Energy balance
Nutritional supplementation promotes weight gain and improves fat-free mass, 6-minute walk distance, and quality of life in undernourished COPD patients, with maximal benefits when combined with exercise.
If you have COPD and are losing weight or have low muscle mass, nutritional supplements are recommended. Focus on high-protein, high-fat oral supplements taken in small, frequent portions throughout the day rather than large meals. This strategy helps overcome the breathlessness associated with eating large volumes and supports muscle maintenance. Combining this with exercise may yield the best functional results.
Moderate-quality evidence (due to mixed risks of bias) suggests that nutritional supplementation promotes weight gain among patients with COPD, especially if undernourished... It is likely that the benefits of supplementation will be maximised if combined with exercise
Why this rating
Based on moderate-quality evidence from a Cochrane review of 17 trials, though heterogeneity and bias risks exist.
Source
Nutritional assessment and therapy in COPD: a European Respiratory Society statement
Annemie M.W.J. Schols et al. · European Respiratory Journal · 2014
DOI 10.1183/09031936.00070914
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