Just as the slowest person determines the speed of a hiking group or the narrowest diameter of the garden hose determines the flow rate of the water, the slowest metabolic step in the body also determines the overall speed of metabolism. One of the most important factors for metabolic speed is the presence of all necessary micro- and macronutrients in sufficient quantities and in a balanced ratio. Any deficiency potentially will limit the overall speed of the processes.
Therefore, for continuous and uninterrupted wound healing, the continuous availability of all relevant macronutrients (building blocks, energy sources) and micronutrients in a balanced ratio and corresponding quality is critical.
Availability
Ideally, all the materials needed should be available all around the clock. However, this is not always easy to implement. Proteins in particular are available in large quantities after a corresponding meal, and later only in smaller quantities. Therefore, several small meals are important. If frequent meals are not possible, protein sources can be selected, which are digested more slowly and therefore are available for longer.
Nutrients can support or inhibit each other when they are absorbed by the body. Therefore, when selecting the food components, their interaction should be taken into account.
Quality
Different protein sources differ in the composition of the amino acids from which the proteins are built. For an optimal biological value, it is helpful that the composition of the ingested proteins is as close as possible to what humans need. Various protein sources can be combined or appropriate amino acids can be added.
The macronutrients can serve as both a building block and energy source. For most people, the proportion of fats and carbohydrates, especially sugars, in food is very high. In addition, high blood sugar levels are detrimental to tissue formation. Therefore, a protein-focused approach could be helpful, in which the proteins can serve as both a building block and an energy source.
