Ensure Pre-Surgery Drink:
What You Need to Know!
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in the United States, almost 51.4 million surgical procedures are conducted each year. In almost all of these cases, fasting before going into surgery is necessary as it increases the patient’s safety during the procedure. However, during this fasting window, the body also requires some calories and certain minerals which can prepare it for the surgery. Therefore, Ensure pre-surgery drink has been introduced.
Ensure pre-surgery drink prepares the patient’s body for surgery
In this article, let us learn what Ensure pre-surgery drink is, what its benefits are, and how is it used.
What is Ensure Pre-Surgery Drink?
Ensure pre-surgery drink is a carbohydrate-containing fat-free beverage that is loaded with antioxidants. It is one of the Abbott Nutrition products that is given to patients before surgery to prepare their bodies for the procedure and to provide some calories. In addition, these antioxidants also help them recover after the surgery. It’s simple composition and clean ingredients have rendered the Ensure pre-surgery drink a doctor-recommended brand.
Composition
Ensure pre-surgery drink contains the following ingredients:
- Carbohydrates in a concentration of 50 grams which include corn, maltodextrin, and fructose
- Antioxidants which mainly include zinc (Zinc sulfate) and selenium (Sodium selenate)
- Natural strawberry flavoring agent
- Water
In addition, the Ensure pre-surgery drink also contains citric acid, sodium citrate, potassium citrate, acesulfame potassium, and sucralose in less than 0.5%.
Nutritional Data
The following table highlights the nutrient profile information of the Ensure pre-surgery drink:
| Nutrients | Amount Per Serving |
| Carbohydrates | |
| Total Carbohydrates (g) | 50 |
| Dietary Fiber (g) | 0 |
| Total Sugars (g) | 6 |
| Added Sugars (g) | 6 |
| Proteins | |
| Protein (g) | 0 |
| Fats | |
| Total Fat (g) | 0 |
| Saturated Fat (g) | 0 |
| Trans Fat (g) | 0 |
| Cholesterol (mg) | 0 |
| Minerals | |
| Sodium (mg) | 180 |
| Calcium (mg) | 0 |
| Iron (mg) | 0 |
| Potassium (mg) | 50 |
| Zinc (%) | 25 |
| Selenium (%) | 20 |
| Vitamins | |
| Vitamin D (mcg) | 0 |
Calorie Content
A single serving of the Ensure pre-surgery drink provides around 200 calories to the body.
Abbott Ensure pre-surgery drink is a low-calorie drink which is fat-free
How to Take the Ensure Pre-Surgery Drink?
The Ensure pre-surgery drink needs to be taken one night before the surgery. Keep in mind that you cannot have a meal after taking the drink (during pre-operative fasting).
Usually, 2 bottles of Ensure pre-surgery drink are recommended to be consumed a night before the procedure while 1 should be taken in the morning at least 2 hours before surgery or as directed by your doctor.
The Ensure pre-surgery drink should also be sipped slowly within 10 to 15 minutes. The following table summarizes all the guidelines for taking Ensure pre-surgery drinks which are valid for all except diabetic patients:
| Days Before Surgery | Usage Instructions |
| 6 days before surgery | 3 Ensure pre-surgery drinks should be consumed during the day for 5 days |
| 1 day before surgery | Drink 3 Ensure pre-surgery drinks, one with dinner, one at bedtime, and the third one 2 hours before surgery |
| After surgery | Consume 3 drinks per day for 5 days or as instructed by your healthcare provider |
Benefits of Taking Ensure Pre-Surgery Drink Before Surgery
The use of the Ensure pre-surgery drink before and after surgery provides numerous benefits. These include the following:
- The Ensure pre-surgery drink reduces issues like nausea, vomiting, and anxiety before surgery.
- It also provides some calories to the body which help manage hunger.
- The Ensure pre-surgery drink also helps you feel less thirsty during the fasting period as the drink contains water.
- The contents of the Ensure pre-surgery drink promote quick healing and can thus shorten your stay in the hospital.
- Consuming the Ensure pre-surgery drink before surgery helps balance the blood sugar level.
- With the use of the Ensure pre-surgery drink, the risk of post-surgical complications is reduced.
Ensure products are flavored to make them more palatable
Caution
- Despite being lactose-free, the Ensure pre-surgery drink is not suitable for people who have galactosemia, a rare genetic condition in which the patient is unable to digest and metabolize galactose which is found in dairy products.
- If you have diabetes, the Ensure pre-surgery drink is not for you. It contains carbohydrates such as fructose and maltodextrin which can elevate your blood sugar level.
“Ensure pre-surgery drink can be put in the refrigerator. You can also serve cold Ensure pre-surgery drink by pouring it over ice.”
Good to Know
The Ensure pre-surgery drink is:
- Free from gluten
- Free from allergens
- Free from artificial flavoring agents
- Can be used by individuals who have lactose intolerance
- Halal
- Kosher
Ensure Pre-Surgery Drink: Frequently Asked Questions
The following section covers some of the most frequently asked questions regarding the use of Ensure pre-surgery drink:
1. What is the purpose of Ensure pre-surgery drink?
The use of Ensure pre-surgery drink is to provide your body with energy which will help you out during the surgical process. In addition, the added antioxidants such as zinc and selenium speed up the process of recovery once the surgery has been done.
2. What are the benefits of taking Ensure pre-surgery drink?
Ensure pre-surgery drinks as well as other Ensure products are known for being a complete support system for the body. This particular pre-surgery drink manages to keep your blood glucose levels maintained which are necessary for keeping your health intact. Even during the surgery, the maintenance of BGL is essential to avoid complications.
3. How can I store Ensure pre-surgery drink?
The Ensure pre-surgery drink has a longer shelf-life so it does not go bad easily. As for its storage instructions, it is good to keep the product refrigerated once you have opened the container. The contents of the container must be consumed within the next 24 hours.
However, in the case of unopened Ensure pre-surgery drink containers, these can be kept in the pantry as well.
4. What are the side effects of Ensure pre-surgery drink?
In general, the Ensure pre-surgery drink is free from side effects. However, as it has carbohydrates, it may cause certain problems in some patients. These include minor issues like:
- Stomach pain
- Abdominal bloating
- Flatulence
- Diarrhea
- Nausea
- Leaky gut
- Fecal incontinence
5. Who should not take Ensure pre-surgery drink?
Despite its numerous benefits, the Ensure pre-surgery drink is not for everyone. People who should avoid taking the product or need to consult their healthcare providers before consuming the Ensure pre-surgery drink include those who:
- Have diabetes as the drink does contain artificial sweeteners which can elevate the blood glucose levels
- Are pregnant
- Have gastroparesis (a condition associated with delayed gastric emptying)
- Galactosemia (explained above)
- Have a body mass index (BMI) above 39
- Have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) (as the drink may contain corn syrup, milk, or soy products which can worsen the condition)
- Are taking Ozempic or any other GLP-1 agonist for weight loss
- Have an allergy to strawberries
6. Can Ensure pre-surgery drink cause an allergic reaction?
Yes, some of the contents of the Ensure pre-surgery drink can cause an allergic response to the patient. For instance, in people who are allergic to strawberries, consuming the Ensure pre-surgery drink can result in an allergic reaction. Go through the contents of the drink (given above) in detail and make sure that you are not allergic to any of them. In case of an allergic reaction after consuming the Ensure pre-surgery drink, immediately contact your healthcare provider.
7. Does the Ensure pre-surgery drink have artificial sweeteners in it?
Yes, the Ensure pre-surgery drink contains sucralose which is an artificial sweetener. You should not consume the product if you fall into one of the categories that make you sensitive to sucralose-based products.
8. Who should not consume sucralose-based pre-surgery drinks?
If you are diabetic, sucralose-based products like the Ensure pre-surgery drink, are not for you. When consumed, sucralose may elevate your blood sugar levels as well as insulin levels. In addition, there is a risk of decreased insulin sensitivity.
In addition, people with Crohn’s disease should also avoid sucralose-based drinks as these can worsen the inflammation in the digestive system. Furthermore, sucralose-based pre-surgery drinks should not be given to children under 2 years of age.
Nutritional supplements like Ensure pre-surgery drink prevent the depletion of minerals and electrolytes
Ensure Pre-Surgery Drink at Health Supply 770: Features and Specifications
Ensure pre-surgery drink is one of the best pre-surgery products available in the US market. It contains the necessary nutrients and is a significant source of antioxidants which are necessary to prepare the patient’s body for surgery.
In addition, a subject who uses the Ensure pre-surgery drink is likely to recover quickly afterward. Hence, the stay period in the hospital is shortened. These Ensure pre-surgery drinks are also available at Health Supply 770 and have been detailed below along with their features and purchase links:
Ensure Pre-Surgery Drink, Clear Carbohydrate Beverage, Strawberry, 10 Fl Oz CS/12
Product Details
Ensure pre-surgery drink, clear carbohydrate beverage comes in strawberry flavor. As per the product label, it contains 50 grams of carbohydrates and some antioxidants such as zinc as well as selenium. In addition, natural flavor is added to make the drink palatable. The overall calorie content of the product reaches up to 200 calories.
The Ensure pre-surgery clear carbohydrate drink is marketed in a plastic container each of which contains 296 ml or 10 fl oz (fluid ounces) of the product. Moreover, the product meets the recommended guidelines for preoperative fasting set by the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA).
In addition, the Ensure pre-surgery drink clear carbohydrates and strawberry flavor is also free from gluten and thus does not cause bloating, gas, or abdominal pain associated with gluten-based products. Therefore, it is often endorsed by doctors and surgeons.
*Note: The prices mentioned in the article are taken from the Health Supply 770 website. These may vary over time.
Ensure pre-surgery drink speeds up the recovery after surgery
The Ensure Pre-surgery drink mentioned in the above article, along with many other medical supplies, can be ordered from Health Supply 770, a reliable name when it comes to medical products. They have a 30-day money-back guarantee and provide your products to you in the shortest possible time. Click the link given in the article to check out the wide range of instruments, devices, as well as nutritional products.
Bottom Line
When a patient is going for surgery, there is a fasting period that needs to be observed to ease the process so that the risks associated with surgery can be reduced. This practice often leaves the patient thirsty and hungry and no food or water can be consumed. This way, where many benefits are achieved, some patients experience extremely low blood sugar levels which might be a problem during or after the surgery.
To solve the problem, Abbott Nutrition has introduced Ensure pre-surgery drink which is formulated using carbohydrates. It is also a good source of several antioxidants like zinc and selenium. Not only does the drink manage the low BGL, but it also provides an enhanced recovery as it shortens the time needed for healing. Thus, the general well-being of the patient is enhanced.
However, these drinks are not a significant source of proteins and fats. If you are diabetic, you should ask your physician if it is suitable for you to have the Ensure pre-surgery drink.
For purchasing Ensure pre-surgery drinks, reliable vendors like Health Supply 770 should be approached. They ensure the provision of quality products along with satisfactory services.
References
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/inpatient-surgery.htm
PhD Scholar (Pharmaceutics), MPhil (Pharmaceutics), Pharm D, B. Sc.
Uzma Zafar is a dedicated and highly motivated pharmaceutical professional currently pursuing her PhD in Pharmaceutics at the Punjab University College of Pharmacy, University of the Punjab. With a comprehensive academic and research background, Uzma has consistently excelled in her studies, securing first division throughout her educational journey.
Uzma’s passion for the pharmaceutical field is evident from her active engagement during her Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D) program, where she not only mastered industrial techniques and clinical case studies but also delved into marketing strategies and management skills.
