Site Map

Eating extra calories when sick - adults

Getting more calories - adults; Chemotherapy - calories; Transplant - calories; Cancer treatment - calories

I Would Like to Learn About:

Description

If you are sick or undergoing cancer treatment, you may not feel like eating. But it is important to get enough protein and calories so you do not lose too much weight. Eating well can help you handle your illness and the side effects of treatment better.

Self-care

Change your eating habits to get more calories.

Ask others to prepare food for you. You may feel like eating, but you might not have enough energy to cook.

Make eating pleasant.

When you feel up to it, make some simple meals and freeze them to eat later. Ask your provider about "Meals on Wheels" or other programs that bring food to your house.

Ways to add Calories to Your Food

You can add calories to your food by doing the following:

Ask your provider about liquid nutrition drinks.

Also ask your provider about any medicines that can stimulate your appetite to help you eat.

Related Information

Mastectomy
Bone marrow transplant
Stroke
Dementia
Parkinson disease
Alzheimer disease
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease - adults - discharge
Bone marrow transplant - discharge
After chemotherapy - discharge
Interstitial lung disease - adults - discharge
COPD - control drugs
COPD - quick-relief drugs
Abdominal radiation - discharge
Brain radiation - discharge
Breast external beam radiation - discharge
Chest radiation - discharge
Mouth and neck radiation - discharge
Pelvic radiation - discharge
Drinking water safely during cancer treatment
Safe eating during cancer treatment
Preventing pressure ulcers
Chemotherapy - what to ask your doctor
Radiation therapy - questions to ask your doctor

References

National Cancer Institute website. Nutrition in cancer care (PDQ) - health professional version. www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/side-effects/appetite-loss/nutrition-hp-pdq. Updated March 23, 2022. Accessed July 1, 2022.

Thompson KL, Elliott L, Fuchs-Tarlovsky V, Levin RM, Voss AC, Piemonte T. Oncology evidence-based nutrition practice guideline for adults. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2017;117(2):297-310. PMID: 27436529 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27436529/.

BACK TO TOP

Review Date: 1/25/2022  

Reviewed By: Todd Gersten, MD, Hematology/Oncology, Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute, Wellington, FL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

ADAM Quality Logo
Health Content Provider
06/01/2025

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, for Health Content Provider (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is an independent audit to verify that A.D.A.M. follows rigorous standards of quality and accountability. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial policy, editorial process and privacy policy. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics. This site complied with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information from 1995 to 2022, after which HON (Health On the Net, a not-for-profit organization that promoted transparent and reliable health information online) was discontinued.

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997- 2024 A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.

A.D.A.M. content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.