Muscle recovery after intensive care: anabolic therapies remain under study
A review considers medicines and supplements that might support recovery after critical illness, with the strongest clinical evidence for oxandrolone concentrated in burn injury.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
The review describes potential roles for anabolic medicines and nutritional supplements in rebuilding muscle after critical illness. Evidence differs across treatments and patient groups: oxandrolone has the strongest clinical support, particularly after burns, while testosterone findings are still emerging. The authors place these approaches within nutrition and rehabilitation programmes and call for further trials.
The abstract provides no study counts, treatment comparisons, effect sizes or detailed safety results. It cannot establish how much any individual therapy improves recovery or which patients benefit.
Different treatments, different evidence
Testosterone may help strength and function, especially when levels are low, according to the review. Nandrolone is still being tested for weakness acquired during intensive care, so its evaluation should not be mistaken for a completed positive trial.
Recovery involves more than muscle mass
The review also describes possible gains in lean mass and strength with creatine or HMB, particularly alongside structured exercise. It proposes combining targeted treatments with nutrition and rehabilitation, but says trials of these combined approaches are urgently needed.
The original publication
Testosterone and anabolic therapy to recover strength, function, and quality of life after critical illness.
Wischmeyer PE
Curr Opin Crit Care · 2026
- PubMed ID
- 41954304
- Record checked
AI-assisted research and writing. This explains one selected publication; it is not a complete review of everything known. Our approach.
One more question, understood.
Keep track of the research you’ve explored.