Martin Grim, LVN
March 18, 2023
There are several important factors that affect the overall health of wounds and the rate of healing. Rest, wound treatment medications, predisposing diseases, circulation to the wound site, and nutrition all play a role in wound healing. Deficiencies in any of these areas will result in sub-optimal healing, increasing the amount of time it takes for a wound to heal. As part of a wound treatment plan, a doctor may prescribe or recommend dietary supplements to improve the outcome. Let’s explore 3 common supplements that have been often included in wound treatment plans.
As always, speak with your doctor about these dietary supplements before adding them into your daily routine as vitamins and minerals can occasionally negatively interact with medications and organs affected by certain diseases.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is an essential nutrient that plays a role in many different bodily processes, including wound healing. Whether by helping your body to produce important wound repair proteins, like collagen, or by playing important roles within the immune system, it’s vital that we get enough vitamin C in our daily lives (NIH). Luckily, vitamin C is readily available in many common foods such as Oranges, sweet red peppers, and broccoli, making it easy to get in adequate amounts. These foods, eaten raw, can provide your body with this valuable nutrient that will enable your wound healing journey to progress much smoother. Keep an eye out for these culinary delights next time you find yourself browsing the produce aisle in your local grocery store and learn new ways to add them to your daily diet.
Vitamin D
Another nutrient commonly recommended for wound healing by physicians is vitamin D. Vitamin D, like vitamin C, plays many different roles in the body including cell growth and reducing inflammation, both of which affect wound repair (NIH). Although vitamin D can be obtained through direct exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays from sunlight, it must be converted into other forms by the body in order to be usable, so dietary and supplementation may be an optimal means of getting your daily dose, especially for people who have certain diseases or who are unable to be outdoors for long periods of time. Food sources of vitamin D include fish, white mushrooms, and fortified foods such as milk and certain cereals. Your doctor may also prescribe a blood test to determine your levels of vitamin D prior to recommending supplementation.
Zinc
The last nutrient of our wound healing trio is none other than the essential mineral, Zinc. An important player in cellular metabolism, zinc is involved in the functioning of hundreds of different enzymes and is a vital component of wound healing (NIH). Men typically require higher levels of zinc than women, and blood levels of this nutrient can be tested for to determine if there are deficiencies. Oysters are the prime candidates for food sources of zinc, although it can also be found in other meats, shellfish, and pumpkin seeds. Zinc supplements should always be consumed with a good sized meal, as taking zinc without enough food in the stomach can result in nausea and vomiting.
These three nutrients can make the difference when wound healing treatment is underway, oftentimes speeding the healing rate and reducing recovery time. Although food sources are always the best to go about getting your daily dose of these nutrients, your doctor may recommend additional supplementation to help give your body the extra supplies it needs to perform its many tasks. Adding these nutrients to your daily diet is a wonderful way of supporting your body and improving your overall health by simply incorporating food sources into your meals. Talk to your doctor about the supplementation of vitamin C, vitamin D, and zinc to aid in your wound healing process.
Sources
Source 1: NIH. “Vitamin C - Health Professional Fact Sheet. National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. March. 2021, ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminC-HealthProfessional/
Source 2: NIH. “Vitamin D - Health Professional Fact Sheet. National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. Sept. 2023, ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional/
Source 3: NIH. “Zinc - Health Professional Fact Sheet. National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. Sept. 2022, ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Zinc-HealthProfessional/ Assessed and Endorsed by the MedReport Medical Review Board