Request for anyone who has an appt with a NUT coming up

If you have an appointment with your nutritionist/dietician coming up, would you be willing to ask them about the collagen protein "shots" to find out if they are aware that most of them (we don't know about two of the newer brands yet, but ALL of the older ones) do not have a complete amino acid profile (and therefore are not complete proteins and therefore are not able to be absorbed)? 

Several of us have asked the ones that work with our surgeons/bariatric programs and they were aware that these "shots"/"bullets" were primarily collagen (which is an inferior form of protein... otherwise we could just eat a bunch of jello, LOL) but they were NOT aware that they were incomplete proteins.  One of them, sadly, didn't know what a "complete protein" was.

The purpose of this request is two-fold.

Number one, because I am very concerned that NUTs who are not aware of this issue are recommending these to people who are early out (and need the protein the MOST) and then those people are not getting the amount of protein that they think they are, if people start asking their NUTs about the amino acid profile, perhaps some of them will stop recommending them.  (I had a grad school colleague who developed serious health problems, including a heart issue, after relying on protein shots as a major source of protein for about 6 months post-op.)

Secondly, there is the chance that someone's NUT will be really on the ball and may be able to tell us what the PDCAAS score is for the new Hormel shots and Protein Ice Power Shots.  If these DO have complete amino acid profiles and decent scores, it would truly be a blessing to those struggling to get enough protein to know that they could use them and trust that they were truly getting in the protein.

Lora

Lora, I will ask my surgeon and NUT about it next week at my pre-op appointment. I posted the amino profile for the BA Elixir on the other post, not sure if this helps answer your question. 

Thanks for all the knowledge you share, it is most appreciated!

this was one of my questions on my list for her. My appt is the 3rd. I will make note of your questions.

I'm gonna guess that the nut that did not know what a complete protein is, is NOT a registered dietician?  I sure hope not because I don't know how you could earn a college degree in nutrition and pass the exam to become a registered dietician without knowing that.  I sure hope you couldn't become registered as a dietician without knowing that.

On the other hand, I think it's scary that some surgeons hire nuts that are not registered dieticians.  Anyone can call themselves nutritionists.  They don't need any kind of training and are not regulated by any kind of board.

Geez, either way you look at it, it's scary.

Was she embarrassed not to know what a complete protein is?

Yes, it's scary.

I only talked to the one for our hospital's program on the phone and have never met her (the completely useless one that was there when I had surgery left just a couple of months after my surgery), so I don't know what her credentials are.

At first she just sounded confused and then seemed a bit annoyed, so my guess is that, yes, she was embarrassed.

Lora

Well, at least she had the sense to be embarrassed!  Still scary, though.

I have an appointment next Wednesday and will ask.  In regard to complete proteins, I've read the Spirulina (blue green algae) is a complete protein.  I used to take this as a supplement and wondered if you had heard anything about it being beneficial for post RNY patients?

No, I don't know anything about it.  Sounds icky, though, LOL!

Lora

My sister actually has an email for her nut which is totally shocking to me since I don't have a phone number for mine but I digress.

I will ask her to email her nut and ask about the shots.