A CLINICAL APPROACH TO NUTRITION AND WOUND HEALING

Nutrition plays a vital role in living a healthy lifestyle and it is very important in the management of chronic wounds and diabetic wounds in particular. Malnutrition can lead to delayed wound closure and other complications. 

Diabetes is very prevalent in todays society and almost 1 in 4 people have diabetes and some are unaware. Diabetes can lead to decreased wound healing and many practitioners forget to include nutrition during patient assessment. A1C levels have also been shown tone an important marker to predict wound healing rates in diabetics. 

Vitamin D plays an important role in wound healing and supplementation plays an important role in decreasing ulcer size and inflammatory markers. Arginine has also been hypothesized to enhance wound healing. Vitamin A is also recommended during corticosteroid use. Vitamin B Complex also has studies shown to have "anti-diabetic" effects.

Courtesy of Barry Block, editor of PM News.