Carbohydrate loading before your operation

What is carbohydrate loading?

Carbohydrate loading means drinking special carbohydrate-rich drinks before your operation.

What are the benefits of carbohydrate loading?

Carbohydrate loading before your operation can help to:

• Speed up your recovery.
• Heal your wounds faster.
• Reduce your time spent in the hospital.

Please note: Your healthcare team will give you the carbohydrate drinks ahead of your surgery.

I have diabetes – can I take carbohydrate-rich drinks?

Do not take these drinks if you have diabetes. If you are unsure, please ask you healthcare team.

I have a feeding tube – can I take carbohydrate-rich drinks?

If you have a feeding tube, you can take the drinks through it. Ask your dietitian or healthcare team if you need more advice.

How do I take carbohydrate-rich drinks?

The night before your surgery

At 6pm, take:

• 1 x Ensure Plus Juce®
• 1 x PreOp® drink

The morning of your surgery

From midnight to 6am:

• Do not eat any food.
• You may drink sips of water during this time.

Just before 6am, take:

• 2 x PreOp® drinks

From 6am onwards:

• Do not eat or drink anything. This includes food or fluids through your feeding tube, if you have one.

Contact us

If you have any questions about the carbohydrate-rich drinks, contact the team caring for you.

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This information has been written and approved by expert health professionals at UCLH. It has also been revised and edited by the UCLH cancer information team, with valuable input from our readers’ panel.