Pre-Operative Supplements, Recommended Supplements

Before Surgery

Next to post-operative healing, vitamin and mineral supplementation has a role in

preparing ones body for surgery.

Vitamin and mineral supplementation has a role in preparing ones body for surgery,
and also in post-operative healing.

Prior to engaging in pre and post-operative nutritive therapy, patients should first
consult their physician to discuss the types and dosages of supplements to take, and
how long the therapy should last.

In this manner, the supplement therapy can be monitored by your doctor and can be
tailored so it is most effective.

In any case, it is important to explore the nutritional and botanical influences on

wound healing, as effective treatment with the right vitamin and mineral
supplements can promote quicker healing time, with less pain, discomfort, and
scarring. ( McKay, Douglas, ND and Miller, Alan L. ND, 2003).

Pre-operative Supplementation
In the weeks prior to surgery, it is very important that a patients diet include the
recommended daily allowances for macronutrients, vitamins, and minerals.
About 2-4 weeks before surgery, patients should prepare their bodies adequately for
the stress of upcoming surgery by engaging in healthy nutrition that includes
drinking enough water, eating protein, and taking several different
supplements (Turk, Jon B., 2011).
Water is necessary because it aids digestion, ridding the body of toxins, wastes and
impurities, while preventing constipation and bloating. It is also necessary that
patients eat enough protein to prepare their bodies for surgery and post-operative
healing (Turk, Jon B., 2011).
Patients should take a multivitamin during the pre-operative preparation period.
Multivitamins provide the recommended daily dosage of micronutrients that will
help the body get ready for post-operative tissue repair (Turk, Jon B., 2011).
There is substantial evidence that vitamin A is an effective perioperative (meaning,
before, during and after surgery) nutritional substance, enhancing wound repair and
suppressing factors that work against proper healing.
One study concluded that taking 25,000 International Units (IUs) of vitamin A
before and after surgery helped patients known to be immune depleted or steroid
treated, and those with sepsis*, fractures, or tendon damage.

(* sepsis, sometimes also referred to as blood poisoning, is the bodys inflammatory

response to infection.)

Supplements typically contain 10,000-50,000 international units (IU) per capsule.

If you prefer to get the fat-soluble vitamin A through food you could add fortified
foods and animal foods such as milk, liver, kidney, fish oil to your diet. Dietary
vitamin A is also obtained from provitamin A carotenoids from plant sources such
as (cooked) carrots.

Cautions on vitamin A use are warranted, as vitamin A suppresses the effects of

steroids (for those patients who need to use steroids), and extremely high dosages of
vitamin A are toxic. Pregnant women and women of child-bearing age should also
use caution in taking Vitamin A.

Vitamin C is essential for the synthesis of collagen, proteoglycans, and the organic
components of the intracellular matrix of tissues, such as bones, skin, capillary walls
and other connective tissues. (McKay, Douglas, ND and Miller, Alan L. ND, 2003).
Taking high dosages of vitamin C for a two-week period before surgery and during
the postoperative period will ensure that a high blood-level of vitamin C is
maintained to aid the healing process (Tylee Peter & Jenny, 2011).
One study recommended taking 1-2 grams of vitamin C from wound onset until the
healing is complete (McKay, Douglas, ND and Miller, Alan L. ND, 2003).
Zinc is an important trace mineral for DNA synthesis, cell division, and protein
synthesis. Zinc demands increase from wound initiation through the inflammatory
phase of healing. Perioperative zinc supplementation of 15-30 milligrams (mg) daily
is recommended, with higher levels in patients who have conditions that promote
zinc deficiency (risk factors such as malnutrition, malabsorption, or chronic
diarrhea). (McKay, Douglas, ND and Miller, Alan L. ND, 2003).
Glucosamine aids the production of hyaluronic acid, which plays a role in
mediating the sequence of events in the healing process. Oral glucosamine (1,500
mg daily) taken both before and during the first few days after surgery might
enhance hyaluronic acid production in the wound, promoting swifter healing and
possibly less scarring. ( McKay, Douglas, ND and Miller, Alan L. ND, 2003).
Glutamine is an amino acid that is important to healingtaking glutamine during
the preoperative period will reduce the healing time, post surgery.
Arginine is another important amino acid that aids in infection prevention, immune
function, and post-operative healing. CoenzymeQ10 is a powerful antioxidant that
aids faster healing if taken prior to surgery.
Probiotics taken before surgery will ensure that good bacteria inhabit the gut prior
to surgery(Turk, Jon B., 2011).
Adequate protein intake is essential for proper wound healing. Protein depletion
will delay healing by prolonging the inflammatory phase. Patients who undergo
major surgery need 10% more protein, while patients who suffer major trauma need
up to 75-100% more protein intake. During the perioperative period, patients should
daily consume 8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight (McKay, Douglas,
ND and Miller, Alan L. ND, 2003).

The Hospital and Your Supplements

Once admitted to the hospital, patients should realize that supplements are
considered medications, and hospital personnel will not approve taking them
without a doctors consent.

Patients should talk with their doctors about continuing supplement therapy while in
the hospital, and get approval for whatever supplements are to be taken. These can
then be included on a patients chart as approved medications (Tylee Peter & Jenny,
2011).

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