What is a “drinkable food”?

Nutritional supplements are liquid foods that are produced for the prevention or treatment of malnutrition. It is manufactured as a medical product and is geared towards the treatment of various diseases in terms of the amount of energy and composition. In the case of ALS, all nutritional components are present in a balanced manner (in contrast to liquid nutrition for patients with dialysis or liver disease).

The liquid food for ALS has an increased energy density – a high calorie intake is achieved with the intake of a small volume of liquid food. The intake of solid food and liquids can be stressful, particularly in the case of a swallowing disorder. In this situation, it is advantageous if a high amount of energy can be consumed with a small portion of liquid food. Even in the case of weight loss without a swallowing disorder, it is advantageous that a high nutritional intake can be achieved with a small volume of a high-calorie drink. Due to these properties, liquid nutrition is an important component of ALS treatment.