Sondino's Diet - Side Effects of NEC

What is the Sondino Diet

Ketogenic Enteral Nutrition (NEC), also known as the Sondino diet, is a weight loss strategy based on fasting with little protein and therefore not without side effects.

The NEC was proposed and disclosed by Professor Gianfranco Cappello of the Umberto I Polyclinic in Rome and, as you can guess, consists of the nasal-enteral administration (using a portable electric pump with continuous infusion) of a liquid solution based on:

• amino acids (30-40g / day),
• mineral salts and water.

To buffer the side effects of NEC, specialists using this technique recommend:

• continue to hydrate by drinking water,
• supplement with multivitamin products,
• taking proton pump inhibitor drugs (to protect the gastric mucosa)
• take laxatives (to keep the intestine active despite the absence of stool inside it).

This Sondino diet is continued for one or two weeks (based on the patient's tolerability) at each cycle, alternating the therapies with food nutrition periods of about 10-20 days; during the NEC treatment a maximum weight loss of 1% of the total body weight per day is allowed (for a subject of 100kg it is allowed to decrease by 1kg per day).

Side effects

The side effects of ketogenic enteral nutrition are different and absolutely not to be underestimated.