What Kinds of Vitamins or Minerals Will Help My Broken Wrist to Heal?

What Kinds of Vitamins or Minerals Will Help My Broken Wrist to Heal?
Photo Credit vitamin c image by fotohansi from Fotolia.com

Bone fractures are almost always painful, and your broken wrist is likely no exception. Besides rest and properly securing the fracture, time is the most important thing when mending a broken bone. Depending upon the severity of the fracture, it can take anywhere between four and eight weeks to completely heal. However, there are simple things that you can do to support the healing process, including a diet plan that is rich in vitamins and minerals that promote good bone health.

Calcium

Calcium is commonly considered to be the most important mineral for bone health because it makes up a large portion of bone mass. According to BetterBones.com, calcium is a critical bone-building ingredient. If you are trying to rebuild the bone tissue in your wrist, you may want to ensure that you are getting adequate calcium in your diet. Dietary sources of calcium include dairy products like milk and cheese, as well as spinach, celery, tofu, sea vegetables, basil and crimini mushrooms. You should try to get between 800 and 1200 mg of calcium per day. If your intake is not meeting this goal, consider adding calcium supplements to your diet.

Phosphorus

In addition to calcium, phosphorus is an integral component of the hard structure of your bones. You should be getting between 800 and 1200 mg of phosphorus per day. Fortunately, most people get plenty of phosphorus in their regular diet so there is usually no need to add phosphorus supplements to assist in healing your broken wrist. However, if you feel that you may not be getting enough phosphorus, consider dietary supplements.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C, also called ascorbic acid, is an essential bone-building nutrient. Many fruits and vegetables, like oranges, grapefruit, spinach and broccoli, are all great sources of vitamin C. While it is recommended that you get around 100 mg of vitamin C per day, you may want to boost your intake to 500 mg or more per day to promote the bone-building activity in your wrist.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that is obtained through your diet but and also synthesized by the body following exposure to sunlight. Vitamin D is crucial to bone health and bone construction because it assists in the absorption of calcium. The recommended dietary allowance for vitamin D is approximately 400 IU, but this amount should be boosted to between 800 and 2000 to support bone building when you have a healing injury.

Vitamin K

Vitamin K is another fat-soluble vitamin that is essential for bone growth. Vitamin K is important for certain proteins in bone-building cells, and it helps to reduce the loss of calcium through urinary excretion. Foods that are good sources of vitamin K include spinach, kale, broccoli and parsley. It is recommended that an average adult to get nearly 100 micrograms of vitamin K per day but if you are trying to promote bone regeneration, you may want to boost this intake to more than 250 micrograms per day. As with all nutritional supplements, you should always consult your doctor before adding extra vitamins and nutrients to your diet.

References

Article reviewed by GayleZorrilla Last updated on: Nov 23, 2010

Must see: Photo Galleries

Member Comments