Vitamin D

Over a century ago, three Nobel prizes were awarded for the discovery of Vitamin D. Oral vitamin D comes in two forms: Vitamin D2 and Vitamin D3. Both are converted in the liver and kidneys to the active form of Vitamin D that circulates in your body.

Increased vitamin D intake has been shown to enhance wound healing. It has also been shown to increase creation of cathelicidin, an antimicrobial peptide the immune system uses to fight off wound infections.

For many years, studies have shown that vitamin D deficiency is associated with increased risk of developing chronic illness and cancer. In fact, one study showed that in the United States, people have a 41.6% chance of being deficient in Vitamin D, according to levels suggested by the FDA.

Increased intake has not only shown that it will improve overall health and decrease risk of developing illness, but has also shown that it will enhance healing of wounds.

Vitamin D absorption in humans is typically through exposure to sunlight. However, most humans don’t get enough exposure to fully absorb the amount of vitamin D needed. Very few foods naturally contain or are fortified with vitamin D, making supplementation very useful as vitamin D assists in so many body processes, including healing.*

Sources:

Regulski M. Addressing Vitamin D Deficiency in the Wound Care Clinic. Today’s Wound Clin. 2016;10(11).

Forrest KY, Stuhldreher WL. Prevalence and correlates of vitamin D deficiency in US adults. Nutr Res. 2011;31(1):48-54.

Oda Y, Tu CL, Menendez A, Nguyen T, Bikle DD. Vitamin D and calcium regulation of epidermal wound healing. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2016;164:379-385.

Schwalfenberg GK. A review of the critical role of vitamin D in the functioning of the immune system and the clinical implications of vitamin D deficiency. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2011;55(1):96-108.

Ding J, Kwan P, Ma Z, et al. Synergistic effect of vitamin D and low concentration of transforming growth factor beta 1, a potential role in dermal wound healing. Burns. 2016;42(6):1277-1286.

*Disclaimer:  If you suffer from any medical illness or have medical concerns or questions, please speak with your healthcare provider. The information on wound healing found on this site is derived from peer-reviewed research and information drawn from medical societies and governmental agencies, links to which are available under “Sources.” However, they are not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.