The Role of Nutrition and Vitamins in Wound Healing

Good Nutrition Is Essential to Wound Healing

Good nutrition, including an increase in the right type of calories, is the one common treatment requirement across all types of wounds. This is because the presence of a chronic wound raises the metabolic demands of our immune system. Proper nutrition and adequate intake of essential vitamins are crucial for supporting the body’s natural healing processes.

Additional calories from foods rich in protein and vitamins are needed to create blood cells to fight infection and to regenerate tissue cells for skin closure. The presence of a chronic wound can increase calorie requirements by 50% and protein requirements by up to 250% just to maintain current lean body mass (LBM).¹

Advanced Age Can Lead to Loss of Appetite

Loss of lean body mass due to insufficient calorie intake is a significant issue for people of advanced age and especially those living with a chronic wound. This is true across socio-economic backgrounds as the leading cause of decreased food intake is the loss of appetite. Factors that can contribute to a loss of interest in eating include:

• certain medications
• lessened senses, loss of taste or smell
• lack of mobility
• depression or loneliness
• limited access to healthy meals

Addressing these factors and finding ways to encourage adequate nutrition is crucial for supporting wound healing in older adults. One way to ensure you, or someone you care for, is consuming enough calories is to plan five or six small meals instead of aiming for three large meals. Another method is to include calorie-enriched beverages as snacks such as smoothies or milkshakes with added protein.

Wound Healing Requires Zinc, Vitamin A and Vitamin C

Protein is essential for cell health and development so it plays a key role in all stages of wound healing. New white blood cells are needed to fight infections and new skin cells must replace damaged tissue. Zinc, Vitamin A and Vitamin C aid in the creation of collagen for tissue repair and skin cell regeneration. Ensuring adequate intake of these key nutrients through a balanced diet or supplementation, under the guidance of a healthcare professional, can help support the wound healing process.

Each day, you should aim to consume two to three servings of protein and at least two servings of foods high in Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Zinc. Incorporating a variety of nutrient-dense foods into your diet can help provide the essential building blocks for wound healing.

Foods that Help Wounds Heal Faster

Proteins

• cheese
• dried beans
• eggs
• meat
• milk
• nuts
• yogurt

  Vitamin A

• dark green, leafy vegetables
• fortified dairy products
• orange fruits
• orange or yellow vegetables
• liver

Vitamin C

• broccoli
• cabbage
• cauliflower
• citrus fruits
• peppers
• potatoes
• spinach
• strawberries
• tomatoes

Zinc

• fortified cereals
• red meats
• seafood

Your doctor may have recommended a specific diet and you should follow their instructions. If you have not discussed nutrition, be sure to ask about your caloric needs at your next visit. At Healogics, our team of wound care experts works closely with patients to develop personalized nutrition plans that support optimal wound healing and overall health.