How the product Defiance could be used to support a patient pre and post-surgery?

08 | Feb | 2023
Edwin Govender – Lead Formulation Pharmacist at Torus Health Care (Pty) Ltd.

The goals of post-operative recovery:

Understanding the objectives and goals of a physician in speeding up the healing process post surgery, is crucial. These objectives can vary based on the surgical procedure and its extent, but some common goals are typically:

  • Pain management: To control pain and discomfort following the surgery
  • Wound healing: To promote the healing of incisions and surgical sites
  • Movement and mobility: To regain strength, range of motion, and physical ability
  • Reduce inflammation: To speed up the above - improves healing and mobility, reduces pain
  • Reduce scarring: To improve the aesthetic appearance of the surgical site, and to help speed up the recovery process
  • Regaining strength: building strength and endurance
  • Independence: To return to normal activities of daily living, such as bathing, dressing, and eating
  • Support immune health: To minimize the risk of infections
  • Preventing complications: To minimize bleeding, and other post-operative complications
  • Psychological well-being: To manage stress, anxiety, and depression related to the surgery and recovery process

The use of supplements in pre and post-operative healing:

Supplements can play a role in aiding the recovery process after surgery. However, it is imperative to understand that taking supplements before surgery may have negative consequences. Some supplements, including complementary and alternative medicines, can lead to complications during surgery and delay the recovery process. To reduce these risks, it is advisable to speak with your doctor and stop taking all supplements, including Defiance, 10-14 days prior to the surgery.

Hydrolysed Collagen products, like Defi ance, can be used both pre and post-surgery as a dietary supplement to support skin, joint, and bone health, aiding the recovery process. It is recommended to start taking collagen supplements several weeks before surgery to improve skin elasticity and joint health, which may facilitate a faster recovery. However, it is necessary to cease use of these supplements at least 10 days before surgery.

After surgery, collagen supplements like Defi ance can support the healing process of skin, joint and bones. However, every patient should be evaluated on an individual basis taking into account their life stage and treatment plan. Therefore, it is important to consult with a doctor before restarting the use of Defi ance.

Benefits of using Defiance:

Defiance has been expertly formulated and blended with ingredients that are backed by scientific research to support post-operative healing
(discussed above).

  • Vitamin C, D, and E , have demonstrated anti-inflammatory properties and may promote wound healing (1).
  • Astaxanthin given in the post injury period significantly decreases fibrosis , inhibits synechia development and significantly decreases subepithelial fibrosis. Moreover, it has no general or local toxic effects (2).
  • MSM may reduce the release of molecules associated with inflammation , such as TNF-ɑ and IL-6, as well as boost levels of the powerful antioxidant glutathione (3).
  • There is substantial evidence that without zinc a post-neurosurgical wound will take more time to heal. This touches on the value we place on ensuring patients a better quality of life after surgery. Non-usage of zinc increases patient visits to the clinic and may lead to financial and mental distress (4).
  • The administration of adequate oral dosage of glucosamine during the first few days after surgery or trauma can be expected to enhance hyaluronic acid production in the wound, promoting swifter healing and possibly diminishing complications related to scarring (5).
  • Natural production of collagen in the body requires several other ingredients. These components are referred to as co-factors and include vitamin A, vitamin C, manganese, zinc , etc. (6).
  • Hydrolyzed collagen -based supplement could significantly improve wound healing and circulating pre-albumin (7).
  • Meta-analysis have demonstrated that supplementation with either arginine and glutamine can positively influence wound healing or parameters related to healing including LOS and mortality (8).
  • Components such as vitamins C, D, E, zinc, selenium have well-established immunomodulatory effects (enhancing the immune system), with benefits in infectious disease (9).

Conclusion:

The components found in Defiance provide numerous advantages in promoting healing after surgery. Many of these ingredients serve as co-factors and supporting elements that assist in reconstructing hydrolyzed collagen back into collagen, a substance the body can utilize during recovery to facilitate the healing process. It is recommended to discontinue the use of Defiance 7- 10 days prior to surgery, and with the consultation of your physician, it may be resumed 1 week post-surgery, depending on the progress of your healing and the medications being taken.

References

  1. Rask DMG, Puntel MR, Patzkowski JC, Patzkowski MS. Multivitamin Use in Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Protocols: A Cost Analysis. Mil Med. 2021 Aug 28;186(9-10):e1024-e1028. doi: 10.1093/milmed/usaa505. PMID: 33242075.
  2. Manciula, Lavinia-Gianina, Cristian Berce, Flaviu Tabaran, Veronica Trombitaș, and Silviu Albu. 2019. “The Effects of Postoperative Astaxanthin Administration on Nasal Mucosa Wound Healing” Journal of Clinical Medicine 8, no. 11: 1941. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm8111941
  3. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-to-increase-glutathione#TOC_TITLE_HDR_2
  4. Adjepong, D., Jahangir, S., & Malik, B. H. (2020). The Effect of Zinc on Post-neurosurgical Wound Healing: A Review. Cureus, 12(1), e6770.
    https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.6770
  5. McCarty MF. Glucosamine for wound healing. Med Hypotheses. 1996 Oct;47(4):273-5. doi: 10.1016/s0306-9877(96)90066-3. PMID: 8910875.
  6. https://www.mdlogichealth.com/blogs/healthy-digest/importance-of-co-factors-in-collagen-synthesis
  7. Bagheri Miyab K, Alipoor E, Vaghardoost R, Saberi Isfeedvajani M, Yaseri M, Djafarian K, Hosseinzadeh-Attar MJ. The effect of a hydrolyzed collagen-based supplement on wound healing in patients with burn: A randomized double-blind pilot clinical trial. Burns. 2020 Feb;46(1):156-163. doi: 10.1016/j.burns.2019.02.015. Epub 2019 Dec 16. PMID: 31859087.
  8. Arribas-López, E., Zand, N., Ojo, O., Snowden, M. J., & Kochhar, T. (2021). The Effect of Amino Acids on Wound Healing: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on Arginine and Glutamine. Nutrients, 13(8), 2498. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13082498
  9. Shakoor, H., Feehan, J., Al Dhaheri, A. S., Ali, H. I., Platat, C., Ismail, L. C., Apostolopoulos, V., & Stojanovska, L. (2021). Immune-boosting role of vitamins D, C, E, zinc, selenium and omega-3 fatty acids: Could they help against COVID-19?. Maturitas, 143, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.maturitas.2020.08.003

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