Nutritional supplements can provide the crucial nutrients needed by undernourished people who have suffered a stroke, a new study indicates.

Research conducted at the Burke Rehabilitation Hospital gave nutritional supplements to more than 100 patients who had lost at least 2.5 percent of their body weight and found that the subjects exhibited noticeable improvement, Reuters reports.

They divided the patients into two groups, giving one a supplement with lower doses of protein and vitamin C, while the other group received higher doses.

Those who took the high-dose nutritional supplements were found to outperform their counterparts in tests of motor function, including how far they could walk in six minutes.

“These differences were perceived clinically important by the patients, their families and the physicians and other healthcare providers caring for them,” said lead researcher Dr. M.H. Rabadi, according to the news provider.

According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, nutritional supplements containing folic acid, vitamin C, vitamin E and omega-3 fatty acids may help protect against stroke.

The research findings are published in the journal Neurology.