| December
1, 2005
Supplements Heal Pressure Ulcers Faster
Bed sores, which afflict up to one-tenth
of hospital patients, heal more quickly when key supplements are
added to a standard hospital diet, reports new research from Australia.
The treatment of pressure ulcers, caused by pressure, friction
and moisture, is estimated to cost as much as £3m per year
in a typical 600-bed general hospital, and an annual £1.4bn
to £2.1bn across the UK – equivalent to 4 per cent
of total National Health Service (NHS) spending.
The new study divided 16 inpatients aged 37 to 92, into three
groups, for a three-week period. One group ate a standard hospital
diet, the second was additionally given a high-protein/energy
supplement, and the third was further supplemented with arginine
(9g), vitamin C (500 mg), and zinc (30 mg).
Lead author Katherine Desneves wrote: “Only patients
receiving additional arginine, vitamin C and zinc demonstrated
a clinically significant improvement in pressure ulcer healing.”
However, this improvement challenges current guidelines on bedsore
treatment.
Previous research on the impact of supplements on pressure ulcer
has been unconvincing, prompting a 2005 report by the Royal College
of Nursing and the National Institute for Health and Clinical
Excellence (NICE) to conclude: “There is no evidence
to support the routine administration of nutritional support/
supplementation… to promote the healing of pressure ulcers.”
A spokesman for the NICE told NutraIngredients.com: “NICE
would not be able to comment on the results [of the Australian
research], except to say that the current NICE guideline on pressure
ulcer management takes into account all the available published
evidence as at August 2004. This guidance, like all NICE guidance,
will be reviewed - a process that normally begins four years after
the date of issue."
"Reviewing may begin before this if significant evidence
that affects the guideline recommendations is identified.”
Desneves, meantime, appeared to acknowledge the latest research
as only a first indicator. “The results need to be confirmed
in a larger study.”
The Australian study was published in the December issue of Clinical
Nutrition (Vol 24. Iss. 6 pp979-987).
Source: www.nutraingredients.com
Comment:
Dr. Rath’s research shows that the nutrient synergy
of vitamins, amino acids, and minerals along with other micronutrients
is essential for the formation of strong connective tissue
that helps in repair and heal. Vitamin C, arginine, and zinc
are some of the most important nutrients contained in Dr.
Rath’s programs. |
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