Nutritional Therapy in Diabetic Gastroparesis

Abstract

Gastroparesis defined as delayed gastric emptying is known as a common complication in diabetic patients. Gastric motor function deteriorated as a result of metabolic changes in diabetes can cause diabetic gastroparesis, hence patients experience a variety of symptoms such as nausea/vomiting, abdominal pain, anorexia and poor glycemic control. These symptoms can be controlled with diet modifications and/or medical therapy. Prokinetics, antiemetics and analgesics commonly used in medical therapy; besides nutrition treatment should be based on the patient’s nutritional status and upper gastrointestinal symptoms. In these patients, fiber and fat poor diet should be recommended to accelerate gastric emptying; liquid foods are preferable due to easy to leave the stomach. Besides this, the amount of nutrients in a meal should be reduced, meal frequency should be increased. In severe cases of gastroparesis, enteral and/ or parenteral nutrition may be necessary. Patients will be provided with proper nutrition interventions achieved glycemic control and reduced disease symptoms and patient’s quality of life can be increased depending on them. In this review, medical nutrition therapy in diabetes gastroparesis often neglected and without much scientific literature is discussed.