10 Healing Supplements you Must Take After Surgery

Recovering from an injury or surgery is a long process. Healing takes time no matter who you are, but certain factors can affect how quickly you recover. Your age and overall health play a major role in healing but so does proper wound care and nutrition.

Proper wound care generally consists of keeping your wound clean and changing bandages often. You should keep your injury elevated and ice it frequently to relieve inflammation and bruising. It’s also suggested to rest and keep pressure off your injury. Doing these things will help your wound heal properly and avoid risk of infection.

Your nutrition is equally as important as wound care during your recovery. Your body needs nutrients to repair itself and strengthen your immune system to fight off infection. It’s important to eat a healthy balanced diet full of nutrition, plant foods, proteins, and fats.

Additionally, dietary supplements can be consumed to help you boost certain nutrient levels most effective for wound healing. Below are 10 healing supplements to take after surgery to improve your wound recovery.

10 Healing Supplements To Take After Surgery

1. Arginine

Arginine is a non-essential amino acid that has been shown to aid in the wound healing process. According to studies, arginine increases collagen formation and reduces inflammation in rats and humans. It does this by increasing blood flow and oxygen to the wound. 

2. Arnica Montana

Arnica Montana is a flowering plant native to North America and other parts of the world. Arnica has been used for years in natural medicine for wound healing. The plant has been shown to speed up the wound healing process by reducing pain, bruising, bleeding, swelling, and protecting against the risk of infection. 

3. Bromelain

Bromelain is a group of enzymes derived from the pineapple fruit. It’s been used in treating wounds to increase the resorption rate of hematomas. Bromelain also has blood-clotting effects which is useful for treating patients with edema and inflammation disorders. 

4. Probiotics

Probiotics are living bacteria and yeast that are beneficial to your health. Most surgeries require the use of antibiotics, which disrupts natural gut flora and causes digestive problems. Probiotics help to balance out your gut flora and relieve digestive problems caused by gut imbalance. 

5. Turmeric

Turmeric is a pungent, bright orange-yellow spice with powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Turmeric’s main compound is curcumin, which is responsible for these powerful benefits. Curcumin aids in the wound healing process by relieving inflammation and promoting the production and restoration of collagen and tissue cells.

6. Vitamin A

Vitamin A is an essential vitamin for the healing process because it’s necessary for cell growth. Vitamin A activates connective tissue production and helps new blood vessels grow. It also strengthens the immune system to help fight off infection. 

7. Vitamin B

Vitamin B speeds up the wound healing process by preventing inflammation, repairing cells at the incision site, and increasing protein synthesis.

8. Vitamin C

Vitamin C is best known for preventing colds, but it plays a vital role in wound healing as well. Vitamin C is vital to collagen formation and strengthens the immune system to fight off infection at the wound site. A lack of vitamin C will prevent surgical wounds and injuries from healing properly, making this one of the most vital nutrients for wound healing. 

9. Vitamin K

Vitamin K promotes blood clotting and is necessary for building strong bones. It aids in the healing process by stimulating the blood clotting process upon incision or wounding. However, be sure to check with your doctor before taking vitamin K supplements. In some surgeries, it may cause unwanted blood clotting. 

10. Zinc

Zinc is a mineral essential to a strong immune system. It can also reduce inflammation, scar tissue creation, and bacterial growth at the wound site. Zinc is necessary for wound healing, a deficiency in zinc can lead to an inability to heal. On the other hand, one study found that zinc supplements reduced healing time after surgery by 43%. 

The Takeaway

Proper wound care and nutrition is essential for your surgery recovery. Dietary supplements like WoundVite can help you maintain adequate levels of vital nutrients necessary for healing. WoundVite is a multi-nutrient supplement co-formulated by pharmacist Devan Patel. 

The supplement contains ingredients specifically chosen for their benefits in aiding in the wound healing process. Including a multi-nutrient like WoundVite in your post-surgery recovery routine can help you heal faster and get back to your daily routine sooner.