Spinach could accelerate the healing of diabetic ulcers, study says

BOSTON - A new study finds a popular leafy green vegetable could accelerate wound healing in patients with diabetes.

Skin ulcers are a common complication of long-standing diabetes. They can take a long time to heal, often years, and in rare cases, doctors will need to amputate a foot or leg to save a patient's life.

Spinach is high in nutrients including vitamins, antioxidants, zinc, and a compound called glutamine, which plays an important role in reducing inflammation and wound healing. In a new study, scientists in Iran found that rats with diabetes who received spinach extract experienced faster healing of their diabetic ulcers, especially those fed the extract before the ulcers even appeared.

Now the extract will need to be tested in humans to see if the same holds true.

In:
• Health
• Diabetes

Mallika Marshall, MD

Mallika Marshall, MD is an Emmy-award-winning journalist and physician who has served as the HealthWatch Reporter for CBS Boston/WBZ-TV for over 20 years. A practicing physician Board Certified in both Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Dr. Marshall serves on staff at Harvard Medical School and practices at Massachusetts General Hospital at the MGH Chelsea Urgent Care and the MGH Revere Health Center, where she is currently working on the frontlines caring for patients with COVID-19. She is also a host and contributing editor for Harvard Health Publications (HHP), the publishing division of Harvard Medical School.

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