Cath Lab Digest

Login to Download
PDF version

     Each autumn, the largest meeting of nutrition professionals in the world — the Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo (FNCE) — is convened. The conference, sponsored by the American Dietetic Association (ADA), brings together thousands of nutrition and health professionals for education and networking. One of the highlights of FNCE is its exposition, where hundreds of vendors fill aisle after aisle to showcase the latest and hottest nutrition products and solutions. The proliferation of new products on the market has made nutrition intervention programs very exciting and offers facilities and healthcare providers the opportunity to individualize nutrition care. For example, some patients prefer sweet flavors, while others prefer the tart flavor of citrus. Some need to gain weight in order to heal their wounds while others need to lose weight for glycemic control. The saying, “To each his own,” also applies to nutrition interventions. Here are some products you may be able use to expand your nutrition intervention program for 2010.

Juven® (Abbott Nutrition, Columbus, OH)

     Juven® is a powdered drink mix that contains a blend of arginine, glutamine, and beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate (HMB). It is used as an adjunctive therapy to support wound healing and to build and maintain lean body mass. Each serving of this product contains 7 g of arginine, 7 g of glutamine, and 1.5 g of HMB. Arginine increases blood flow and oxygenation through vasodilation and serves as a precursor for nitric oxide synthesis. Glutamine has a role in stimulating collagen and protein synthesis. HMB enhances protein production and protects protein from breakdown. Two servings per day are recommended. The product is available in orange and grape flavors as well as unflavored. To serve, 1 packet is mixed with 8 to 10 oz of water. The unflavored version may be mixed with foods such as oatmeal, mashed potatoes, and spaghetti, making it ideal for volume-restricted patients.

Bifera (Alaven Consumer Healthcare, Marietta, GA)

     Bifera is an oral iron supplement but does not cause the traditional gastrointestinal upset associated with iron supplements. This product is the only over-the-counter (OTC) iron supplement to offer both heme iron (protein-based iron) and non-heme iron (plant-based iron). This combination has long been available with additional folic acid as a prenatal vitamin but is now available without the folic acid for other patient populations. The recommended dose is one tablet per day, taken with or without food. Each tablet contains 28 mg of iron, 155% of the daily value. Specifically, one tablet contains 22 mg of polysaccharide iron complex (PIC) and 6 mg of heme iron polypeptide (HIP). Patients who have been unable to tolerate other OTC iron supplements report success when switching to this iron supplement.

Dreamfields Pasta (Dreamfields Food, Carrington, ND)

     Dreamfields Pasta is a low glycemic-index pasta appropriate for use with patients with diabetes. This pasta contains only 5 g of digestible carbohydrates and has 5 g of fiber. Like other premium pastas, it is made primarily with durum wheat semolina, which is why it has all of the flavor and texture of traditional pasta. However, this pasta is unique in that its patent-pending recipe and manufacturing process results in only 5 g of digestible carbohydrates per serving. This, in turn, lessens post-meal blood glucose rise as compared to traditional pasta. Much of the fiber comes from inulin, a natural prebiotic fiber that has been shown to promote healthy digestion, support a strong immune system, and improve calcium absorption.