When it comes to patients with liver failure, poor nutrition is often a hallmark cause. Muscle wasting, weakness, and fatigue can become worse after a liver transplant, and it is important to provide proper nutrition to inspire the body to recover quickly. Muscle wasting is defined as a decrease in muscle mass, most commonly seen in bedridden hospital patients. According to Dr. Aldo J. Montano-Loza of the University of Alberta, “Muscle wasting is frequently overlooked in liver transplant candidates as nutritional assessment is not routinely carried out as part of clinical practice, and an accurate assessment can be complicated by obesity or fluid retention.”
Therapy for liver transplant patients is now moving in a positive direction with the inclusion of personalized diets with fish oil supplements and branched-chain amino acids, encouragement to exercise, and physiotherapy with the goal to prevent conditions like muscle wasting. For patients that do not have access to dietitians and exercise specialists, it is important that they receive the necessary information for proper recovery.
Reference:
- Mazurak, V. C., Tandon, P. and Montano-Loza, A. J. Nutrition and the transplant candidate. Liver Transpl. 2017;23(11):1451–1464.
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