title: Concussions, Traumatic Brain Injury, and the Innovative Use of Omega-3s.
abstract: Traumatic brain injury (TBI), with its diverse heterogeneity and prolonged secondary pathogenesis, remains a clinical challenge. Clinical studies thus far have failed to identify an effective treatment strategy when a combination of targets controlling aspects of neuroprotection, neuroinflammation, and neuroregeneration is needed. Omega-3 fatty acids (n-3FA) offer the advantage of this approach. Although further clinical trial research is needed, there is a growing body of strong preclinical evidence and clinical experience that suggests that benefits may be possible from aggressively adding substantial amounts of n-3FA to optimize the nutritional foundation of TBI, concussion, and postconcussion syndrome patients. Early and optimal doses of n-3FA, even in a prophylactic setting, have the potential to improve outcomes from this potentially devastating problem. With evidence of unsurpassed safety and tolerability, n-3FA should be considered mainstream, conventional medicine, if conventional medicine can overcome its inherent bias against nutritional, nonpharmacologic therapies.
authors.affiliation: a Brain Health Education and Research Institute , Potomac , Maryland.
authors.forename: Michael D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Lewis
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology; D001924:Brain Concussion / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D000070642:Brain Injuries, Traumatic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000502:physiology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D044623:Nutrition Therapy
chemical_list: D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3
keywords: DHA; Omega-3; TBI; brain injury; concussion; decosahexanoic acid; neuroinflammation; neuroprotection; neuroregeneration