Fish Oil

Fish Oil Revisited

Dustin FinkLeave a comment

This post originally appeared on the blog in 2011, not much has changed in this area, it is still not definitively known if this is good, bad or indifferent (probably the latter).  However, this is a supplement that is good for all athletes for a myriad of reasons. I have chosen to post this again because it is one of the most popular and commented on post in the blog history.

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After posting about the “7 Ways To Help With Concussion Management” I realized that I had not posted about the possible benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids/DHA supplements for concussion management.

In a July publication of The Journal of Neurosurgery, Dr. Julian Bailes (BIRI) and Dr. Barry Sears (leading authority on anti-inflammatory nutrition, creator of Zone-Diet) found that supplementing rats with O3/DHA after head injuries reduced the observed issues with a concussion; (SOURCE via weightlosingideas.com)

“Animals receiving the daily fish oil supplement for 30 days post concussion had a greater than 98 percent reduction in brain damage compared with the animals that did not receive the supplement,” Dr. Sears said. “It is hypothesized that the omega-3 fatty acids in the fish oil reduced the neural inflammation induced by the concussion injury.”

O3/DHA has been documented to help with the inflammatory response of the body, many people use this SAFE and AVAILABLE supplement when training to temper swelling.  It is also has shown great promise for the cardiovascular system, mainly heart health.  Further investigation is underway Continue reading →

What To Feed A Concussion

Dustin Fink1 Comment

During a concussion not only is the brain experiencing a cascade of events causing the injury, but also a metabolic crisis.  Not only does blood flow become compromised but the influx of calcium and quick “ejection” of potassium makes the blood energy system chaotic.  There has always been the question; can we “feed” the injury to help with this issues occurring?  Previous research has mentioned the use of Omega-3’s, DHA, and EPA to help with inflammation.  We have even had a commenter suggest the use of creatine to help with (see comment section of the previous link), and because I had not really done research, other than his post, I was unsure.  Perhaps we are now becoming less unsure of creatine and the role nutrition plays with management of concussions.

The Globe and Mail (fast becoming a go-to source) and Ann Mehler Paperny published a story about another US Military research project, this time dealing with “feeding a concussion”;

A team of U.S. scientists has found that food can play a vital role in mitigating the damage done by traumatic brain injury – and that a speedy supply of specific nutrients can give hurting brain cells the energy and chemical cues they need to heal while preventing inflammation.

Of all the specific examples that were given in the article; creatine, protein, resveratrol (red grapes) and curcumin (turmeric), research into prophylactic use of them has yet to be studied.  What was known is that use of these nutrients very soon after Continue reading →