When you are dealing with and recovering from cancer, nutritional shakes can help you get the nutrients you need to heal and to feel better. Both the disease and its treatment may affect your appetite as well as your digestive health, making whole foods less appealing than a dietary supplement. However, seek the advice of your oncologist or a dietitian before adding nutritional shakes, or any over-the counter supplement, to your meal plan.
Background
Nutritional shakes commonly contain high-quality protein derived from milk, soy or eggs. They can also contribute calories to your diet in the form of sugars or healthy fats, with or without the addition of essential vitamins and minerals. During cancer treatment, you might need more protein and calories than before your illness; however, mouth sores, nausea and changes in how your food smells and tastes can affect your ability to eat. Nutritional shakes offer the nutrients of solid food in a form that is easy to swallow, and you may find them easier to tolerate than solid foods.
Benefits
In addition to the nutrients they provide, supplemental shakes require no preparation. You can consume them any time your digestive system is amenable to taking in nutrition without having to spend the time and energy to cook whole foods. They are available in a variety of flavors to pique your interest even if whole foods are unappealing. Because they are in liquid form, they help keep you hydrated while you are recovering. Furthermore, you can keep nutritional supplements well chilled so they can help soothe your sore mouth or sore throat during treatment.
Risks
Cancer or its treatment can cause you to become lactose intolerant, a condition in which you cannot digest the milk sugar lactose. Nutritional shakes made from the milk proteins casein or whey might contain variable amounts of lactose, and consuming them can cause additional abdominal distress during your cancer treatment. Another risk of nutritional shakes stems from their lack of regulation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Because supplement manufacturers can bring their products to market without FDA approval, they might potentially be contaminated by hazardous impurities.
Considerations
Maintaining an adequate fiber intake may be difficult if you find whole foods difficult to consume during cancer treatment and recovery. In this case, you may need to include a fiber supplement, or a nutritional shake containing fiber, in your diet to help keep your bowels regular. Additionally, you may need to experiment with different types or brands of nutritional shakes to find the ones that best agree with your tastes and your digestive system.
References
- National Cancer Institute: What You Should Know About Cancer Treatment, Eating Well, and Eating Problems
- St. Louis Children’s Hospital; High-Calorie/High-Protein Diet; 2011
- “Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition”; International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: Protein and Exercise; Bill Campbell, et al.; September 2007
- Jeff Galloway Productions; Tips From Nancy Clark; Protein Power: The Truth About Supplements
- ConsumerReports.org; Alert: Protein Drinks; July 2010
