| For Maggie Tipton, capsulized protein beverages | | | | the concern of healthcare professionals. "We have |
| are positioned alongside bodybuilding supplements | | | | nearly 160 beds in our renal care facility, and |
| on the shelf in her local health food store. | | | | protein absorption is a critical challenge for our |
| However, more and more hospitals and medical | | | | patients. |
| centers across the country are taking it very | | | | Many serious conditions require careful monitoring |
| seriously. | | | | of protein intake. Severe burns patients, for |
| Maggie has been a resident in a care home for | | | | example, will suffer rapid muscle protein |
| more than a dozen years. Physically, she seems | | | | breakdown, known as catabolism. The body tries |
| as fit as you might expect an 89-year-old to be. | | | | to stabilize itself automatically but, as a |
| The truth is, she is becoming increasingly frail as | | | | consequence, the lean body mass (LBM) may |
| her worsening dementia prevents her from | | | | reduce dramatically unless an alternate, easily |
| understanding why she feels the way she does. | | | | available protein source is present. Our LBM is our |
| More often than not these days she needs | | | | total tissue mass (organs and muscles), so it is |
| assistance in walking the 50 steps from her | | | | easy to imagine why controlling this downward |
| bedroom to the TV lounge. At mealtimes she | | | | spiral is critical. Higher than normal protein intake |
| finds her appetite is not what it was, and the care | | | | for severe burns patients is essential, but the |
| staff and resident nursing team only recognized | | | | correct balance is vital as over-dosing on protein |
| the pattern after several days. They became | | | | can cause a build-up of urea and ammonia. This |
| used to the fact that Maggie had to be coaxed to | | | | can trigger nausea and vomiting, which can then |
| eat, but because of the rotating shifts and heavy | | | | reverse any benefit brought by the additional |
| workloads imposed on staffers at her care home, | | | | protein. For this reason, it is essential that the |
| her miniscule food consumption had gone largely | | | | patient and the nursing staff have a consistent |
| unnoticed. The normal response to such a | | | | method of assessing protein input accurately. |
| situation in this particular care home, and in many | | | | Similarly, recovery from renal failure demands |
| around the country, is to start monitoring liquid | | | | careful monitoring of protein intake. Treatment |
| and food consumption by means of a tally chart | | | | and recuperation require that the blood urea |
| completed at the end of each shift. Although this | | | | nitrogen (BUN) level and serum creatinine level are |
| is a practical step, it suffers from being imprecise | | | | normalized. Both urea and creatinine are |
| -- a single staff member may be responsible for | | | | by-products of protein digestion and, as with |
| up to twenty residents, oftentimes leading to | | | | Maggie, these patients will respond well to a |
| erroneous reporting. | | | | supplement that is easy to consume. |
| Also, providing a dementia patient with | | | | Almost one-fourth of cancer patients can be |
| conventional food to fend off malnutrition does | | | | diagnosed as anorexic, the condition where loss of |
| not take into consideration the need for protein. | | | | appetite causes dramatic weight loss. If |
| The elderly with weak constitutions, faulty | | | | unchecked, anorexia leads to a condition called |
| dentures and dodgy digestive systems will | | | | cachexia where muscle mass is lost and the |
| generally choose bland, easily ingested foods in | | | | resulting progressive weakness can lead to |
| preference to protein-rich foods that are | | | | premature death. Encouraging studies using |
| oftentimes harder to eat. Even the American | | | | tissue-building proteins in nutrition therapy has |
| Heart Association's safe recommendation of 6 | | | | improved the condition of these patients. It may |
| ounces of cooked meat per day may be difficult | | | | not cure their cancer, but it will improve the |
| to achieve, especially as portions are rarely | | | | quality of their lives by relieving nutrition impact |
| served so accurately in a care-home kitchen. | | | | symptoms and reducing the possibility of |
| [MAY REMOVE THIS SENTENCE: At the end of a | | | | secondary infections. |
| hectic day, you are still left with the dilemma of | | | | In the case of cancers, the disease may be |
| what to do with the data that Maggie only had | | | | responsible for rendering the digestive system |
| two mouthfuls of beef stew for lunch.] | | | | deficient in its ability to properly convert food. |
| How much better it would be for the care staff | | | | Patients with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract |
| to report that Maggie had exactly 75 grams of | | | | are particularly at risk of malabsorbing nutrients |
| protein through the day? They could achieve this | | | | even if they appear to be eating a balanced diet. |
| so easily by ensuring she takes the contents of | | | | However there are millions of us who have |
| three small, vial-shaped capsules. The capsules | | | | mistreated our digestive systems throughout our |
| contain a dose of an undersized, ready-to-drink | | | | lives. Some doctors estimate that 90% of all |
| beverage that holds only 2.7 fluid ounces -- about | | | | illnesses can be attributed to poor diet, or a faulty |
| one third of a cup - yet it boasts 25g of protein | | | | digestive process. When you consider the poisons |
| and the complete range of water-soluble vitamins. | | | | we allow into our bodies -- alcohol, chocolate, |
| So many diseases, intolerances and allergies are | | | | saturated fat, salt and caffeine - coupled with |
| caused or exacerbated by a poor diet, and the | | | | ample amounts of stress, there is little question |
| healthcare community knows that protein is | | | | that our gastro-intestinal tracts may eventually |
| oftentimes a cornerstone of the solution. | | | | falter and have a reduced ability to properly break |
| More and more patients and professionals are | | | | down proteins. |
| turning to capsulized foods -- dense nutrition in a | | | | Perhaps we shouldn't wait until we are 89 years |
| compact liquid form -- as part of an overall | | | | old, like Maggie Tipton, to take a controlling |
| treatment or diet plan. | | | | interest in the significant role protein plays in our |
| While taste reigns supreme to patients, efficacy is | | | | diets and in our well-being. |