The topic regarding dietary supplements and surgery is seldomly discussed but can make a huge difference in how a person recovers from surgery. Personally, I have never had a surgery or been under anesthesia except for some local numbing before stitches so I can’t tell you how a protocol like this will work. I can however reference some studies that show the benefit of preparing your body for surgery with the use of dietary supplements

For starters, a recent study examined patients coming into the hospital setting and they found out that about 40% of patients admitted to the hospital were malnourished. That is an astounding number but something even more unbelievable is that 80% of patients leaving the hospital were malnourished. These statistics are enough to make you cringe.

We have to keep in mind that many of those going into the hospital need help and it is not surprising that they are malnourished. It is also evident that many patients go into surgery in not a very good physical state. If we use the same mindset as we do when training for a sporting event, we should be trying to get ourselves in peak physical shape prior to surgery if that is possible. By reaching this goal, the hope would be to provide an optimal recovery

Priming yourself for surgery can be done in as little as 3 to 4 weeks. It is quite simple and requires a couple of supplements. First would be a good multivitamin with minerals. This will cover the micronutrients and minerals when your diet isn’t living up to expectations. Essential Multi is my go to multivitamin taking 2 in the morning and 1 in the evening. It fills in the gaps that your diet doesn’t cover.

Second is omega 3 fatty acids, they are the building blocks for cell walls and have anti-inflammatory properties. The use of omega 3’s and surgery are somewhat controversial as it is thought that they could potentially increase bleeding time which could be an issue during surgery. A 2017 study looked at 52 different studies regarding this topic and came up with the following conclusion:

Fish oil supplements reduced platelet aggregation in healthy subjects. This biochemical effect was not reflected in increased bleeding risk during or after surgery evaluated in randomized controlled trials. Consequently, this systematic review does not support the need for discontinuation of fish oil supplements prior to surgery or other invasive procedures.

Another study from 2013 looked at supplementation of fish oil in patients having coronary artery bypass. They found that by taking fish oil, patients were less likely to have atrial fibrillation after having the surgery. The fish oil I recommend is Omega Pure 720 taking 1 capsule twice a day.

Third would be incorporating a protein shake into your daily regimen. Unfortunately, many of our elderly population don’t get enough protein in their diets. Protein is necessary to maintain muscle mass and the amino acids are building blocks for all systems in our body.

A 2014 study looked at the effects of combination of whey protein intake and rehabilitation on muscle strength and daily movements in patients with hip fracture in the early postoperative period. The conclusion was:

The combination of whey protein intake and rehabilitation for two weeks in the early postoperative period has a beneficial effect on knee extension strength in both lower limbs and transfer, walking and toilet use scores in patients with hip fracture.

Increase your zinc intake to 30–50 mg for two weeks before and two weeks after surgery, using zinc picolinate. Zinc is critical to wound healing, and surgery or trauma can decrease the level of zinc in your body.

Surgical trauma causes an increase in free radicals, which disrupt and damage cellular function. For this reason alone, you should take at least 50 mg of CoQ10 as part of your daily routine before surgery, and 100–200 mg per day for at least four weeks during surgery recovery.

Because surgery depletes your body of vitamin C, take 500–1,000 mg as part of your daily routine before surgery and 1,000 mg three times a day after surgery. Return to your usual dosage after two weeks.

A product that I recommend is Injury and Surgical Support which can be used before surgery to help prepare your body and after surgery to help with recovery. It is a comprehensive product that can help with inflammation

As you can see, there is evidence to support getting your body ready to do battle with surgery. Here are my non-nutritional recommendations prior to surgery:

·If possible, either start an exercise program or continue your current exercise regimen up until the day before surgery.

·Eat clean and lean meaning, organic fruits and vegetables and lean sources of protein. Avoid processed food and sugar.

Keep in mind that it is always best to let your health care provider know what supplements you are taking and when you are taking them.