There is not one clear answer, but weight gain in women with breast cancer may be due to a combination of 1) possible onset of menopause and symptoms associated with menopause due to chemotherapy; 2) possible hormonal changes due to chemotherapy, steroid medication; 3) and increased sedentary lifestyle. An important thing to note is that although a woman with breast cancer might be experiencing weight gain, she may be losing muscle mass. She will want to speak with her health care provider about ways to maintain her muscle mass, such as increasing her protein intake and engaging in physical activity. If weight gain is a concern, it is recommended to set up a meeting with the health care provider.

Antioxidants play an important nutritional role in immune function, overall health, and to counteract harmful effects of oxidative stress. Ensure^® products are nutritional drinks, some of which contain vitamins C and E and selenium, which are antioxidants. Ensure^® is designed to help you meet your daily nutrition requirements. It’s always important to talk about the use of nutritional products (such as Ensure^®) or dietary supplements with your health care provider to see if they are right for you, especially during cancer treatment.

All Ensure^® products contain some lactose but do not represent a medical concern for individuals with lactose intolerance due to the small amount. Ensure^® products should not be consumed by people with galactosemia.

Different Ensure^® products are designed to meet different nutrition needs. Some Ensure^® Products (Ensure^® Original, Ensure^® Plus, and Ensure^® Enlive^®) are designed to provide complete, balanced nutrition to help people maintain or gain a healthy weight, particularly for patients who are at risk of malnutrition or are experiencing involuntary weight loss. On the other hand, Ensure^® High Protein, Ensure^® Light and Ensure^® Clear are designed to provide supplemental protein and other nutrients in fewer calories. Click here to find the right Ensure^® for you.

Ensure^® can be used as a delicious meal supplement, occasional meal replacement, or convenient between-meal snack. Ensure^® can benefit people who are on modified diets, at nutritional risk, experiencing involuntary weight loss, recovering from illness or surgery, or on low-residue diets. Although Ensure^® was not designed specifically for weight loss, it can be used as part of a balanced, calorie-reduced diet for weight loss, as long as the total calories for the day stay within the weight-loss calorie level recommended for you. We would encourage you to speak with your healthcare professional about an appropriate weight-loss plan for you.

Yes, Ensure^® ready-to-drink shakes and drinks are gluten-free.

Yes, Ensure^® ready-to-drink shakes and drinks can be warmed before use and can be frozen if desired.

Ensure^® Enlive^® is our most advanced nutritional drink in regards to nutritional content and scientific evidence. Ensure^® Enlive^® has 7 more grams of high-quality protein compared to Plus, 1.5 grams of CaHMB, and 120% DV of vitamin D per serving. Ensure^® Enlive^® was examined by the NOURISH study which was clinically shown to improve nutritional status, body weight, and vitamin D levels.

Ensure^® Clear has 18 grams of sugars per serving. The amount of sugars includes all inherent and added sugars in the product. As a comparison, a 10-fl-oz serving of orange juice contains a similar quantity of sugars (26 grams).

Ensure^® Clear is not a source of complete, balanced nutrition and it does not contain fat. It is designed for people who need to be on a clear liquid diet, or a fat restricted diet. It is ideal for people who prefer a fruit-flavored alternative to creamy shake-like supplements.

If the patient has followed his/her healthcare professional’s instructions for preparation for the colonoscopy procedure, it is very unlikely that the dyes in Ensure^® Clear would be present in the GI tract.

Note: Ensure^® Clear or other Ensure^® products should not be consumed once the colonoscopy preparation has started.

Yes. One bottle of Ensure^® Compact provides the same amount of calories and protein, and complete, balanced nutrition as one bottle of Ensure^® Original.

Ensure^® Compact is an easy to drink 4 fl oz product that provides complete, balanced nutrition to supplement an individual’s diet when they are unable to consume an 8 fl oz product. It provides 220 calories, 9g protein and 26 vitamins and minerals — the same as Ensure^® Original.

Consult with a healthcare professional to determine which nutrition shakes are right for you.

Consuming large quantities of red meat and processed meats is associated with an increased risk of different types of cancer. The American Cancer Society, the National Cancer Institute, and the American Institute for Cancer Research recommend limiting the consumption of red meat and processed meats. American Cancer Society guidelines recommend a diet rich in plant foods. Rather than completely avoiding red meat, consumption of red meat in moderation can be a consideration for the cancer patient, as red meat is high in protein, iron and has a variety of vitamins and minerals.

Carrageenan is an ingredient that comes from seaweed and is used to stabilize nutrients in liquids to prevent them from settling to the bottom.

Carrageenan is considered safe by leading risk assessment agencies such as the United Nations (FAO)/World Health Organization (WHO) Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives, and is approved for use by several global and national regulatory organizations including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Codex, the European Commission, and Health Canada. There is no credible evidence that carrageenan in food products causes any negative effects to a person’s health.