallest molecular units. Drinking it can be directly used by the body without going through the digestion process. It is like delivering the pre-opened nutrition package directly to the door of the cell, saving even the effort of unpacking the express delivery. However, this kind of osmotic pressure is relatively high. If you buy it and drink it by yourself, it can easily cause diarrhea. You must follow the doctor's advice.
There is a lot of quarrel on the Internet right now, saying that nutritional supplements for the elderly are an IQ tax. In fact, both sides have truths. Most of the people who think it is useless are the elderly at home who can eat normally and eat enough eggs, milk, and lean meat every day. In this case, there is really no need to drink extra. Taking too much will increase the burden on the liver and kidneys. It is better to cook well and be more cost-effective. ； But from the perspective of clinical nutrition, if the elderly have developed hypoalbuminemia, lost more than 5% of their body weight in 3 months, or have dysphagia or are unable to eat after surgery, regular nutrient solutions are much more useful than rice soup and bone soup cooked at home. Many family members of the elderly think that bone soup is nutritional supplement. In fact, 90% of the soup is water and fat, and the protein content is not as good as a mouthful of milk. Don’t hesitate to use nutrient solutions at this time.
There is another pitfall that is easy to step into. Many children buy nutrient solutions without looking at the ingredients. They buy the ordinary version for the elderly with diabetes, and their blood sugar spikes after drinking it. Now there are actually special nutrient solutions for chronic diseases. For example, the version for diabetes has a low GI formula, the version for kidney disease has adjusted protein, potassium, and phosphorus content, and there are also ones for cancer patients. Before buying, it is best to ask a nutritionist for advice. Don’t just buy expensive ones based on advertisements. Only those that are suitable for the elderly will be useful.
