Macro partitioning
Nutrition interventions targeting 25-30 kcal/kg/day energy and 1.0-1.5 g/kg/day protein intake can prevent or attenuate low muscle mass (MM) in cancer patients, though current evidence is limited by short intervention durations and lack of oncology-specific study designs.
For cancer patients, maintaining adequate energy (25-30 kcal/kg/day) and protein (1.0-1.5 g/kg/day) intake is crucial to prevent muscle loss. While evidence is still evolving, these targets are recommended to support treatment tolerance and recovery. Be patient, as muscle restoration takes time, and focus on consistent intake rather than quick fixes.
We discuss energy requirements (25–30 kcal/kg/day) and interventions of protein (1.0–1.5 g/kg/day)... to countermeasure low MM in cancer. ... Understanding patients’ nutritional requirements could lead to targeted prescriptions to prevent or attenuate low MM in cancer, with the overall aim of minimizing muscle loss during anti-cancer therapy and maximizing muscle anabolism during recovery.
Why this rating
The paper is a narrative review highlighting gaps; it cites various studies but notes that evidence is variable and often from small, short-duration trials.
Source
Nutrition interventions to treat low muscle mass in cancer
Carla M. Prado et al. · Journal of Cachexia Sarcopenia and Muscle · 2020
DOI 10.1002/jcsm.12525
More from this paper
- Fish oil and Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA) supplementation (2.0-2.2 g/day EPA and 1.5 g/day DHA) can help preserve skeletal muscle and reduce intramuscular adipose tissue in cancer patients, particularly those with advanced lung or pancreatic cancer.Good
- Supplementation with Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs), specifically leucine (2-4 g/day), may help ameliorate muscle loss in cancer by promoting protein synthesis, though long-term effects on muscle mass require further investigation.Moderate
- β-hydroxy β-methylbutyrate (HMB) supplementation (3 g/day) may help improve body composition in cancer patients, particularly those with smaller initial weight loss, by minimizing protein degradation.Moderate
Related findings · Macro partitioning
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- Resistance exercise training combined with sufficient dietary protein intake acts synergistically to maximize skeletal muscle hypertrophy, with protein intake saturating around 1.6 g/kg/day for general populations and potentially requiring 2.0-2.2 g/kg/day for resistance-trained individuals.Strong
- Trans fats should be completely eliminated from the diet, as they increase LDL cholesterol, decrease HDL cholesterol, and are directly associated with increased coronary risk.Strong
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