Could sugar be the sweet way to treat wounds?

What? Sugar, a good thing? Believe it or not, sugar has been used for centuries to treat wounds and ulcers. In fact, using finely powdered (granulated) sugar to clean wounds was first reported as far back as 1679.

It actually makes perfect sense if one remembers that in a world before the discovery of penicillin, a wide variety of possible remedies (including those derived from food sources) were explored. As its popularity increased due to visible results, sugar was soon deemed to be more effective than most treatments.

However, the exact reasons for its efficacy remained mostly speculative and unproven until the 20th century, when studies in human medicine provided the scientific data to prove these anecdotal claims and ancient medical theories.

Studies on sugar

Professor Moses Murandu, Zimbabwean-born lecturer and researcher at the University of Wolverhampton in England, has been advocating for the inclusion of sugar in an official capacity for decades. As a child, Murandu’s father would rub sugar into his son’s wounds after he fell and cut himself. Murandu saw first-hand how it healed significantly quicker than with no treatment at all.

In 2018, he won an award from the Journal of Wound Care for his pilot study on the application of sugar for wound healing. Since then, he has completed numerous clinical trials, with a growing collection of case studies across the globe supporting his findings. He even found that this form of treatment could work for diabetics without causing soaring glucose levels.

Exactly why is sugar effective?

Simply put, sugar paste ensures a hostile environment for bacterial infection. When sugar is applied to an open wound or ulcer, it dissolves in the tissue fluid. This causes low water activity and thereby inhibits bacterial growth. In other words, the granules soak up any moisture that allows bacteria to thrive.

Another benefit is that sugar dressings are relatively easy to apply and do not stick to wounds, leaving little chance of unwanted disturbance upon removal. It also allows infrequent dressing changes of between 12 and 24 hours. This ensures a fairly stable temperature, which facilitates wound healing.

Furthermore, sugar is most definitely not a lightweight when it comes to the treatment of serious injuries. Some of the most common wounds suitable for sugar treatment include infected and surgical wounds, decubitus ulcers (bedsores), degloving (avulsion) injuries, extensive deep-tissue infections, and even burns. These findings are significant, particularly in third-world countries, as sugar is far less expensive than conventional medicine when treating contaminated wounds and body cavity infections.

But what about the honey, Honey?

Just like sugar, honey is also considered to be a natural wound care product with certain studies suggesting that it could be even more effective than sugar in reducing bacterial contamination and promoting wound healing. Whereas honey illustrates beneficial antibacterial properties, sugar primarily reduces bacterial proliferation (growth). However, raw honey in all its forms may contain bacterial and fungal contaminants and should, therefore, always be sterilised before being considered as a viable treatment option.

Your pantry as pharmacy

So, could it really be as simple as pouring sugar on a wound and applying a bandage on top? Yes and no, since all wounds and ulcers are not made equal. Doctors always caution their patients to view so-called natural remedies with a pinch of salt (especially when treating serious ailments and conditions). However, it is indeed a proven fact that sugar could be a viable alternative, especially in cases where people cannot afford antibiotics.

Concern about increased antibiotic resistance has also been a key factor in supporting ongoing research on the validity of natural treatment sources. Although studies remain limited, the benefits of sugar when treating animals are also gaining popularity, and so far no adverse effects have been reported.

A spoonful of sugar

In this case, and contrary to the well-known song from the 1964 movie Mary Poppins, a spoonful of sugar can indeed achieve so much more than just making the medicine go down – with sweet results to boot. And that is a good thing indeed.