People today are living and enjoying life longer- by 2050, the US population over age 65 is projected to almost double to nearly 84 million. But as more than 60 per cent of this group have two or more chronic conditions, staying healthy and active can be a challenge. To help older adults live their healthiest lives possible, Abbott developed Ensure Enlive to help rebuild lost muscle and regain strength and energy. Ensure Enlive, shown to improve health, is the first and only complete and balanced nutrition drink in the United States with 20 grams of high-quality protein and the unique ingredient HMB (ß-hydroxy ß-methylbutyrate). Staying healthy means older adults can maintain their independence as they age, even when recovering from an illness, injury or surgery.

No one plans to get sick or develop a chronic illness and end up in the hospital. But with age, the body has to work harder to stay healthy. Muscles play a big role in getting, and staying, healthy to live your best life. Muscle loss that begins naturally around age 40 can accelerate with illness and injury, making recovery more difficult or longer.

For adults with a chronic illness or who need surgery when they are older, even short hospitalizations can cause loss of muscle and strength - up to two pounds of lean body mass (mostly made up of muscle) after just three days in the hospital. The good news: science shows that with the help of nutrition, muscle mass can be maintained and rebuilt. In fact, nourishing muscles is critical to staying healthy and strong with age or during recovery.

"Nutrition is the foundation of good health and has been proven to improve health outcomes. With the introduction of Ensure Enlive, we're entering a new era of science-based nutrition that helps people recover, rebuild muscle, and have the strength and energy to do the things they love," said Roger Bird, Abbott senior vice president, US Nutrition. "Since we first introduced Ensure more than 40 years ago, which created a new class of medical nutrition, it remains the #1 doctor-recommended brand in the US. Abbott continues to pave the way forward by pairing the latest science with the right nutrition so people can live better at every stage of their lives."

One of the main culprits for losing muscle mass may be surprising, as it is a condition often thought of as a distant issue: malnutrition. Malnutrition is when the body doesn't get the proper nutrients to meet its daily needs. It can occur at any age, but is common in older adults. In fact, up to half of seniors who enter the hospital are at risk of malnutrition or already malnourished, and many don't know it.

"We often hear about bone health and how our diet impacts it as we get older but when it comes to our muscles, people often write it off as a sign of getting older," said Abby Sauer, MPH, RD, a registered dietitian at Abbott. "Getting the right amount of nutrients - especially protein and vitamin D - can help nourish your muscles for good health and support recovery from illness or surgery."

Abbott scientists considered how people change with age - from eating habits or the way foods taste to the chronic conditions they may be facing - to design a nutrition drink with ingredients that work together to help rebuild strength, energy and vitality. One of the unique ingredients in Ensure Enlive, HMB, is found in small amounts in some foods and has been used for many years by the fitness community. HMB works with protein to help protect and preserve muscles.

Ensure Enlive provides all-in-one nutrition including 20 grams of high-quality protein and HMB to help rebuild muscle; plant-based Omega-3 ALA for heart health; three grams of prebiotic fiber to support the digestive tract; 120 per cent of the daily value of Vitamin D and 50 per cent of the daily value of calcium to support strong bones; and antioxidants like vitamins C, E and selenium to support immune function.

Ensure Enlive was shown to significantly improve health outcomes. A groundbreaking clinical study, NOURISH, showed that the group of older malnourished adults in the hospital who consumed this nutrition drink twice a day had significantly improved nutritional status, body weight and vitamin D levels compared to a placebo supplement from hospital discharge through 90 days.

Ensure Enlive is available in Vanilla, Chocolate and Strawberry flavors and can be found nationwide at major grocery and mass merchandise stores.