Post-Surgery Recovery: How Protein Helps Heal the Body

One can undergo surgery for any number of reasons. Perhaps you’ve gone under to remove those pesky wisdom teeth. Or, maybe the operation is more severe, such as a major cancer surgery or organ transplant.

Regardless of the type of surgery, the body undergoes a significant amount of stress and trauma. Adequate nutrition, including protein intake, is essential for optimal recovery.

By consuming protein-rich foods during the recovery period, you can provide your body with the necessary nutrients to support tissue repair, immune function, wound healing and muscle recovery — just remember to consult with your healthcare provider first to address your specific needs.

Your Post-Surgery Body

Following a surgery, it’s normal to experience a fair amount of discomfort. Initially, surgical patients may feel stomach discomfort from general anesthesia and throat soreness from the tube placed in your windpipe that allows you to breathe during surgery. You may also feel confused or sick.

After your initial come-to, your post-surgery recovery is categorized into three phases:

• Acute – Immediately following your surgery, you’re likely to experience swelling that can cause acute pain and discomfort. This swelling can also last up to six weeks, depending on the severity of the surgery. You may also feel restless, thirsty, gassy or have difficulty passing bowel movements.
• Sub-acute – During this phase, which can occur anywhere from three weeks to a year after surgery, the body begins to repair itself. Swelling may subside as new tissue forms and your wounds begin to heal.
• Chronic – Several months to years after surgery, your repaired tissues will mature and fully heal. Although, in some cases, your body may still experience trauma from the surgery, which can limit your range of motion and require prolonged physical therapy if you’ve undergone a hip replacement or other kind of joint surgery, for example.

How Can Protein Support Your Post-Surgery Recovery?

Dietary proteins, like lean meat, legumes and dairy, contain amino acids that are the building blocks of your body’s tissues and critical to the recovery process. Accordingly, protein can help to:

• Repair and grow tissue – After surgery, the body requires increased amounts of protein to repair and regenerate damaged tissues. Amino acids from dietary proteins serve as the building blocks for new cells and tissues, promoting the healing of surgical wounds and incisions. Without sufficient protein, the body cannot effectively produce new cells, leading to slower wound healing and an increased risk of complications.
• Provide immune support – The immune system is crucial in protecting the body from germ-related complications, especially after surgery when the body is more vulnerable. Proteins and immune systemfunction go hand in hand, as proteins are essential for the production and function of immune cells, antibodies and cytokines, which are all vital components of the immune response.
• Produce collagen – Collagen is a structural protein that’s abundant in skin, connective tissues and blood vessels. It plays a vital role in wound healing by providing strength and elasticity to the new tissue formed during the healing process. Eating protein provides the necessary amino acids, such as glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline, for collagen synthesis.
• Maintain the muscles – Surgery often leads to reduced physical activity, which can result in the loss of muscle mass. Accordingly, proteins are essential for the maintenance and repair of muscle tissue since consuming adequate amounts of protein helps prevent muscle wasting and supports the rebuilding of muscle mass, which is crucial for regaining strength and mobility. This is especially important for surgeries involving the musculoskeletal system, where muscle recovery is critical.
• Produce enzymes and hormones – Proteins are involved in the production of enzymes and hormones that regulate various bodily functions. Enzymes are biological catalysts that speed up chemical reactions in the body, including those involved in healing and recovery. Hormones, such as insulin and growth hormone which play roles in metabolism and tissue repair, also depend on protein for their synthesis and function.
• Reduce swelling – Certain amino acids found in proteins have properties that can help reduce swelling, which is a common side effect after surgery. For example, amino acids like arginine and glutamine are known to modulate the immune response and reduce swelling and discomfort.

Read up on proteins vs. amino acids for a better understanding of their role in wellness and recovery.

How Much Protein Do You Need Pre and Post Recovery?

A recent study in pre- and post-surgical nutrition found that surgical patients who are malnourished are more likely to have lengthy hospital stays, higher remission rates, more complications and a higher risk of mortality.

As such, researchers and healthcare professionals recommend adding protein and other macronutrients to your diet both pre- and post-surgery.

When the body undergoes surgery, it enters a stress state. In this state, protein synthesis decreases and protein breakdown increases. This, coupled with a patient's inability to participate in physical activity following a surgery, can lead to accelerated muscle loss in as little as 48 hours of inactivity.

To preserve muscle mass and limit muscle loss, it’s recommended to eat a high-protein diet, which has been shown to increase protein synthesis by 40% and decrease protein breakdown by 20%.

In one study that observed the impact of protein supplementation after knee surgery, it was found that eating foods dense in essential amino acids helped improve leg strength, improve walking distance and enhance grip strength. In addition to protein, it’s also recommended to eat plenty of carbohydrates to maintain healthy insulin levels.

Seven to 10 days before surgery, it’s important to nourish your body with high-quality carbohydrate and protein sources to ensure that your body has enough energy stores to function within the stress state and support immune function. Specifically, it’s advised to eat 8 grams of carbs, like fruits, vegetables and whole grains, per kilogram of body weight leading up to surgery.

For protein, intakes of 1.2 to 2 grams of high-quality protein per kilogram of body weight are recommended. These include animal meats and proteins, as well as plant-based proteins like lentils, quinoa, black beans, soy, peas and rice.

After surgery, eating solid foods can be difficult, but protein intake is still important. In the first few hours, a high-quality meal replacementprotein shake can help support healing and recovery until whole foods are more easily tolerated.

During this time, 1.6 to 3.0 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight are recommended, with 20 to 40 grams of protein consumed per meal.

Incorporate INVIGOR8 For Post Surgery Recovery

Eating protein in preparation for and following a surgery can help support your overall health and promote optimal healing and recovery after any operation.

For a convenient and nutrient-packed organic superfood protein powder option, there’s the INVIGOR8 Superfood Shake. It’s natural, delicious and packed with 20 grams of protein per serving to support your post-surgery recovery.

Explore our variety of flavors and pair this shake with our unflavored collagen peptides powder for a complete protein-centered wellness routine.

Sources:

1. Johns Hopkins Medicine. After Surgery: Discomforts and Complications
2. Soulstice. Phases of Healing Following Surgery
3. WebMD. Common Complications After Surgery
4. OMG of Tampa Bay. The Healing Power of Protein: Why a High-Protein Diet Is Essential After Joint Replacement Surgery
5. Nutrients. Pre- and Post-Surgical Nutrition for Preservation of Muscle Mass, Strength, and Functionality Following Orthopedic Surgery