Spinal muscular atrophy diet: Nutrition for strength and energy

Last updated July 10, 2025, by Agata Boxe
Fact-checked by Inês Martins, PhD

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) affects muscle strength and overall health, making proper nutrition for SMA essential to your well-being if you have the disorder.

This genetic condition, caused by a mutation in the survival motor neuron 1 (SMN1) gene, leads to progressive muscle weakness and wasting (atrophy). Over time, it can affect your movement, speech, swallowing, breathing, and other functions.

Eating a well-balanced diet and understanding the important role of healthy eating for SMA can improve your quality of life and daily functioning.

Nutritional challenges in SMA

Muscle weakness and other SMA symptoms can make it difficult to eat and get the nutrients your body needs.

For example, as SMA progresses, muscle weakness in the jaw, tongue, and throat can make chewing and swallowing harder, and so mealtime can get time-consuming and frustrating. As a result, you may eat less and miss out on essential nutrients.

Because SMA is associated with reduced muscle mass and lower energy reserves, fasting for extended periods may be risky and should generally be avoided.

At the same time, the disease can make it harder to burn calories and cause other metabolic issues, leading to unintentional weight gain. These metabolic abnormalities may include problems with fatty acid metabolism, which affect the body’s ability to break down long-chain fatty acids for energy.

Both undernutrition and excess weight can have a negative impact on your health. A lack of nutrients may worsen muscle weakness, while extra weight may put added strain on your muscles and joints.

Digestive issues are also common. Weak muscles in the gastrointestinal tract can interfere with the motility of your stomach and intestines, leading to constipation, reflux, or difficulty emptying the stomach.

Building a nourishing daily diet

The best foods for SMA provide a balance of protein, healthy fats, carbohydrates, and essential nutrients to support your muscle strength, joint health, and daily energy levels.

However, it’s still important to consult a doctor or dietitian to determine what is the best diet for you.

Foods for everyday strength

Because SMA affects muscle health, muscle-supporting foods, such as lean proteins, are important to include in your diet to maintain strength.

Good sources of protein include:

eggs
tofu
low-fat dairy (or soy-based formulas if you are lactose-intolerant).

These foods supply amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein essential for muscle maintenance. Your doctor may also recommend a high-protein diet for SMA, depending on your individual needs.

In addition to proteins, it is important to get enough fat in your diet. However, fats — especially those in fried and greasy foods — can worsen your reflux and contribute to weight gain, so some people may be advised to try a low-fat diet. Others, mainly young children with SMA who require fat for healthy brain growth, may need to ingest more fat.

Discuss with your doctor how much fat you should be consuming. Choose healthy fats such as avocados, olive oil, and fatty fish (like salmon or mackerel), which contain omega-3 fatty acids that help fight inflammation and support nerve and joint health.

Finally, complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, which can be pureed if you have issues with chewing or swallowing, can provide long-lasting energy. Their fiber content can also promote regular bowel movements to prevent constipation.

Ways to get essential nutrients

Because SMA can weaken bones and cause digestive issues, try to include foods in your diet that support bone strength and digestion, even though research on their specific benefits in SMA patients is limited.

Good sources of foods that promote bone health include:

low-fat dairy products and fortified plant-based alternatives
leafy greens, such as spinach or kale.

To support your digestion, focus on fiber-rich foods, such as fruits and vegetables, as well as probiotics, which are found in foods like kefir, kombucha, and pickles.

Probiotics may support digestive health in SMA by promoting a balanced gut microbiome, which is the collection of bacteria and other microbes in your gut. Certain beneficial bacteria help break down and absorb specific nutrients and aid bowel movements.

Hydration and smooth digestion

Proper hydration for the SMA patient is essential as it supports digestion and helps nutrients move efficiently throughout the body.

Drink plenty of water by keeping a water bottle nearby and taking sips throughout the day.
Enhance the taste of plain water by adding a splash of fruit juice, or consider drinking herbal teas.
Include foods with high water content, like bone broths, for both hydration and a protein boost.

Pairing hydration with fiber can also help prevent constipation. If you have problems chewing or swallowing, opt for soft fiber sources, such as mashed sweet potatoes or cooked vegetables.

Practical meal planning tips

Managing SMA symptoms can take a toll on your energy levels, making it challenging to even think about what to make for dinner. However, meal planning and advance preparation can save you time and energy in the long run.

Start by collecting recipes you like and creating a weekly shopping list. You can also work with a registered dietician to help design a balanced diet for neuromuscular disorders tailored to your SMA type. They can suggest ideas for SMA-friendly meals and help you create your grocery list.

If you experience difficulty swallowing, prioritize soft, easy-to-eat foods. Soft foods for SMA include:

applesauce
bananas
canned peaches and pears
soft-cooked veggies
smoothies
pureed soups
mashed potatoes.

Certain foods you may want to avoid include:

crusty, tough bread
sticky foods like peanut butter
seeds
tough meats.

To make eating more comfortable:

try eating small amounts more often rather than two or three large meals daily because it’s easier to chew and swallow smaller portions
avoid acidic or fatty foods if you experience reflux
modify food texture by pureeing or blending.

You may also ask your doctor to refer you to a speech therapist, who can assess your swallowing, suggest strategies for eating and drinking, and recommend swallowing exercises to manage any issues.

By engaging with your healthcare team, prioritizing nutrient-dense foods, planning your meals, and adjusting food textures as needed, you can create a balanced SMA diet that supports your muscle strength, energy levels, and digestive health, with the ultimate goal of enhancing your daily quality of life.

SMA News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.