Dr. Zachary Braig's patients save 10% on Thrive Protocol.
About me
Healing is more than the procedure, it’s how you prepare and recover. That’s why Dr. Zachary Braig recommends the Thrive Protocol, a physician-developed, evidence-based nutrition system designed to support your body before and after surgery. Dr. Braig integrates the Thrive Protocol into his surgical recovery plan to ensure every patient has the nutritional foundation needed for optimal healing.
The Thrive Protocol is clinically formulated to:
Prepare your body before surgery with essential nutrients that optimize recovery
Reduce inflammation and muscle loss during the healing process
Accelerate recovery so you can return to strength and activity sooner
Why I Recommend Thrive Protocol
Surgery and physical therapy address structure and movement but true recovery depends on how the body heals itself. I include Thrive Protocol because it supports healing from the inside out optimizing recovery, reducing complications, and helping patients regain lasting strength.
How Thrive Fits Into Your Recovery Plan
Thrive Protocol is included as part of your personalized recovery plan, alongside surgery and physical therapy, because healing the whole body leads to better outcomes.
Reduce inflammation and surgical complications
Proper nutrition supports the body’s natural healing response, helping reduce inflammation, strengthen immunity, and lower the risk of post-surgical complications.
Restore muscle and tissue strength
Targeted nutrients rebuild muscle and connective tissue, accelerating the repair process so you can recover strength and mobility faster.
Accelerate return to activity
Thrive helps patients regain energy, flexibility, and endurance sooner, shortening downtime and improving long-term recovery outcomes.
Support long-term health and performance
Beyond recovery, Thrive Protocol promotes lasting vitality, supporting energy, strength, and overall health long after your procedure.
How it Works
Regain mobility and rebuild stability through structured movement and guidance.
01
Nutrition Preparation
Start building strength before surgery with targeted protein and carbohydrate support.
02
Surgery
The healing process begins. Your body shifts into repair mode from day one.
03
Physical Therapy
Regain mobility and rebuild stability through structured movement and guidance.
04
Fuel Healing with Nutrition
Support tissue repair, reduce inflammation, and preserve muscle with essential nutrients.
05
Support Performance
Sustain strength and energy as you return to everyday activity.
06
Age with Confidence
Support mobility and strength to help protect long-term independence.
07
Lifelong Wellness
Use clinical nutrition as part of your foundation for strong, healthy living.
Real People. Real Results.
See how our patients are thriving.
Healing is a journey shaped by how you care for your body.
Talk to our team about Thrive Protocol to help you prepare before treatment, heal stronger, and recover faster
Surgical Protocol Kit
The Surgical Protocol Kit is designed for those having upcoming surgery. It is designed to support faster recovery with 25 grams of high-quality whey protein, plus 3 grams of leucine, glutamine, collagen, omegas, curcumin, and essential vitamins for surgical recovery. This gluten-free, non-denatured protein helps your body heal effectively. Made in the USA and Informed Sport tested, it includes a 4 week, 3, or 6-month supply of OptiFuel, 2 packs of OptiCharge, and a branded shaker bottle. HSA/FSA eligible.
What happens after you start
Your surgical team's instructions come first. Buying a gift? Order early so they start on time.
- About 1 week before surgery: one OptiFuel packet a day. ESPEN puts surgical protein needs at about 1.5 g per kg of ideal body weight daily: 70 kg x 1.5 = 105 g, so one 25 g packet covers about a quarter.1 Kidney disease? Ask your doctor first.
- The night before: 2 OptiCharge packets at bedtime, each in 12 to 16 oz of water, within your fasting rules. In one trial, a carb drink the evening before and morning of surgery left people less hungry and anxious than fasting.2 Diabetes? Ask first.
- Week 1 at home: when meals feel hard, keep the packet going. It sips through a straw.
- Weeks 2 to 6: pair it with physical therapy. In a small knee replacement trial, amino acids from 1 week before to 2 weeks after surgery meant less thigh muscle loss by week 6 (about 6% vs 18% on placebo). That was an amino acid formula, not OptiFuel.3
- After week 6: ask your surgeon whether to continue.
Fish oil did not raise bleeding risk in a 1,516-patient heart surgery trial,4 and OptiFuel has only a small amount, so no need to stop it. Check with your surgeon, especially if you take a blood thinner. Creatine and arginine come only in the Recovery and Strength Mix.
More: our Surgical Protocol Kit review, best supplements for surgery recovery, the carb loading drink guide and what to eat after surgery.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
1. Weimann A et al. ESPEN guideline: clinical nutrition in surgery. Clin Nutr. 2017;36(3):623-650.
2. Hausel J et al. A carbohydrate-rich drink reduces preoperative discomfort in elective surgery patients. Anesth Analg. 2001;93(5):1344-50.
3. Dreyer HC et al. Essential amino acid supplementation in patients following total knee arthroplasty. J Clin Invest. 2013;123(11):4654-66.
4. Akintoye E et al. Fish oil and perioperative bleeding. Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes. 2018;11(11):e004584.
