Examples Of Vitamins For Concussion Recovery

By Thomas Russell


A concussion is a form of traumatic brain injury. Common causes include car crashes, falls from heights, assault and sporting related activities. Most persons that sustain this form of injury end up losing consciousness transiently. Long-term effects may include poor concentration, loss of balance and inco-ordination as well as memory lapses. Treatment is primarily conservative and recovery takes months or even years. There a number of nutrients and vitamins for concussion recovery that one may consider if they suffer the injury.

Proteins are vital to the healing process of any tissue after damage. Protein supplements should be initiated within a day of sustaining the injury. The recommended dose is a kilogram of protein for every kilogram of body weight. This can be reduced gradually as one recovers. Steak and eggs are the best option for protein support but the vomiting associated with the condition may make it difficult to use these sources. Alternatives include whey protein and branched chain amino acids in a glass of shake.

Vitamin D is well known for its role in building bone strength and preventing rickets especially in children. In the setting of traumatic brain injury, it has been shown to raise the levels of A substance known as brain derived neurotrophic factor, BDNF. This factor is important in the brain as it helps with the survival of neurons that may have been damaged by the injury. It is also important in long term memory which is an important property bearing in mind that memory is one of the areas that are affected.

Brain injury, like any other form of tissue injury, results in a considerable high level of metabolic stress. The increased demand for oxygen lead to an increase in cell respiration in a process referred to as oxidative phosphorylation. This stress lasts for about 24 hours but the consequences may last a lot longer. Production of oxygen derived radicals is one of these consequences. Vitamin C and E are important here as they act as antioxidants preventing damage to the cells.

Glutathione is a potent antioxidant found in the body naturally. Some animal studies have shown that an intravenous administration of glutathione following brain cell injury can significantly reduce post traumatic effects. It is expected that the effects are almost the same in humans. While oral intake of glutathione supplements are not readily absorbed, intake of foods that are rich in vitamin C improves the levels of the substance in the blood.

Magnesium is important in the normal functioning of the brain. Its absence is associated with a variety of neurological deficits. In this group of patients, it is important in the prevention of posttraumatic brain injuries and the post concussion syndrome. Unfortunately the levels of magnesium tend to reduce greatly after the injury and the levels will take a few days to return to normal.

The levels of zinc have been shown to decrease markedly following traumatic brain injury. This reduction is mainly attributable to increase filtration by the kidney. Studies show that the administration of supplemental zinc significantly improves symptoms such as cognitive and behavioural deficits which often follow this form of injury.

The important role played by various supplements in the treatment of traumatic brain injury cannot be overemphasized. Many of these benefits result from the ability of the supplements to promote healing and prevent further damage to neurons. They may be combined in various ways depending on the nature of the underlying diagnosis.




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