Science & rationale
Orthonutracare is based on the idea that surgery should be approached as a major physiological event, and that nutritional preparation deserves a clearer place in the pathway before and after an operation.
A patient does not arrive at surgery as a blank slate. They arrive with a certain nutritional status, level of muscle reserve, protein intake, metabolic health, and general resilience.
In orthopaedic surgery in particular, recovery depends not only on the technical success of the operation, but also on the patient’s ability to heal, mobilise, rebuild confidence, and return to function.
That is the context in which Orthonutracare is being developed: not as a generic supplement, but as a structured perioperative nutrition concept.
Core pillars
The current concept is based on a practical protocol built around four main nutritional elements.
Protein is central to tissue repair, muscle maintenance, and the broader remodelling that follows physiological stress. The aim of the protein component is to better support patients both before surgery and during the early postoperative phase.
Creatine is included as part of the broader muscle-support strategy. Within this concept, it is intended to sit alongside protein support rather than apart from it.
Vitamin support is included to complement the wider nutritional framework. The intention is not to replace good food intake, but to support a more deliberate perioperative nutrition approach.
Carbohydrate strategy immediately before surgery forms part of the protocol, reflecting the view that energy availability and metabolic preparation also matter in the surgical setting.
The present formulation plan is for a sachet-based product taken twice daily for one week before surgery and for two weeks afterwards.
Each sachet is planned to contain approximately 30 g of protein, 2 g of creatine, and 500 mg of vitamin C. Vanilla, berry, and chocolate are the initial proposed flavours.
The intention is to create something that is simple enough for patients to follow, while still fitting a more thoughtful clinical rationale.
The central role of protein in this concept reflects a straightforward principle: major physical stress increases the importance of repair, recovery, and preservation of muscle and function.
Within this approach, protein intake sits at the centre of the perioperative strategy. A practical target is a total daily protein intake of approximately 1.6 to 2.0 g per kilogram of body weight in the lead-up to surgery and during the early recovery period, depending on the patient’s overall context and clinical needs.
In the surgical setting, this reasoning is being applied in a more clinically focused way: not to optimise athletic performance, but to better support preparedness and recovery.
Orthonutracare is initially being developed with orthopaedic patients in mind, especially those preparing for hip or knee replacement.
Over time, the broader rationale may also be relevant to other surgical pathways where nutritional preparation, muscle reserve, and recovery support are important.
The aim is for the concept to be useful across both private and public care settings, and relevant to both patients and clinicians.
Important note
Orthonutracare is being developed with a deliberately measured tone.
The purpose of this site is to explain the rationale behind the concept, not to overstate certainty or make exaggerated promises. Surgery and recovery are complex, and nutrition is one part of a much broader picture.
The goal is simple: to bring structured perioperative nutrition more clearly into view, in a way that feels practical, credible, and clinically responsible.
