Supplemental Protein and a Multinutrient Beverage Speed Wound Healing after Acute Sleep Restriction in Healthy Adults

Background Physiologic and psychologic stress slow healing from experimental wounds by impairing immune function. Objectives We aimed to determine whether supplemental protein and multinutrient supplementation improved wound healing markers after acute stress induced by acute sleep restriction. Methods In this single-blind, crossover study in generally healthy young adults (18 males/2 females; mean +/- SD age: 19.7 +/- 2.30 y), experimental wounds were created by removing the top layer of forearm blisters induced via suction after 48 h of 72-h sleep restriction (2-h nightly sleep), a protocol previously shown to delay wound healing. Skin barrier restoration (measured by transepidermal water loss) assessed wound healing <= 10 d postblistering, and local immune responses were evaluated by serial measurement of cytokine concentrations in fluid collected at wound sites for 48 h postblistering. Participants consumed controlled, isocaloric diets with either 0.900 g center dot kg(-1) center dot d(-1) protein plus placebo (PLA) or 1.50 g center dot kg(-1) center dot d(-1) protein plus multinutrient beverage [l-arginine: 20.0 g/d; l-glutamine: 30.0 g/d; omega-3 (n-3) fatty acids: 1.00 g/d; zinc sulfate: 24.0 mg/d; cholecalciferol: 800 IU/d; and vitamin C: 400 mg/d] (NUT) during sleep restriction and for 4 d afterwards. Results Skin barrier restoration (primary outcome) was shorter for NUT (median: 3.98 d; IQR: 1.17 d) than for PLA (median: 5.25 d; IQR: 1.05 d) (P = 0.001). Cytokines from wound fluid (secondary outcome) increased over time (main effect of time P <= 0.001), except IL-13 (P = 0.07); however, no effects of treatment were observed. Conclusions Supplemental nutrition may promote wound healing after sleep restriction in healthy adults including military personnel, the latter of which also have a high incidence of wounds and infection. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT03525184.