Omega 3 valuable aids in recovery from sports concussion

The Omega-3 may mitigate the changes caused by sports-related concussion. DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) appears to act on molecular events that occur following injury, promoting recovery. These fatty acids may one day represent a therapeutic strategy to ameliorate or prevent complications associated with sports injuries. This is reported in an article published in Advances in Nutrition in which researchers from DSM Nutritional Products of New Jersey (USA) reviewed numerous studies highlighting the action of Omega-3s on traumatic brain injury.

Traumatic brain injury: lack of therapy

Concussion is a common injury among athletes, particularly those who participate in contact sports such as soccer and field hockey. Also known as mild traumatic brain injury, it is defined as a complex pathological process affecting the brain, induced by traumatic mechanical forces to the head. This damage often results in problems with memory, orientation, and loss of consciousness. Short-term symptoms of concussion include headaches, cognitive problems, sensitivity to light and sound, irritability, sleep disturbances, and loss of consciousness. Athletes who have had a concussion have an increased risk of subsequent injury, with consequences that can be severe. Some studies have hypothesized that repeated trauma can lead to chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a form of dementia commonly associated with boxing. Currently no effective therapy for these injuries is available, and posttraumatic treatment is limited to rest.

How do omega-3s act?

Omega-3 DHA is widely present in the brain, where it plays important structural and functional roles, both in development and in maintaining cognitive function throughout life. Consistent with these roles, scientific studies suggest that DHA may act positively in recovery from traumatic brain injury. According to some research, DHA content in the brain is found to be reduced after trauma, suggesting the need for this molecule in healing. The potential neuroprotective benefits of Omega-3s come from animal studies showing that supplements, before or after concussion, can limit damage to the axon, the structure of the neuron that is particularly impaired in trauma. Omega-3s also appear to act by blocking the death of damaged neurons. The oxidative stress that occurs following concussion is a consequence of dysfunction in energy metabolism and causes damage to cellular structures. Therefore, normalization of oxidative metabolism could reduce damage to lipid membranes. Posttraumatic supplementation with Omega-3s, known for their antioxidant action, appears to improve this condition. Head injury may alter the release of some neurotransmitters. Decreased dopamine release, for example, may be responsible for some functional deficits, as it plays an important role in learning and memory. Laboratory animals that received DHA and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) supplements reestablished greater dopamine release than control animals.

DHA: a therapeutic possibility for mild traumatic injuries

In conclusion, as observed in these studies, supplementation with DHA could act by reducing the degree of neuronal damage, inflammation, oxidative stress, and cell death. DHA also appears to promote the expression of substances necessary for proper neuronal and cognitive function. The compelling nature of these findings has prompted scientists and health authorities to further investigate the action of Omega-3s in treating sports-related concussions, which are increasingly recognized as a public health problem. Controlled studies with humans will be needed before definitive clinical recommendations can be made, and to that end, the first clinical trials on the role of DHA in brain injury recovery are currently underway. To stay up to date with the latest news from Omega-3 scientific research. sign up for our newsletter. - To learn more about triglycerides and fully understand what triglycerides are, what happens when you have high t riglycerides and low triglycerides, click on the respective links. - For more information, however, on hdl cholesterol, ldl cholesterol, cholesterol supplements, omega 3 cholesterol, and how to lower cholesterol without drugs click on the relevant links provided here. Source: Erin Cernkovich Barrett, Michael I. McBurney, and Eric D. Ciappio. "ω-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation as a Potential Therapeutic Aid for the Recovery from Mild Traumatic Brain Injury/Concussion."  Adv Nutr May 2014 Adv Nutr. vol. 5: 268-277, 2014