Nutritional Therapy – Ongoing Management of
the Complications of SBS
SBS is a lifelong condition. Nutritional deficiencies,
diarrhea, liver disease, and bacterial overgrowth are chronic complications
of SBS, and the goal of nutritional therapy at this stage is to avoid
or minimize these complications. Oral feedings may be associated with
diarrhea, which can be managed by restricting and controlling food intake.
A daily diet with five or six small meals high in complex carbohydrates
and protein is less likely to induce extensive diarrhea than one high
in fat. The mainstays of this diet are rice, baked potatoes, and pasta
complemented with small quantities of chicken, fish, and lean meat. Gradually,
as the body adapts to oral feeding, the amount of food and liquids ingested
can be increased. The nutritional goal is to provide 120% to 200% of the
usual protein and energy requirements, in order to compensate for nutrient
malabsorption.
This information
is provided as a general educational service
and is not intended to recommend any particular treatment plan
or to replace the advice of physicians. It is important that patients
seek and rely on the advice of a healthcare professional
about their individual medical conditions.
