Under-nutrition is common in elderly patients, especially for those in hospital. Hospital stay is often associated with further weight loss. Many authors have considered nutritional supplementation. A recent meta-analysis of the trials of nutritional supplementation in all age groups and pathologies found benefits from supplementation but suggested that further work was required. This review considers the work done since the meta-analysis until the end of 1999 and in particular considers the benefits evident to elderly patients using oral supplements.