Bone Marrow Transplant

Diet and nutrition after your bone marrow transplant

After your bone marrow transplant, you may need to adjust your diet to stay healthy and to prevent excessive weight gain. Maintaining a healthy weight can help prevent high blood pressure, high cholesterol and other negative health effects.

Your nutrition specialist (dietitian) and other members of your transplant team will work with you to create a healthy-eating plan that meets your needs and complements your lifestyle. Your dietitian may also give you food suggestions to control side effects of chemotherapy and radiation, such as nausea.

Your dietitian will also provide you with healthy food options and ideas to use in your eating plan. Your dietitian's recommendations may include:

Eating at least five servings of fruits and vegetables each day
Eating lean meats, poultry and fish
Eating whole-grain breads, cereals and other products
Having enough fiber in your daily diet
Drinking low-fat milk or eating other low-fat dairy products, to help maintain enough calcium
Maintaining a low-salt and low-fat diet
Following food safety guidelines
Avoiding alcohol
Staying hydrated by drinking adequate water and other fluids each day
Avoiding grapefruit and grapefruit juice due to their effect on a group of immunosuppressive medications (calcineurin inhibitors)

Contact Us with Questions

Mayo Clinic transplant staff can answer your questions about the transplant process and post-transplant life.

New Medication Options and Costs

Learn about new medications that may help you stay healthy and avoid common transplant-related problems.