It’s no secret in the CF community that many individuals, especially with pancreatic insufficiency, need sometimes up to double the number of daily calories (or more!) compared to their peers without CF. Sometimes that’s just to maintain weight! With the addition of modulators, however, we know calorie needs are not as demanding as they once might have been. While the legacy diet (high calorie, high fat) has its place still for those with CF who need it, our new focus has been to emphasize more variety and less calories. In all the talk surrounding calories and fat and variety though…. What about protein?

Protein is the building block to life. It is an essential macronutrient you need to consume daily for building and repairing tissue like muscle and bones. While there are many other roles for protein in our bodies, it’s important to know that protein also helps: control hunger (digests slower), support a healthy metabolism, and can help maintain muscle mass at times when there is aging or weight loss.

In individuals with CF, like calorie needs, protein needs can be up to 1.5-2x higher than average. Why? Most are pancreatic insufficient which affects protein digestion and absorption. That means more is needed to support growth and combat weight loss and muscle wasting. Chronic increased work of breathing and systemic inflammation are also factors.

As everyone’s journey with CF is different and modern modulators are impacting individual needs, it’s important to discuss with your care team what your protein needs currently are.