Head Trauma. Part 3. Targeted Supplements and Nutrients to Add in.
There is much more to do for a head injury than rest.
Part 3. Targeted Supplements for head trauma
Part 1 is here
Part 2 is here
Save all 3 posts! I hope you never need them, but just in case you do.
Supplements to Add in For a Head Injury
(the picture is of Lion’s Mane mushroom)
Note: Some companies may sell a multi-ingredient product for head injuries. It is best to purchase individual supplements because you will not get as much as you need in one multi-ingredient product.
This is a long list of supplements to use in the short term. If you are on medications, pregnant, or breastfeeding, seek professional guidance before adding in any of the mentioned products.
Use caution with any supplement that thins the blood if unsure if you have a slow brain bleed due to the concussion. A CT scan would be needed to know this.
Avoid using any medications that can increase bleeding risk. If you are on blood thinners and have a head injury, discuss the use with your doctor very soon after the concussion.
Some OTC medications to avoid in the first 24 hours include Advil, aspirin, ibuprofen, and Aleve. Tylenol is not an OTC blood thinner.
It is essential to know this.
After my son’s third head injury, he went to the hospital, and they gave him a right away ibuprofen for his headache and also charged him hundreds of dollars for Tylenol. I argued with the hospital about this, and they denied that giving ibuprofen was unsafe even though they did no testing to determine his head injury severity.
His most recent (and fourth) concussion occurred in another country in which they did testing, kept him overnight for observation, and also made him come back every several days for the following two weeks for monitoring.
Fish Oil
Read this post for more detailed information on fish oil supplements.
Sixty percent of the brain is fat. Omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFAs) are found in high concentrations in the brain's grey matter. DHA can assist with rebuilding cell membranes and heal and support brain function (Engle, 2017).
The suggested dose is 2 grams of EPA and DHA daily, taken with a meal containing healthy fats (Engle, 2017).
Fish oil should be sustainably harvested, and the company should have a purification process. When in doubt, call the company.
Due to its unsaturated structure, fish oil is susceptible to oxidation. Oxidized fish oil may have a fishy smell and taste, and the product will also have lower amounts of EPA and DHA. We do not know the long-term effects of consuming oxidized fish oils.
Fullscript tested 30 common fish oils to determine their oxidation level. Oxidation is measured via peroxide level (PV), p-Ansidine value (pAV), and total oxidation (TOTOX). Manufacturers typically do this testing in the raw material stages since colorings and flavorings can skew the results.
The peroxide level is the only validated and consistent measure of fish oil oxidation at the finished product stage, so Fullscript used this measure to test fish oil products independently.
Ten meq/kg is the PV limit established by the National Sanitation Foundation American National Standards Institute (which I had never heard of until now).
Fullscript used the 5 meq/kg Global Organization standard for EPA and DHA as their guideline and found that 22 out of 30 products tested fell under this level.
For some reason, they chose only to share 5 of these products (a request is in to see all 22 of them). The products they have listed (you will have to double the dose to meet the 2 g head injury protocol) include Metagenics SPM Active, Designs For Health OmegAvail Hi-Po, Vital Nutrients Ultra Pure FishOil 700, Microbiome Labs MegaMarine and Pure Encapsulations O.N.E. Omega.
However, oxidation is one component of fish oil products. Other questions to ask a manufacturer include whether the source is farmed or wild, from which body of water, and your purification process.
Fish oil is a natural anticoagulant, so be sure you either get a CT scan first or wait a few days in case of a brain bleed.
You DO NOT want to take the supplements that thin the blood until you are sure there is no slow brain bleeding. If there is no CT scan, wait several days minimum before adding blood-thinning supplements.
Turmeric
I used to think that curcumin, a compound in turmeric, is preferable for a head injury at high concentrations. Still, research indicated that the whole turmeric plant may be more beneficial for brain healing.
Not long ago, a highly compelling study published in the journal Stem Cell Research & Therapy provided additional support for the concept that curcumin alone is not enough to explain the healing power of turmeric as a whole plant. The study found that a little known, fat-soluble component within turmeric - Ar-tumerone - may make "a promising candidate to support regeneration in neurologic disease."
Titled, "Aromatic-turmerone induces neural stem cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo," German researchers evaluated the effects of this turmeric-derived compound on neural stem cells (NSCs) - the subgroup of brain cells capable of continuous self-renewal required for brain repair.
The study found that when brain cells were exposed to ar-tumerone, neural stem cells increased in number through enhanced proliferation. Moreover, these newly formed neural stem cells also increased the number of fully differentiated neuronal cells, indicating a healing effect was taking place. This effect was also observed in a live animal model, showing that rats injected with ar-tumerone into their brains experienced increases in neural stem cell proliferation and the creation of newly formed healthy brain cells.
Choose turmeric powder to control the dose, get it in its purest form, and add it to smoothies and homemade recipes. I prefer Bayan Botanicals Turmeric Root Powder (which comes in a 1-pound bag) since you can control the amount. Take 1/2 teaspoon twice daily for three months. (It has many other health benefits if you keep it in your diet.)
High-dose turmeric can have blood thinning effects. READ the comment under fish oil on blood thinning supplements.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is an essential antioxidant for brain health. The highest levels of ascorbate in the body are found in the brain, where it also acts as a cofactor for several neurotransmitters.
Take 1,000 mg (1 g.) to 3,000 (3 g.) daily in divided doses or up to bowel tolerance. Vitamin C is a relatively cheap supplement, but you may want to splurge short-term on liposomal vitamin C for a head injury to increase cell bioavailability. Vitamin C has a short half-life. For this reason, take it 3 to 4 times per day, not all at once.
In this instance, vitamin C intake is preferable via liposomal form.
(Engle, 2017)
If you want to understand vitamin C forms, this website has all the vitamin C information you need.
Creatine
It has benefits beyond muscle building.
See the doses for brain injuries in the information below.
Following a traumatic brain injury, creatine content decreases [141,142], and, therefore, creatine supplementation could be beneficial in this scenario.
Currently, in vivo clinical research evaluating the efficacy of creatine supplementation in humans is limited to a pilot study (n = 39) that reported beneficial effects in children and adolescents (1–18 years of age) with a severe TBI (Glasgow Coma Scale 3–9 on hospital admission) [143,144,145].
The authors utilized an open-label randomized design and found that creatine supplementation (0.4 g/kg/day in an oral suspension administered by nasogastric tube or spoon) was associated with decreased duration of post-traumatic amnesia, intubation, and hospital stay and elicited improvements in neurophysical, cognitive, personality/behavior and social aspects within 3 months and, additionally, improved self-care at 6 months compared to control [143].
In follow-up publications from the same cohort of patients, it was reported that the creatine supplementation resulted in improvements in post-traumatic headaches, dizziness, and fatigue [144], as well as dysarthria and linguistic problems of understanding [145]. Although clinical research is limited, there are some pre-clinical studies evaluating the effectiveness of creatine supplementation in TBI management.
Creatine supplementation could play a protective role when consumed prophylactically. Sullivan et al. [146] found that mice injected with creatine (3 mg/g/day) for 3 or 5 days prior to a moderate controlled cortical contusion had a 21% and 36% reduction in cortical damage, respectively, compared to placebo at 7 days following injury.
Magneisum L-threonate
This form of magnesium can cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB).
After a brain injury, magnesium depletion has been observed in animal brains and human blood.
The dose for a head injury should range from 1 to 2 grams per day in divided doses.
Lions Mane
Lion’s Mane is a medicinal mushroom that can accelerate the growth of the myelin sheath. After a head injury, damage occurs to the sheath of the nerve leading to brain cells. Regenerating the myelin sheath is, therefore, very important during a concussion. Lions mane is neuroprotective and neurodegenerative.
Take 1 gram twice daily. Buying powder and adding it to a beverage or smoothie is easier.
Additional useful mushrooms include reishi (which helps improve healing, rebalances, and oxygenates blood) and cordyceps (which stimulates brain activity).
It could take 3 weeks before you notice medicinal mushroom benefits.
Some farmer's markets do carry fresh Lion’s Mane. If you are lucky enough to find it, purchase some and cook it right away over the next several days, as Lion's Mane can get moldy and mushy quickly, based on my experience.
Vinpocetine
Vinpocetine, used for head injuries and TBIs, comes from the lesser periwinkle plant Vinca minor, often used as a garden border. However, Vinpocetine has been used for brain health since the 1960s. It can influence cerebral brain blood flow, peripheral blood vessels, and brain cells to enhance the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the brain. The dose is between 10 and 60 mg per day.
Phosphatidylserine (PS)
Higher concentrations of PS correlate with higher amounts of the neurotransmitters acetylcholine, norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine. PS also helps the body adapt to stress by decreasing cortisol output. When you suffer from a head injury, your body may be in chronic stress mode, and the PS can help with that.
PS is more effective if you are also taking DHA (from fish oil). Take 500 to 1000 mg of PS at night before bedtime. Most bottles of PS will be in 100 mg. amounts. You will need a higher dose for a head injury.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D deficiency may increase the inflammation damage and your risk of behavioral changes after the injury.
If you take a vitamin D supplement, continue to take it with a meal with healthy fats. If you do not know your vitamin D levels and do not take vitamin D, start with a baseline amount of 1,000 to 2,000 IU and get your D level tested as soon as possible.
Wild Blueberry Extract
The more blueberries you eat, the more your head may be protected when injured! After a head injury, glutamate increases, destroying cells. In animal studies, they were protected from damage when blueberry extract was added to glutamate cells.
While you can eat blueberries, adding a supplement during an injury may be best to obtain concentrated amounts.
Some people are very nauseous after a head injury for days. Taste and appetite can also be altered after a head injury, so supplements may be the easiest way to heal. Whole organic foods are always best, but they may not be easy to do in the early recovery days.
Additional Nutrients/Herbs That Can Be Beneficial for a TBI
Bacopa: 100-250 mg. of extract 2x p day early in the day
Rosemary: 50-100 mg of the extract 2-3 times for increased cognition and inflammation
Skullcap: A nerve tonic that can be neuroprotective, 500-700 2-3 times per day
Lemon balm: This plant can support the blocking of pro-inflammatory cytokines post-injury. Add in one cup of tea 2-3 times daily. (If you have active hypothyroidism, avoid Lemon balm).
Holy basil: This herb can be supportive of decreasing neurological deficits post-injury. Mix into the Lemon balm tea.
FYI: Hypothyroidism: If this is a condition that you have, it can impact TBI outcomes.
Additional Sources
Engle, D. (2017) The concussion repair manual. A practical guide to recovering from traumatic brain injuries. Full Spectrum Medicine.
Gaby, A. (2006) The Natural Pharmacy. Revised and Updated. 3rd Edition. Three Rivers Press.
Keatley, MA & Whittemore, L. (2010) Understanding mild traumatic brain injury. Brain Injury Hope Foundation.
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This is NOT information allopathic practitioners will share with you.
Thanks for some very useful information.
Some of these dosages are in the mega-dose range. Are any of them high enough that you would need to monitor with blood testing, or watch for symptoms of toxicity?