Abstract
Undoubtedly, in the field of rehabilitation medicine, nutritional support plays an important role. Nowadays, most
of rehabilitation physicians in Japan recognize clinical importance of nutritional support for the patients receiving
rehabilitation management. Especially, to increase muscle volume and strength in the rehabilitation training, not
only muscle strengthening training but also nutritional support are necessary. At the acute hospitals, some special
protocols such as prehabilitation and Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) are clinically introduced. The
purpose of the introduction of these protocols is to enhance functional recovery after surgery. In both of these
protocols, nutritional support is regarded as an important element. Furthermore, in terms of the prevention of
Hospitalization-Associated Disability (HAD) and Intensive Care Unit-Acquired Weakness (ICU-AW) which can
develop at the acute hospital, we have to be careful about nutritional status of the patients. The importance of
nutritional support for the patients admitted to convalescent rehabilitation wards has been already reported and
confirmed with some clinical studies. It seems that good nutritional status at the time of admission and nutritional
improvement during the hospitalization at convalescent rehabilitation wards could lead to the facilitation of
functional recovery. In the management of sarcopenia and frailty, nutritional support is needed as well as muscle
strengthening training. It is recommended to take a sufficient amount of protein for the prevention of these
pathological conditions associated with aging. Recently, some researchers have reported that nutritional support
had the possibility to prevent the development of Alzheimer’s disease. For example, Mediterranean diet is expected
to prevent the disease. It has been also reported that some nutrients could enhance neural plasticity through the
increase of BDNF secretion.
