Vital words - Your glossary
| Term | Short explanation |
|---|---|
| Ascites | Water retention in the area of the abdomen. |
| Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) | The essential amino acids leucine, isoleucine and valine. These amino acids are components of proteins, which are responsible for muscle development. The body does not make them on its own, so you have to get them from food or supplements. |
| Cachexia | Cachexia describes severe wasting from any cause including starvation and disease. It is a multifactorial syndrome defined by an ongoing loss of skeletal muscle mass (with or without loss of fat mass) that cannot be fully reversed by conventional nutritional support and leads to progressive functional impairment. It is characterized by a negative protein and energy balance driven by a variable combination of reduced food intake and abnormal metabolism and can progress through various stages—precachexia to cachexia to refractory cachexia. |
| Complementation | Regarding nutrition, a complement is an addition to your usual diet that is not necessary but may still serve as a better combination for support. |
| Cytokine | A type of small proteins important in cell signalling. They have different effects on the immune system through hormone-like interactions and communication between cells. There are both pro-inflammatory cytokines and anti-inflammatory cytokines. Some cytokines are used to help the body fight infections and cancer. |
| Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) | A long-chain polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acid from fish oil and associated with the maintenance of normal brain function. DHA is a precursor for inflammatory resolving molecules in the body. |
| Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) | A long-chain polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acid from fish oil and associated with the prevention and reversal of heart diseases. Reduces levels of blood fats called triglycerides. EPA is the precurser of several anti-inflammatory and inflammation resolving molecules in the body. Also helps maintain body weight in cancer patients and may reduce the side effects of chemotherapy. |
| Fatigue | One of the most common side effects of cancer treatment. Affects the patient’s quality of life. A feeling of extreme tiredness due to a lack of energy, not comparable with fatigue in healthy people. |
Leucine (leucine-enriched whey protein) | An essential amino acid. See also "branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs)". |
| Malnutrition | A physical state caused by a lack of intake or absorption of nutrients that leads to altered body composition. It is not just a simple synonym for being underweight, but rather an imbalance in the nutritional state. Patients who have a normal weight or are even overweight can be malnourished. |
| Omega-3 fatty acid | Essential fatty acids that cannot be synthesized by humans and thus have to be provided with the diet. Omega-3 fatty acids can be found in various plant oils (e.g. linseed oil) and in oil from cold water fish. Omega-3 fatty acids are precursors to anti-inflammatory and inflammation resoving molecules. |
| Oral nutritional supplements (ONS) | Supplementary oral intake of dietary food for special medical purposes in addition to normal food. Made to support a balanced diet. Contain macronutrients (e.g., proteins) and/or micronutrients (e.g., vitamins and trace elements), and come in different forms such as liquids, semi-solids and powders. Only a few ONS can be used as a complete source of nutrition. Most ONS are meant to balance an unbalanced diet in people unable to receive enough nutrients through oral nutrition alone. A synonyme is sip feeds. |
| Precachexia | Precachexia starts with only little weight loss. It includes anorexia and metabolic changes. That means you may not lose a lot of weight at first, but metabolic changes and inflammations occur, nonetheless. Patients with precachexia are at risk of malnutrition due to the inflammatory response elicited by the underlying chronic disease. |
| Sarcopenia | Loss of muscle mass and strength. Occurs mostly in older adults but also in cancer patients. Weight and fat are not necessarily lost with sarcopenia. The risk of injuries like broken bones caused by falls increases. Risk factors are advanced age, poor nutrition and insufficient exercise. |