Have you considered drinking supplemental nutrition shakes?
As a dietitian who works with those suffering from eating disorders and gastrointestinal issues, part of my work is helping my clients restore their weight. When weight is lost rapidly, regardless of Body Mass Index (BMI) it can pose a serious health risk.
This can also occur if your body weight is lower than your set point, or the weight your healthy body wants your weight to be so it can function optimally.
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Should you be drinking Supplemental Nutrition Shakes (or supplements)?
With both scenarios we can see the following symptoms:
- Weakness
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Cold hands and feet
- Ankle swelling
- Constipation
- Delayed stomach emptying (with nausea, vomiting or stomach pain)
- Loss of menstrual cycle
- Dry skin, brittle nails, hair loss
- Poor concentration
- Memory loss
- Increase in anxiety, obsessive thoughts
These are all signs that your body is not getting enough fuel, or calories to sustain its functions.
Other symptoms are your body’s attempt to get you to eat more such as:
- Inability to sleep at night is your body saying, “Go find food!”
- Disproportionate amount of time thinking about food is your body saying, “Go find food!”
These signs and symptoms are pretty debilitating and can be life threatening.
Reasons to use Supplemental Nutrition Shakes
This is why I sometimes use nutritional supplements to increase calories. Along with regular meal and snacks these supplements allow us to get high calories in without a large volume of food.
You can imagine if you are already feeling full, constipated eating 300 calories of vegetables will take up more space that you can handle, you would need to be eating all day!
With supplements we can get those calories in smaller volumes that your stomach can tolerate. I use multiple brands depending on the client and their needs. If you cannot tolerate dairy I have some dairy free options; if you need to be lactose free I can try others.
Some of our favorites to recommend right now are Kate Farms*, Boost Very High Calorie*, and Ensure Plus*. These all come in a variety of flavors.
Comparison of Supplemental Nutrition Shakes
See the chart below for some of my commonly used supplemental nutrition shakes and when I use them!
Retail Supplements
Shake Name: |
When to use: |
Pros: |
Flavors: |
Where to buy: |
What you need to know |
ENU |
-Cancer related weight loss -Eating disorder related weight loss -GI related weight loss |
-Lactose free for easier digestion -Dense formula for less volume |
-Chocolate -Vanilla |
-ENU website -Amazon |
If my patients can tolerate these this is my go-to since it is the densest formula. It is usually well tolerated by my clients even if they previously could not tolerate Boost or Ensure. |
Kate Farms |
-Cancer related weight loss -Eating disorder related weight loss -GI related weight loss -Vegan |
-Soy and dairy free -Uses whole foods in formula |
-Chocolate -Vanilla -Coffee -Unflavored |
-Vitamin Shoppe -Wegmans -Amazon |
Since this formula uses a variety of whole foods I don’t always use for food sensitivities. It does have some FODMAPs but is generally well tolerated by IBS clients. |
Pronourish |
-Low Fodmaps -IBS |
-100% FODMAP Friendly -Lactose free |
-Chocolate -Vanilla -Strawberry -Banana |
-Safeway -CVS -Giant -Shoppers |
This product is pretty low calorie so not the best for restoring weight. The portion is more of a snack size. It is lactose free but still has dairy for those that cannot tolerate dairy. |
Orgain (vegan) |
-Cancer related weight loss -Eating disorder related weight loss -GI related weight loss -Vegan -Low FODMAP (mostly) |
-Mostly Low FODMAP -Dairy Free |
-Chocolate -Vanilla |
-Giant -Moms -Safeway -CVS -Whole Foods -Rite Aid -Costco -YES! |
This is slightly higher calories and usually well tolerated by my IBS clients even though not 100% Low FODMAP. |
Svelt |
On-the- go | -Dairy free |
-Banana -Chocolate -Vanilla -Spiced chai -Cappuccino |
-Wegmans -Safeway -Mom’s -Davids -Shoprite -Vitamin Shoppe -Yes! -Walmart |
This brand is easy to find but it is low calorie so not the best for restoring weight and is more of a snack portion. Great for on the go ease when not able to prepare a snack. |
Special order Nutrition SupplementsNot available retail, available via home care or pharmacy. Your dietitian can help with how to order. |
|||||
Peptamen |
-GI related weight loss -Malabsorption |
-Hydrolyzed protein for GI issues affecting tolerance and absorption |
-Unflavored -Vanilla |
Home care or pharmacy | This product is broken down from full proteins to peptides for easier digestion and absorption. As products are more broken down they tend to be more expensive and less palatable so I usually try other products first. |
Neocate |
-Eosinophilic Esophagitis -Food allergies |
-Elemental formula |
-Unflavored -Orange pineapple -Grape -Tropical fruit |
Home Care or pharmacy | This product is broken down from peptides to elements for easier digestion and absorption. As products are more broken down they tend to be more expensive and less palatable so I usually try other products first. |
Benecalorie |
-Cancer related weight loss -Eating disorder related weight loss -GI related weight loss |
-Dense calories that can be added to your usual food | -Unflavored | Home care or pharmacy | This product contains calories and protein to help restore weight by adding to your regular foods such as beverages, yogurt, mashed potatoes, hot cereals and creamy soups. |
When to use Nutrition Supplements
When you have lost weight or have the symptoms below if if your BMI is too low. See details below
If you have lost a significant amount of weight, which is defined as
| >5% weight loss in 1 month | >7.5% in 3 months | >10% in 6 months |
or have the symptoms including
- Weakness
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Cold hands and feet
- Ankle swelling
- Constipation
- Delayed stomach emptying (with nausea, vomiting or stomach pain)
- Loss of menstrual cycle
- Dry skin, brittle nails, hair loss
- Poor concentration
- Memory loss
- Increase in anxiety, obsessive thoughts
or are currently at a BMI under 18.5
Contact us at Rebecca Bitzer & Associates explore your nutrition needs and get personalized recommendations. You can reach us here or call 301-474-2499.
-Blog reviewed and updated by Rebecca Bitzer MS RD LD September 17, 2021
Rebecca Bitzer loves to empower Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs) and their clients. Co-author of Welcome to the Rebelution: Seven steps to the nutrition counseling practice of your dreams and Taste the Sweet Rebellion: Rebel against dieting.
