Vitamin D can help to heal burns victims, study suggests

VITAMIN D supplements can speed up the time it takes for burns to heal and help prevent scarring, a study suggests. The vitamin, which is produced naturally in the body when the skin comes into contact with sunshine, is believed to help protect against burning.

Previous studies have shown that vitamin D supplements help decrease inflammation, redness and swelling after sunburn, and it is thought this may be one of the reasons that the body produces the chemical.

Now research from Birmingham University has found that it may also help to combat other types of burn. Researchers monitored 38 patients who had suffered serious burns for a year and recorded their levels of vitamin D. They found that those with the highest levels of vitamin D had better wound healing, fewer complications and less scarring.

This study is the first to investigate the role of vitamin D in recovery from burn injury. Prof Janet Lord, director of the Institute of Inflammation and Ageing at Birmingham University, said: “Low vitamin D levels were associated with worse outcomes in burn patients, including life-threatening infections, mortality and delayed wound healing.

“Low levels were also associated with worse scarring, but vitamin D levels are something generally overlooked by clinicians. Major burn injury severely reduces vitamin D levels and adding this vitamin back may be a simple, safe and cost-effective way to improve outcomes for burns patients, with minimal cost to NHS.”