Research
Mixed
Nutritional intervention with oral nutritional supplements (ONS) providing at least 400 kcal and 30g protein daily for 30 days is recommended to manage post-COVID-19 acute sarcopenia.
To rebuild muscle after COVID-19, aim for oral nutritional supplements delivering at least 400 calories and 30 grams of protein daily for 30 days. If you are at high risk of malnutrition, increase this to 600 calories daily. Continue this for over 60 days if you were in the ICU.
ModerateSupportsMEDIUM confidence
The patient with the acutely developing post-COVID-19 sarcopenia may benefit from an ONS providing at least 400 kcal per day, with 30 g protein or more. Such strategy should be continued for at least 30 days.
Why this rating
Based on general principles of sarcopenia management and expert consensus cited in the review.
Source
Post-COVID-19 acute sarcopenia: physiopathology and management
Karolina Piotrowicz et al. · Aging Clinical and Experimental Research · 2021
DOI 10.1007/s40520-021-01942-8
narrative_reviewCited 245×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Immobility and bedrest during COVID-19 hospitalization significantly accelerate muscle loss, with ICU stays associated with an 18.5% decrease in rectus femoris muscle mass within 7 days.Good
- Acute sarcopenia in post-COVID-19 patients is driven by a multi-factorial mechanism involving hyper-inflammatory cytokine storms, mitochondrial dysfunction, and immobility, leading to rapid muscle mass and strength loss.Moderate
Related findings · Mixed
- Bariatric surgery (VSG and RYGB) is the most effective and sustainable treatment for obesity, producing marked and sustained weight loss that non-surgical interventions cannot match.Strong
- Severely protein-deficient diets (2–3% energy) induce lean body mass loss and metabolic imbalance, whereas adequate protein intake (0.66 g/kg/d minimum) is a prerequisite for maintaining muscle, bone, and physiological function.Strong
- For patients with Class III obesity (BMI >39.9 kg/m2), metabolic bariatric surgery (MBS) is significantly more effective than any currently approved medication, with BilioPancreatic Diversion (BPD) showing the highest estimated weight loss.Strong
This is one finding among thousands. Every one is graded and traced to its source, so you can see what the evidence actually supports. Browse the research →