Oral Nutritional Supplements
Oral Nutritional Supplements (ONS) provide macronutrients and micronutrients and are designed to be consumed orally, thus taste and format are important considerations. ONS are available as ready-to-drink liquids or powders that can be prepared as drinks (also called ‘sip feeds’) but are also available in pre-thickened form.
They may be suitable as a sole source of nutrition but are most commonly used as a supplement to normal foods.
ONS are an effective and non-invasive solution to tackle DRM in patients who are typically able to consume some normal food, but not enough to meet all of their nutritional needs. ONS are effective in a large number of diseases and their treatment – including cancer, stroke, neurological and gastrointestinal conditions, and surgery.