Injuries happen no matter how careful we try to be sometimes, and we have very little control of what happens during the injury event. However, we do have control of what we do to recover from our injury. Regardless of it being an accident or medical (ex. surgery), there are several nutritional changes we can make to help our body recover. 

Protein Aids recovery

Broken bones, wounds, burns, surgery, muscle/tendon tears and strains, ligament sprains all require amino acids to rebuild tissue and heal. Amino acids are the building blocks of all of our tissues (skin, bone, organs, etc.). Unfortunately, amino acids are not stored in our body for future use. 

This means that when you are injured and recovering, you need to increase your intake of amino acids in your diet. Amino acids are what make up protein. By increasing your protein intake you are increasing the available amino acids in your body for recovery.

For more information on amino acids and protein, check out this prior blog. 

The severity of the injury or surgical procedure determines how much additional protein you may need to improve recovery. 

Protein amounts to aid in recovery:

• Small wounds, cuts, scrapes (superficial depth and less than an inch long) - no need for protein increase if protein intake is adequate (1 gram/kg body weight)

• Medium wounds, 1st-2nd degree burns, small bone breaks, minor strains and sprains - increase protein intake to 1.5 grams/kg body weight

• Large wounds, full depth wounds (through all layers of skin), surgical procedures, 2nd-3rd degree burns, major sprains and strains or tears - increase protein intake to 2 grams/kg body weight

Keep in mind to distribute your total protein intake throughout the day to maintain a steady availability of amino acids for recovery. 

It’s also a great strategy to use a protein supplement (protein powder, protein bar) at bedtime to increase the available amino acids while sleeping. This helps avoid a 6-8 hour window of no protein intake. 

It is ideal to increase your protein intake through whole foods such as meat, fish, quinoa, beans and legumes. However, it is okay to use protein supplements such as protein powders and protein bars to help boost your protein intake.

Vitamins and Minerals for recovery

In addition to increased protein intake, certain vitamins and minerals aid the body in healing as well. They also help maintain your immune system to prevent infection during healing.

• Vitamin A - Stimulate skin cell, blood vessel, connective tissue, and bone growth as well as collagen synthesis.

  • Apricots, Cantaloupe, Mango, Papaya, Pumpkin, Sweet potato, Carrots, Milk products, Eggs, Leafy greens, Liver

• Vitamin C - Has a direct role in collagen synthesis. Important for both soft tissue and bone healing.

  • Citrus fruits, Cantaloupe, Kiwi, Papaya, Berries, Bell peppers, Brussel sprouts, Broccoli, Tomatoes, Potatoes

• Zinc - Aids in collagen and protein synthesis and stimulates bone growth.

  • Legumes, Nuts and seeds, Whole grains, Milk products, Eggs, Fish, Seafood, Liver, Meat

Making sure you eat a diet focused on whole foods with plenty of vegetables and fruits is the best way to get the nutrients your body needs to heal. This also provides plenty of antioxidants to protect the cells from oxidative stress during recovery.

Taking a multivitamin or specific vitamin is okay to boost your intake of these specific vitamins and minerals. However, keep in mind that more is not always better and, in some cases, can cause toxicity.

To prevent the risk of toxicity while maximizing recovery DO NOT exceed these upper limits.

• Vitamin A - <3,000 mcg/day

  • Choose a supplement that provides at least half of the vitamin a from beta-carotene. This helps minimize the risk for toxicity.

• Vitamin C - <2,000 mg/day

  • Since this is a water-soluble vitamin consuming more than the UL will cause toxicity but can result in GI upset and discomfort.

• Zinc - 40 mg/day

  • Excessive intake of zinc can result in Gi upset and discomfort.

Carb and fat intake during recovery

Unlike protein, there is little evidence supporting use of carbs and fats to aid in recovery. Healthy fats are beneficial to decrease inflammation however, an increased amount does not seem to benefit recovery.

Increased levels may even hamper your recovery in the early stages of healing. Keep in mind that the inflammatory process is needed to heal and repair tissue.

The greatest concern during recovery is a decrease in activity. If an injury is serious enough that it requires bed-rest or decreased activity, weight gain is a possibility. Given the greater need for protein during a serious injury it is best to reduce your overall carb and fat intake to offset the increase in calories.

Although you do not want to lose weight during recovery, laying around or sitting on the couch requires a lot less energy. Depending on how active you were prior to your injury can drastically change your overall calorie intake.

As it is difficult to give a general calorie reduction the best strategy is to determine your BMR (basal metabolic rate) and multiply it by the following activity factors.

• Bedridden, very little activity throughout the day - BMR x1

• Resting with some light activity throughout the day - BMR x1.1

• No change in your activity level - maintain current calorie intake or may need to increase intake depending on the severity of the injury.

Once you have determined your daily caloric intake, subtract your protein needs by multiplying the grams of protein by 4. This will give you the total protein in calories. Now you can adjust your carb and fat intake to the remaining calories/day.

It is ideal to reduce both carbs and fat evenly to maintain a balanced diet. However, it is okay to reduce more of your carbs as your body’s need for them reduces with a reduction in activity. 

The key takeaway

Injuries require amino acids from protein to rebuild tissues. Increasing your protein intake based on the severity of your injury can improve recovery and decrease overall recovery time. 

Zinc and vitamins A and C promote tissue growth and aid in the overall healing process.

Carbs and fat have little evidence in aiding in recovery however, a reduction in these macros may be necessary to prevent weight gain during recovery. 

Modifying macros can get confusing and a dietitian can help you better understand this process or even set up a personalized recovery plan. 

If you are recovering from an injury or surgery, contact me at dietitian2go@gmail.com to get your nutrition on track for optimal recovery! 

Written by: Adam Skowyra MPPD, RDN, LD