Enteral nutrition: just a fuel or an immunity enhancer?

Based on a review of randomized, controlled clinical trials, enteral feeding improves septic morbidity in critically ill and/or malnourished patients. Enteral feeding may be better than parenteral feeding, but a definitive study is not available. Immune-enhancing diets further improve septic morbidity in critically ill and/or malnourished patients. Active components identified include arginine, glutamine, and omega-3 fats, but the relative efficacy of any single immune enhancing component versus their combination is impossible to state based on the presently available evidence.