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Granulated sugar can heal wounds faster than antibiotics

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Press Trust of India London
Pouring granulated sugar over your wounds may heal them faster than even potent modern antibiotics, a new study has claimed. Researchers say they found granulated sugar poured directly into bed sores, leg ulcers and even amputations promotes healing when antibiotics and other treatments fail. The study led by Moses Murandu, a senior lecturer in adult nursing at Wolverhampton University found that the treatment works because bacteria need water to grow, so applying sugar to a wound draws the water away and starves the bacteria of water. This prevents the bacteria from multiplying and they die, the 'Daily Mail' reported. Alan Bayliss, from Birmingham, one of the patients receiving treatment as part of the research, underwent an above the knee amputation on his right leg due to an ulcer and as part of the surgery a vein was removed from his left leg. For his post-surgery rehabilitation, Bayliss was moved to Moseley Hall Hospital where standard dressings were used but the left leg cavity wound was not healing effectively. Bayliss was then given the sugar treatment and within two weeks the wound had drastically reduced in size. "It has been revolutionary. The actual wound was very deep - it was almost as big as my finger," Bayliss said. So far 35 patients receiving treatment have seen their condition improve, with no adverse effects reported, compared with 16 patients who did not have the treatment.

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First Published: Feb 15 2013 | 12:00 AM IST

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