Manuka Honey and Diabetic Wounds: What You Need to Know

When you have diabetes, keeping a close eye on your health is crucial — particularly when it comes to wound care. People with diabetes often have slower healing and minor cuts or sores can quickly develop into more serious complications, such as foot ulcers. Through the onus upon us to search for effective, safe treatments.

You might have heard about putting honey on a wound to help it heal — a technique that dates back hundreds of years. But is all honey created equal, and can it be a safe choice for someone with diabetes? This post explains how Manuka honey can be used for diabetic wounds, including what makes it special, how it might work and whether you should consider using it to help control your diabetes-related skin problems.

Why Do Diabetic Cuts, Wounds Heal Slowly?

But before we peek at possible fixes, it’s worth understanding why wound healing is such a struggle for people with diabetes. Several factors contribute to this:

• High Blood Sugar (Hyperglycemia): High blood sugar levels can slow white blood cells, the ones that fight infection, which makes it harder for the body to battle infections. High blood sugar also makes the walls of blood vessels stiff and inflexible, decreasing circulation and the supply of oxygen and nutrients that are necessary for healing.

• Nerve Damage (Neuropathy): This is a condition where diabetes damages the nerves, most commonly in your feet. That is a small cut or blister may not be felt and then get worse without ever even being aware of it.
• Circulatory Issues: Longstanding Diabetes can cause peripheral artery disease, where the blood vessels in your legs and feet narrow. This decreased blood supply delays healing markedly.
• Suppressed Immune Function: The body’s defense against infection may be impaired, causing wounds to be more likely to become infected and more difficult to treat.
• With all of these hurdles, ways to assist the body in its own healing process are crucial.

What Makes Manuka Honey Different?

Many kinds of honey possess some antibacterial related effect through their hydrogen peroxide content, but manuka honey is unique. Made by bees that pollinate the Manuka bush, it has a special compound, methylglyoxal (MGO).

So whether methylglyoxal is good for you or bad depends on the dose? For a wound patient, it is hugely beneficial. MGO has potent antibacterial effects and the higher the MGO, the stronger its antibacterial activity in manuka honey. The higher the number, the more potent it is. This is why Manuka honey is frequently used in medical institutions as a dressing and for wound care.

But unlike hydrogen peroxide present in some other honeys, which can be broken down by enzymes in the body, MGO is stable and does not lose its activity when diluted. This barrier helps in preventing bacteria,provides inflammation and promotes own healing.

Manuka Honey in the Treatment of Diabetic Wounds

With regard to diabetic wounds, Manuka honey has certain characteristics that may possibly be of help. Studies and practice has demonstrated that medical-grade honey dressings may be a useful adjunct to wound care.

Here’s how it can help:

Acts an Anodyne: The high MGO activity in Manuka honey can assist in eradicating bacteria present in a wound (some of which may be antibiotic-resistant strains) etc. This is especially true at diabetic foot ulcers that are susceptible to infection.

Reduces Inflammation: Manuka honey has anti-inflammatory abilities that can aid in the reduction of swelling and pain at the wound site.

Aids in Moist Wound Healing: Honey dressings for diabetic feet ulcers aid in creating a moist environment, which is necessary for the growth of new tissues and keeps dressing from sticking to wound.

Debrides the Wound: Honey may also help to remove debris and dead tissue from the wound’s surface, which can clean the wound bed and allow healthy tissue growth.

If you are trying to find home remedies that will help diabetic wound heal faster, do use medical-grade, sterilized Manuka honey that is specially meant for wound care. Never use standard or store-bought honey on an open wound because it could have bacterial spores that will lead to infection.

Can People with Diabetes Consume Manuka Honey?

That’s a popular, and great, question. When the sugar is used directly on a wound as a topical application, the amount of sugar that reaches the blood stream is very little and probably safe, even for diabetics. The concern with Manuka honey and diabetes is when the product is ingested. Like all honey, it’s rich in sugar and can cause a quick surge of blood glucose.

So while applying Manuka honey to a wound under medical supervision is typically safe, consuming it should be another matter entirely for those with diabetes. Diabetes type 2 If you have diabetes type 2, the best is to see your doctor first before adding Manuka honey into your diet. They can give you some insight into how it could influence your blood sugar management plan.

Quicker Healing For Diabetic Wounds: A Holistic Solution

Manuka honey can be a powerful tool, but it’s just one component of a holistic approach. If you have a wound but it is not diabetic in nature, this is what you must do:

Talk to Your doctor: Be sure to do this first. A doctor or nurse can evaluate the wound and clean it thoroughly and may suggest treatment options.

Control Your Blood Sugar: Staying in your target glucose range is the single most important thing you can do to help healing.

Keep the Wound Clean and Dress: Always follow your doctors directions for cleaning the wound or changing a dressing.

Take Pressure Off: For foot ulcers, the main thing is to keep pressure off. Your doctor may suggest special footwear or other devices.

Eat Healthy Food: Protein, vitamins, and minerals are found in a balanced diet that helps your body repair tissues and supports a strong immune system.

FAQs

Is Manuka Honey for wounds safe for diabetics?

Topically applied in sterile medical-grade honey dressings, manuka honey is safe for diabetic wounds. It can help fight infection and encourage healing, all without making blood sugar levels shoot up. Anytime you are considering the begining a new wound treatment, consult with a healthcare professional.

How do diabetic wounds heal quickly?

Accelerate recovery by closely monitoring your blood sugar, keeping the wound clean and dressed, minimizing pressure on the area (for foot wounds in particular), eating a healthful diet, and following all of your doctor’s directives. Manuka honey dressings, for example, can also help.

Can diabetics consume Manuka honey?

Manuka honey should not be taken orally with a guarded stance. To the extent that it is a sugar, it can increase blood glucose. If you have diabetes, consult your doctor or a registered dietitian before incorporating it into your diet.

Can Manuka honey heal wounds?

Manuka honey has been proven to provide wound healing for a multitude of wounds including burns, ulcers and surgical wounds. Its antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and debriding effects facilitate repair of tissue.

The Takeaway

hx Manuka Honey can be an Ideal Choice for Treating Diabetic Wounds Considered due to the Strong Antibacterial Properties of Methylglyoxal. As a topical, medical-grade treatment used under the direction of a healthcare professional it can help to prevent an infection and heal more quickly.

But keep in mind: good wound care for diabetes patients is more than just blood sugar control. Never hesitate to consult with your healthcare providers to develop a personalized treatment plan that works for you and will be most effective.

If you are looking to delve into top-notch Manuka honey, items like Manuka Honey MGO 850+, followed by MGO 1200+ and even MGO 1500+, boast high densities of methylglyoxal, and can be used therapeutically once it´s prepared well for medical use.

Experience the antibacterial strength of authentic Australian Manuka honey — now with up to 50% off our best-selling bundles.

👉 Check Out Our Manuka Honey Bundle Offers.