Which vitamin helps in wound healing?

AIIMS Raipur - 2017 (Shift-3)

Applied Nutrition & Dietetics

Easy

Appeared in: AIIMS Raipur - 2017 (Shift-3)

Explanation

Vitamin C is essential for all phases of wound healing, particularly for the synthesis of collagen, the main structural protein in skin and connective tissue.
It acts as a co-factor for enzymes that are critical for stabilizing the collagen molecule structure, ensuring the strength and integrity of the newly formed tissue.
Vitamin C also supports immune function, helping to protect the wound from infection, and functions as an antioxidant, which limits damage from free radicals at the site of injury.

Option A: While Vitamin A is important for the inflammatory response and the growth of epithelial cells (epithelialization), its role is not as central as Vitamin C's role in building the fundamental collagen framework.
Option C: Vitamin E is primarily an antioxidant that protects cell membranes from damage. Its direct contribution to tissue synthesis and wound repair is less significant compared to Vitamin C. In fact, very high doses of Vitamin E can sometimes impair wound healing.
Option D: Vitamin K's primary role is in hemostasis—the process of blood clotting. It is essential for stopping bleeding immediately after an injury but is not directly involved in the subsequent, longer phases of tissue regeneration and remodeling.

Visual 1: Diagram - The four phases of wound healing (hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, maturation), highlighting that Vitamin K is key in hemostasis while Vitamin C is critical for the proliferation and maturation phases.
Visual 2: Infographic - A chart showing common food sources of Vitamin C, such as oranges, kiwi, bell peppers, broccoli, and strawberries, to aid in patient education.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Knowing Role of vitamins in wound healing helps nurses interpret findings accurately and avoid errors in routine assessment, medication administration, and patient teaching.
Nurses must perform nutritional assessments for patients with wounds, as deficiencies in key nutrients like Vitamin C and protein can significantly delay healing and increase the risk of complications.
Patient education is a key nursing responsibility. This includes advising patients on dietary choices that support wound healing, especially for those recovering from surgery or managing chronic wounds like pressure injuries.
What if? If a patient with a surgical wound is also on warfarin (an anticoagulant), the nurse must balance the need for wound healing nutrients with the need to maintain a consistent Vitamin K intake to avoid interfering with the medication's effectiveness.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key process in the question, which is 'wound healing'.
Recall the primary physiological functions of the four vitamins listed as options.
Differentiate between the distinct phases of wound healing: hemostasis (stopping bleeding), inflammation, proliferation (tissue building), and remodeling.
Analyze which vitamin's function is most critical for the overall process of tissue repair and synthesis. Vitamin K is for hemostasis, but Vitamin C is for collagen synthesis (proliferation/remodeling).
Select the option that is most directly and fundamentally involved in building new tissue. This leads to Vitamin C as the best answer.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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