Nutrition plays a critical but often overlooked role in recovery from opioid use disorder (OUD) and stimulant use disorder. Opioids and stimulants disrupt the body’s ability to absorb and use essential nutrients, often leading to significant deficiencies in vitamins, minerals, and macronutrients necessary for brain function, mood regulation, and physical health. These deficiencies can intensify cravings, increase the risk of relapse, and worsen conditions like depression and anxiety that often occur alongside substance use.
The gut-brain connection is particularly relevant in OUD recovery, as opioid use affects the gastrointestinal system and can impair the nutrient absorption and brain chemical production that support emotional well-being. Stimulant use often suppresses appetite, leading to malnutrition and disordered eating patterns that can persist into recovery. Addressing nutritional needs alongside treatment is not supplemental care, it is an essential part of whole-person recovery. The resources below offer practical guidance for providers and people in recovery on integrating nutrition support into substance use treatment and recovery planning.
Nutrition Resources
Websites
Diet, Nutrition, and Substance Use Disorder
This resource from Utah State University Extension reviews how diet and nutrition are impacted during active substance use and the role nutrition can play in treatment and recovery. It includes a practical table of common nutritional concerns specific to opioid use disorder, such as appetite loss, constipation, weight changes, and cravings, along with evidence-based recommendations.
Healthy Living, Sustainable Recovery Resource Center
The Healthy Living, Sustainable Recovery (HLSR) Resource Center is an evidence-informed program that bridges substance use recovery with physical health and emotional wellbeing through nutrition and physical activity education.
Tools & Resources
Patient Resource: How to Use Telehealth to Improve Eating Habits and Nutrition
This resource explores how telehealth can be used to access nutrition support, covering available services, how virtual visits work, and tips for making the most of an appointment.
Telehealth for Nutrition Care and Services Guide
This tool outlines how to deliver nutrition care through telehealth, including the use of HIPAA-compliant technology, virtual assessments, and personalized care planning. It also highlights ways to improve access to supportive health services, address nutrition-related needs, and reduce barriers to care for underserved populations through virtual service delivery.
Posters & Infographics
Patient Tip Sheet: Using Telehealth for Nutrition Care Services
Share this tip sheet with your clients/patients so they can learn more more about the types of nutrition care they can receive through telehealth and how they can connect to nutrition experts virtually.
Download Fact Sheet
Publications
Fact Sheet: Carbohydrates, Fat and Protein in Recovery
This fact sheet explains the role of macronutrients—carbohydrates, fats, and proteins—in supporting energy, physical and mental health, and overall recovery. Adequate intake helps reduce cravings, prevent relapse, and improve treatment outcomes, while deficiencies can contribute to low energy, depression, and anxiety.
Fact Sheet: Nutrition, the Gut and a Healthy Mind in Recovery
This fact sheet explores the gut-brain connection and its impact on recovery. Gut health influences nutrient absorption, mental health, cravings, and satiety, all of which affect substance use recovery. Understanding and supporting gut health through nutrition is essential for overall well-being.
Fact Sheet: Substance Use, Recovery and Body Dissatisfaction
This fact sheet examines how body dissatisfaction—negative feelings about appearance—can drive unhealthy dieting behaviors and eating disorders. Cultural and societal ideals often influence these perceptions, making body image a key factor to consider during recovery.
Fact Sheet: Substance Use, Recovery and Eating Pathology
This fact sheet explores the high co-occurrence of eating disorders and substance use, emphasizing the need to address both simultaneously in recovery. Recovery can disrupt hunger cues and lead to overeating or weight gain, highlighting the importance of integrated support for nutrition, body image, and substance use.
Fact Sheet: Vitamins and Minerals in Recovery
This fact sheet highlights the importance of micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) for supporting bodily functions, mental health, and recovery. Deficiencies can lead to depression, poor attention, and sleep problems. Key nutrients like iron, folate, and B vitamins are crucial for producing brain chemicals that regulate mood and behavior.
Fact Sheet: Weight Concerns, Dieting and Recovery From Substance Use
This fact sheet addresses weight changes during recovery, including post-use weight gain and distorted hunger cues. It warns against fad diets and restrictive behaviors, which can worsen recovery outcomes and increase the risk of relapse.
Webinars & Online Learning
Current News & Research
Experiences with Healthy Eating Among Individuals with Opioid Dependence (2025)
A 2025 study finding that despite assumptions to the contrary, many people receiving opioid agonist treatment are motivated to improve their diets, particularly in social settings. The study highlights cost and access as primary barriers and supports integrating nutrition support directly into outpatient clinic care.
Novel Intervention to Improve Food Insecurity Among Individuals with OUD (2025)
A 2025 randomized clinical trial finding that food insecurity is 4 to 7 times greater among people with OUD than the general population and is associated with increased risk for drug use, infectious disease, and premature death. The study tested a mail-based meal delivery intervention for people receiving methadone or buprenorphine treatment.