Nutrition Before Hip Replacement: Prepare, Heal, and Recover Stronger
Medically reviewed by Dr. Patrick Denard, orthopaedic surgeon, on October 8, 2026
Short answer: start about 1 week before your hip replacement. Get protein at every meal, because you will move less after surgery and muscle fades when it isn't used. [4] A daily protein shake makes that easier. Ask your surgical team whether you can have a carbohydrate drink instead of fasting from midnight. [6] Then keep the protein going through the first weeks of rehab.
This guide covers the why, the research, and exactly what to do in each phase. If you want the detail on individual products, see our guide to the best supplements after hip replacement. If a parent broke a hip and needed emergency surgery, our family guide to hip fracture nutrition is the better fit.
What Hip Replacement Asks of Your Body
A hip replacement is a major operation, and your body responds to it like one, with inflammation, energy demands, and tissue repair happening all at once. A few challenges stand out for hip patients.
You'll move less while you heal, and muscle fades when it isn't used. Reduced activity after surgery can lead to real muscle loss, especially in older adults who are not getting enough protein. (Hirsch et al., Nutrients, 2021) [4] The muscle you protect now is the muscle you won't have to rebuild later.
Your body has to defend against complications while it heals. Like any major joint replacement, hip surgery carries some risk of infection and other setbacks, and your nutritional status is one of the factors that influences how well your body holds up.
Some patients arrive already short on what they need, often without knowing it. In a review of nearly 500,000 hip replacements, 3.4% met a lab definition of malnutrition, and that group had more complications. (Aziz et al., Arthroplast Today, 2025) [1]
The encouraging part: these are areas where preparation helps. Nutritional gaps are common, often silent, and something you can work on with your care team before surgery.
What the Evidence Says About Nutrition and Hip Replacement
This isn't general wellness advice: it's published research on hip replacement and orthopedic recovery, including randomized trials and very large patient studies.
Nutritional status is linked to how well hip patients recover.
In a systematic review of about 495,000 total hip replacement patients, malnutrition was associated with higher rates of complications, readmission, and other setbacks. (Aziz et al., Arthroplast Today, 2025) [1] In a claims analysis of about one million hip and knee replacements, malnutrition was one of seven modifiable risk factors studied, and patients with more of these risk factors had higher odds of infection and readmission. (Luong et al., JAAOS Glob Res Rev, 2025) [2] Across joint replacement, a meta-analysis of 9 studies found malnutrition was associated with about 2.6 times higher odds of surgical site infection and 3.4 times higher odds of deep joint infection. (Chen et al., J Orthop Surg Res, 2024) [3] These are associations, not proof that a supplement changes the outcome.
Protein protects the muscle you'll need to get moving again.
After surgery, the body's protein needs rise, and muscle left unused begins to fade. A 2021 review recommends paying attention to protein and essential amino acids both before and after orthopedic surgery to limit muscle loss. (Hirsch et al., Nutrients, 2021) [4] Omega-3 fatty acids have been studied here too: in 20 healthy young women whose leg was immobilized for two weeks, a high daily dose of omega-3s (5 g) was associated with less loss of muscle volume (8% vs. 14%). This was not a surgical study. (McGlory et al., FASEB J, 2019) [5] For a daily protein target worked out for your body weight, see what to eat after hip replacement, with the protein math.
Carbohydrate loading has been studied in hip replacement.
In a randomized study of 150 hip replacement patients at one center, those who drank a carbohydrate-rich drink 12 and 2 hours before surgery as part of an enhanced recovery protocol had a shorter average hospital stay (1.3 vs. 1.8 days) and lower peak pain scores than patients who fasted. (Haselton et al., Clin Nutr ESPEN, 2025) [6] Our guide to carb loading drinks before surgery explains how to choose one and when to drink it.
Vitamin C has been studied for short-term pain after hip replacement.
Two randomized trials in hip replacement gave vitamin C in the hospital around surgery (one as a single intravenous dose during the operation) and found lower pain scores and less morphine use in the first day after surgery. (Han et al., J Orthop Surg Res, 2024 [7]; Jiang et al., JBJS, 2025 [8]) A meta-analysis of eight trials in 852 hip and knee patients found lower pain and inflammation markers at 24 hours, but no difference by 48 hours. (Liu et al., BMC Musculoskelet Disord, 2025) [9] These studies tested vitamin C as part of hospital care; they did not test a supplement kit.
And patients want guidance. In a survey of 300 hip and knee replacement patients, only 56% said they knew which supplements to take, and 84% said they would buy a nutrition program if their surgeon recommended one. (Germano et al., J Arthroplasty, 2024) [10]
The thread running through all of it: hip replacement is nutritionally demanding, the gaps are often invisible, and addressing them is something within your control.
The Protocol for Hip Replacement, Phase by Phase
Thrive Protocol organizes the evidence into one simple, phase-based system, developed by physicians, with once-daily packets and clear timing. No guesswork, no shelf full of separate bottles.
Phase 1: Prepare (1 week before surgery)
OptiFuel delivers high-quality protein and essential amino acids, including leucine, so you can build up your protein intake before surgery and arrive strong rather than depleted. Each packet has 25 g of whey protein and 3 g of leucine. Take one a day between meals, mixed with 12 to 16 oz of water, milk or non-dairy milk. Before you start, share the ingredient list with your surgeon.
Phase 2: The Night Before Surgery
OptiCharge is your pre-op carbohydrate drink. If your surgical team approves, mix each of the 2 packets with 12 to 16 oz of water (never milk) and drink both at bedtime the night before surgery. It follows the same general idea as the trial above (a carbohydrate drink instead of fasting from midnight), though that trial used a different schedule and did not test OptiCharge. Your surgical team decides whether you can drink it. (Always follow your surgical team's specific fasting instructions.) Not sure what else to have that evening? Read what to eat the night before surgery.
Phase 3: Heal (the weeks after surgery)
Daily OptiFuel continues through the early recovery weeks, when you're moving less and your muscle is under the most pressure. Restart it once you are eating again after surgery. It's built to do more than protein alone:
- Protein and amino acids to help maintain muscle while you are less active
- Omega-3s to support muscle during the lower-activity recovery window
- Vitamin C, which your body uses to make collagen
- Vitamin D to support normal bone and muscle function
- Curcumin to support the body's normal inflammatory response
- Collagen to support connective tissue
- Magnesium to support muscle function and rest
One formula, so you don't have to assemble and time a shelf of separate supplements while you recover.
Ships to your door before surgery day, with OptiCharge for the night before. HSA/FSA eligible. Already past surgery day? Start with the Recovery Protocol Kit instead.
Ideally, everyone on the Surgical Protocol Kit also takes the Recovery and Strength Mix daily.
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.
WANT TO GO FURTHER?
Add the Recovery and Strength Mix to your kit. It brings additional recovery amino acids, including arginine, plus creatine. It is the only Thrive product with creatine or arginine; OptiFuel has neither. In older adults, a meta-analysis found creatine combined with resistance training led to greater gains in strength and lean mass than training alone [11], and in a small study of seven healthy young men with an arm in a cast, creatine was associated with less loss of muscle and strength [12]. Neither was a hip replacement study. A natural complement to OptiFuel for the rehab phase, and easy to continue long after recovery.
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.
Supplement safety before surgery
Thrive kits contain fish oil (omega-3s) and turmeric (curcumin) in low amounts. The evidence does not show that these amounts cause bleeding, so there is no need to stop OptiFuel before surgery. Your surgeon's instructions still come first. Tell your surgeon and anesthesia team about everything you take, including vitamins and herbal products. [13]
What to Expect: Your Hip Replacement Nutrition Timeline
Here is what the plan looks like from the day you order to the end of early rehab. The right-hand column sticks to what the studies above found, or to plain facts about the kit. No product can promise a faster recovery, and your surgical team's instructions come first at every step.
| When | What you do | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| 2 to 3 weeks before | Order the kit and show the ingredient list to your surgeon. | Thrive's FAQ says delivery usually takes 5 to 10 business days, so choose expedited shipping if surgery is less than 2 weeks away. Each Surgical Protocol Kit includes OptiFuel (28 packets per month), 2 OptiCharge packets and a shaker. |
| About 1 week before | One OptiFuel packet a day between meals, plus protein at each meal. | Each packet adds 25 g of whey protein. The goal is to arrive at surgery with your protein intake built up rather than depleted. [4] This is a steady daily habit, not something you will feel overnight. |
| Night before | If approved, 2 OptiCharge packets at bedtime, each in 12 to 16 oz of water. Then follow your fasting rules exactly. | In one hip replacement trial, a carbohydrate drink before surgery, as part of an enhanced recovery protocol, was linked with a shorter average stay (1.3 vs. 1.8 days) and lower peak pain scores. [6] That trial used a different schedule, so treat it as background, not a promise. |
| Surgery day and hospital stay | Follow your team. Nothing by mouth unless they say so. | Pain control, fluids and when you can eat are your team's call. The vitamin C studies above were done as part of hospital care, not with a kit. [7] [8] [9] |
| Week 1 at home | Restart OptiFuel once you are eating again. Keep some protein at every meal, even small ones. | You will be moving less than usual, and that is when muscle is under the most pressure. [4] OptiFuel is thin enough to sip through a straw, which helps when a full meal feels like too much. |
| Weeks 2 to 6 | OptiFuel between breakfast and lunch; Recovery and Strength Mix between lunch and dinner; your physical therapy exercises. | Physical therapy rebuilds your strength, and nutrition gives your body the resources to support it. In older adults, creatine plus resistance training led to greater strength and lean mass gains than training alone, though not in a hip replacement study. [11] |
| After 6 weeks | Keep the protein habit while you are still building strength in rehab. Your surgeon and therapist decide when you are back to normal activity. | The 3-month and 6-month kits cost less per day if you plan to continue. The Mix is easy to keep taking long after recovery. |
What it looks like day to day. One packet, one shaker, about a minute. OptiFuel mixes with water, milk or non-dairy milk, or blends into a smoothie. If you get tired of the same shake, try these quick OptiFuel recipes.
| Product | Best for | Cost per day (prices checked 21 October 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Surgical Protocol Kit | Surgery still ahead (OptiFuel plus OptiCharge) | 4-week: $299.99 / 28 = about $10.71. 3-month: $499.99 / 84 = about $5.95. 6-month: $669.99 / 168 = about $3.99. |
| Recovery Protocol Kit | Surgery already done (same OptiFuel, no OptiCharge) | 4-week: $289 / 28 = about $10.32. 3-month: $499 / 84 = about $5.94. 6-month: $669 / 168 = about $3.98. |
| Recovery and Strength Mix | Adding creatine and arginine to either kit | $49.99 / 30 = about $1.67 |
Thrive Protocol kits are HSA/FSA eligible, so you can use pre-tax health dollars. Want an honest look at how the kit compares with other options, including plain whey and a multivitamin? Read our Surgical Protocol Kit review.
Check with your doctor first if any of these apply
- Blood thinners. If you take one, tell your surgeon about every supplement you use, including the fish oil and turmeric in OptiFuel.
- Diabetes. For most people with diabetes the pre-op drink is fine, but if you use insulin, get your physician's approval before OptiCharge. If you skip it, the Recovery Protocol Kit is the same OptiFuel without OptiCharge.
- Kidney disease. If you have been told to limit protein, wait for your doctor's OK before adding a protein shake or the Recovery and Strength Mix.
- Milk allergy. OptiFuel is whey-based and contains milk. Thrive suggests the Recovery and Strength Mix alone for people who do not tolerate whey.
Your surgical team's instructions come first.
Built Into Your Recovery, Not Added On
Thrive Protocol was developed by physicians to fill a real gap in surgical care, and it's designed to work hand-in-hand with the plan your surgical team already has for you. Surgery replaces your joint. Physical therapy rebuilds your strength. Nutrition gives your body the resources to make both succeed.
One packet a day. Mixed into water or a smoothie. Delivered before your surgery date.
You've got enough on your mind. Let the protocol handle the nutrition so you can focus on healing.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I start protein shakes before hip replacement?
About 1 week before your surgery date, with one OptiFuel packet a day (25 g of whey protein), plus protein at each meal. If your team approves, add the 2 OptiCharge packets at bedtime the night before. The protocol then continues through the weeks after surgery, when you're moving less.
Can I keep taking fish oil or turmeric before hip replacement?
The fish oil and turmeric in Thrive kits come in low amounts, and the evidence does not show that these amounts cause bleeding, so there is no need to stop OptiFuel before surgery. Your surgeon's instructions still come first, so tell your surgeon and anesthesia team about everything you take, especially if you are on a blood thinner.
My surgeon hasn't mentioned nutrition. Is this still worth it?
Many surgical patients have nutritional gaps they're unaware of, and in one survey 84% of joint replacement patients said they would buy a nutrition program if their surgeon recommended one. [10] Thrive works alongside your surgeon's instructions and never replaces them, so show your surgical team what you're taking and always follow their guidance, especially their fasting instructions before surgery.
Does nutrition affect pain after surgery?
Your prescribed pain plan comes first. Some hospital studies have tested vitamin C around hip replacement and found modestly lower pain scores in the first 24 hours, but those studies did not test this product, and Thrive Protocol is not a pain treatment. Ask your surgeon before adding anything to your pain plan.
What if my hip replacement has already happened?
Start with the Recovery Protocol Kit. It is the same daily OptiFuel without OptiCharge, which is only for the night before surgery. Begin once you are eating again and continue through rehab.
Can I use my HSA or FSA?
Yes. Thrive Protocol kits are HSA/FSA eligible, so you can use pre-tax health dollars.
Protect Your Strength. Support Your New Hip. Recover With Confidence.
The weeks around your surgery are an opportunity, and the evidence says how you nourish your body during them matters. Give your recovery every advantage.
Developed by physicians. Made for the weeks around surgery.
Related guides
- What to eat after surgery: all procedure guides
- Supplements after hip replacement: what to take and when
- Knee replacement nutrition guide
- Spine surgery nutrition guide
- Shoulder surgery nutrition guide
- Free surgery recovery guide
References
- Aziz A, et al. Effects of Malnutrition on Perioperative Outcomes of Total Hip Arthroplasty: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Arthroplast Today. 2025;33:101667. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40235527/
- Luong LM, et al. The Influence of Multiple Modifiable Risk Factors on 30-day Readmissions and 90-day Major Complications After a Total Hip and Knee Arthroplasty: An Analysis of a Large Claims Database. J Am Acad Orthop Surg Glob Res Rev. 2025;9(2):e24.00151. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39899738/
- Chen Y, Chen W. Association between malnutrition status and total joint arthroplasty periprosthetic joint infection and surgical site infection: a systematic review meta-analysis. J Orthop Surg Res. 2024;19(1):660. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39407322/
- Hirsch KR, Wolfe RR, Ferrando AA. Pre- and Post-Surgical Nutrition for Preservation of Muscle Mass, Strength, and Functionality Following Orthopedic Surgery. Nutrients. 2021;13(5):1675. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34063333/
- McGlory C, et al. Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation attenuates skeletal muscle disuse atrophy during two weeks of unilateral leg immobilization in healthy young women. FASEB J. 2019;33(3):4586-4597. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30629458/
- Haselton SD, Chadayammuri VP, Emerson RH. Preoperative carbohydrate loading as part of an enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol confers early postoperative benefits following elective total hip arthroplasty. Clin Nutr ESPEN. 2025;68:602-607. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40505861/
- Han G, et al. Effect of perioperative single dose intravenous vitamin C on pain after total hip arthroplasty. J Orthop Surg Res. 2024;19(1):712. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39487511/
- Jiang W, et al. Efficacy of Vitamin C as Glucocorticoid Substitute for Reducing Pain and Inflammation After Total Hip Arthroplasty: A Randomized Controlled Trial. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2025;107(10):1123-1133. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40208930/
- Liu X, et al. The impact of vitamin C supplementation on the perioperative outcomes after total hip and knee arthroplasty: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2025;26(1):906. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41034912/
- Germano J, et al. Patient Perception of Preoperative Nutrition and Recovery After Orthopaedic Surgery. J Arthroplasty. 2024;39(9):2221-2224. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38636677/
- Devries MC, Phillips SM. Creatine supplementation during resistance training in older adults: a meta-analysis. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2014;46(6):1194-1203. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24576864/
- Johnston AP, et al. Effect of creatine supplementation during cast-induced immobilization on the preservation of muscle mass, strength, and endurance. J Strength Cond Res. 2009;23(1):116-120. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19130643/
- Ang-Lee MK, Moss J, Yuan CS. Herbal medicines and perioperative care. JAMA. 2001;286(2):208-216. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11448284/
