Coping with Gastroparesis: How to Get the Nutrients You Need When Eating Is a Challenge

Living with gastroparesis can make every bite a struggle. This chronic condition slows down the movement of food from your stomach to your intestines, leading to symptoms like nausea, vomiting, bloating, and early satiety. 

As a result, many people with gastroparesis find it difficult to eat enough food to meet their nutritional needs. But there is help available, and with the right strategies, you can maintain a balanced intake of vitamins, minerals and calories even when your stomach won’t cooperate.

Why Nutrition Is a Concern with Gastroparesis

Gastroparesis makes digestion sluggish, which often leads to reduced appetite and difficulties tolerating solid food. Over time, this can cause unintentional weight loss, fatigue, and deficiencies in key nutrients such as:

Vitamin B12

Iron

Folate

Fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K)

Protein and calories

So how can people with gastroparesis get the nutrition they need?

1. Switch to Nutrient-Dense Liquids

Liquids often empty from the stomach more quickly than solids. Many people find that sipping on high-calorie, nutrient-rich drinks is easier and more comfortable than eating full meals.

Options include:

Meal replacement shakes (e.g., Fortisip, Ensure, or Complan – available on prescription in the UK)

Homemade smoothies with blended fruit, yoghurt, protein powder, and oats

Soups and broths with added protein or full-fat milk

Smoothies and drinks can be fortified with extra nutrients like flaxseed, nut butters, or vitamin drops if tolerated.

2. Use Oral Nutritional Supplements (ONS)

ONS are medically tailored products designed to provide essential nutrition in small volumes. They are often available in the UK via your GP or dietitian. These include:

Fortisip (Nutricia)

Ensure Plus (Abbott)

Modulen IBD (Nestlé Health Science, sometimes used off-label)

If you're struggling to eat or drink enough, your healthcare provider can assess your weight, blood results, and energy needs and prescribe an appropriate supplement.

3. Consider Vitamin and Mineral Supplements

Because many with gastroparesis cannot absorb all the nutrients from food, your GP or dietitian may suggest the following:

Multivitamin and mineral supplements (chewable, liquid or spray form may be better tolerated)

Vitamin B12 injections if deficiency is present

Iron supplements (liquid or intravenous if oral forms worsen symptoms)

Vitamin D supplements – a must in the UK, especially for those with low sun exposure

Always consult a healthcare provider before starting new supplements, as some may worsen gastric symptoms.

4. Smaller, More Frequent Meals

Instead of three large meals, aim for six small, soft meals a day. This allows the stomach to process food more easily without overloading it. Focus on:

Low-fat, low-fibre foods

Well-cooked vegetables

Mashed potatoes, scrambled eggs, rice, pasta

Smooth nut butters, well-cooked cereals, pureed fruits

5. Enteral or Parenteral Nutrition (When Needed)

In severe cases where oral intake isn’t sufficient despite all efforts, tube feeding (via a jejunostomy) or IV nutrition (parenteral nutrition) may be necessary. These options are usually considered under specialist gastroenterology care, such as in an NHS gastroparesis clinic or through a home enteral feeding team.

6. Work with a Registered Dietitian

In the UK, people with gastroparesis are usually referred to a specialist dietitian by their GP or consultant. A dietitian can:

Create a tailored eating plan

Suggest safe supplements

Monitor for signs of malnutrition

Liaise with your medical team if feeding tubes or IV nutrition are required

Final Thoughts

While gastroparesis can significantly impact your ability to eat and enjoy food, there are practical ways to meet your nutritional needs and avoid deficiencies. With support from your healthcare team and the right nutritional strategies, it’s possible to feel stronger, more energised, and more in control.

If you suspect you or a loved one has gastroparesis, always speak to a GP and request a referral to a dietitian or gastroenterologist.

A friend, Ellie Dyson, has gastroparesis and Ellie needs an operation that has no NHS funding, at least in her area, so there is a GoFundMe to obtain the funding her operation requires.

Ellie is 66% of the way to archiving the £20,000 that is required and you can go to her GoFundMe appeal page by clicking this link:- https://t.co/h4DIvjsDRg.