Research

Hormonal

Pre-operative administration of carbohydrate-rich fluids (12.5% solution, 400-800 mL) attenuates post-operative insulin resistance and endogenous glucose release, potentially reducing hospital stay and inflammatory markers in THR/TKR patients.

If you are having hip or knee replacement surgery, ask your surgical team about drinking a specific carbohydrate-rich solution (like a clear maltodextrin drink) the night before and/or 2 hours before your procedure. This is not regular food or water; it is a specific medical protocol designed to reduce surgical stress and speed up recovery. Do not do this unless your medical team approves it, as they will provide the specific type and timing.

ModerateSupportsMEDIUM confidence
Intake of a carbohydrate-containing fluid is reported to improve insulin-like growth factor levels, reduce hunger, nausea, and length of stay, and attenuate the decrease in whole-body insulin sensitivity and endogenous glucose release.
Louise Burgess et al. · Nutrients · 2018

Why this rating

Based on a systematic review of 9 RCTs/pilot RCTs, but the authors note 'limited evidence' and 'low sample sizes'.

Source

What Is the Role of Nutritional Supplements in Support of Total Hip Replacement and Total Knee Replacement Surgeries? A Systematic Review

Louise Burgess et al. · Nutrients · 2018

DOI 10.3390/nu10070820

systematic_reviewCited 56×
Read the paper
DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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