enhancing surgery recovery with supplements

Studies and Clinical Evidence on the Benefits of Surgery Supplements

Vitamin C

This study titled Vitamin C and Human Wound Healing concludes that:

“Clinical studies provide evidence that wound healing in subjects judged not deficient in vitamin C can be significantly accelerated with supplements of this nutrient above the recommended daily allowance (RDA).”

 

Arnica Montana

Several studies demonstrate Arnica Montana to have healing properties.

After foot operations, Arnica D4 can be used instead of diclofenac to reduce wound irritation. Benefits; Arnica D4 was significantly better tolerated than diclofenac.

Efficacy of Arnica montana D4 for healing of wounds after Hallux valgus surgery compared to diclofenac. Source: PubMed 

Patients taking perioperative homeopathic A montana exhibited less ecchymosis, and that difference was statistically significant. Ecchymosis is another word for bruise.

Effect of Homeopathic Arnica montana on Bruising in Face-lifts. Source: Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery

 

Bromelain

Although studies show mixed results, bromelain may reduce swelling, bruising, healing time, and pain after surgery and physical injuries. Some studies show bromelain to reduce inflammation. Source: University of Maryland Medical Center.

Bromelain prevents edema (swelling) formation and reduces existing edema. Several groups have provided significant evidence for both the edema-protective and edema-reducing efficacy of bromelain in a variety of classical animal experiments [16–20]. Among them, the data by Netti et al. [17] are particularly interesting, since papain, another cysteine
proteinase, was ineffective in all experimental models, whereas bromelain induced 41% (carrageenin) and 45% (dextran) inhibition of edema formation. In addition, bromelain
showed the strongest edema-protective efficacy of all drugs tested, such as indometacin, acetylsalicylic acid, aescin, oxyphenbutazon, and so on [18]. Moreover, both intraperitoneal (i. p.) and orally applied bromelain proved significantly capable of reducing edema (induced by cotton tissue, carrageenin, croton oil) in various animal models. Source: Bromelain: biochemistry, pharmacology and medical use

Studies suggest bromelain may also increase the absorption of other medications, such as:

  • amoxicillin, tetracycline and other antibiotics
  • chemotherapy drugs such as 5-fluorouracil and vincristine
  • “ACE inhibitor” blood pressure medications such as captopril (Capoten) and lisinopril (Zestril)
  • medications that cause drowsiness, such as benzodiazepines lorazepam (Ativan) or diazepam (Valium), some antidepressants, narcotics such as codeine, and barbituates such as phenobarbitol.

Source: Altmedicine.about.com.

Vitamin A

Substantial evidence supports the use of vitamin A as a perioperative (around the time of surgery) nutritional supplement.

[Petry JJ. Surgically significant nutritional supplements. Plast Reconstr Surg 1996;97:233-240.]

Vitamin B

“Reports have demonstrated that nutrient supplements, in particular vitamin-B complex (Vit-B), can positively influence wound healing processes.”  Journal of Periodontology

http://www.joponline.org/doi/abs/10.1902/jop.2005.76.7.108

Click here for more recommended supplements for surgery.

 

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