Wound Healing Challenges
Why Nutrition Is Important in Healing
Adequate nutrition plays a crucial role in healing. The nutritional needs of people who have wounds are greater than normal, and healing may require extra calories, protein, vitamins and minerals. Drinking enough fluid is also vital because it maintains blood volume, supporting circulation to supply nutrients and oxygen to tissues.
What Is Lean Body Mass?
Lean body mass is functional tissue that is vital for life.1 Specifically, it consists of all components of the body (muscle, bones, organs, skin) except fat. Maintaining LBM is essential for strength, organ function, skin integrity, wound healing and immunity. You may be losing LBM if you have weakness, fatigue, lack of strength or energy, loss of appetite, early satiety (feeling full sooner than normal or after eating less than usual), or weight loss.
Calories
Calories provide the body with energy. If not enough calories are consumed (eaten), weight from lean body mass and fat is lost. Weight loss makes it harder to heal.
Protein
Protein provides amino acids, which are the building blocks of the body. You need protein to maintain and repair tissue. Decreased protein intake is associated with wounds, and increased protein intake is important for healing.
Amino Acids
Specific amino acids, building blocks of the body, particularly arginine and glutamine, may be beneficial for wound healing. Your body uses arginine during periods of growth or healing to regulate many bodily functions and support wound healing and tissue repair. Glutamine is important for tissue repair and during times of stress, such as tissue injury.
Fluid
Fluid is an essential nutrient that is important for the normal functioning of cells. Dehydration can occur if you don’t consume enough fluid or if fluid loss is greater than fluid intake. Wound drainage can be a major source of fluid loss and can lead to dehydration and electrolyte imbalance.
Vitamins and Minerals
Various vitamins and minerals have been associated with assisting in your body’s healing process. Nutritional deficiency has been associated with the development of wounds and can actually slow or impede wound healing. Clinicians often recommend increased intake of vitamins and minerals thought to be especially important for healing.
Muscle Wasting
Muscle wasting is what happens when the body breaks down the proteins in lean body tissue for energy. This breakdown causes your body to lose muscle and your organs to work inefficiently. Even if your weight stays the same, your body may still be breaking down lean tissue for energy. Loss of muscle and organ tissue can make it harder for you to stay mobile and active and to get better after an illness or injury. The effects of muscle wasting are serious and can affect quality of life. Maintaining muscle and organ tissue is vital for proper wound healing.
What Can You Do?
A well-balanced diet should contain everything your body needs to heal a wound or repair tissue. If you are not sure your diet contains all the nutrients necessary for healing, ask your doctor, nurse or dietitian about supplementing your diet. But before you talk to your health care team, see How Juven® Helps or visit the Tools section of this Web site for some helpful aids.
References
- Wolfe R. The underappreciated role of muscle in health and disease. Am J Clin Nutr 2006;84:475-482.
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