Nutritional Supplement and Dietary Interventions as a Prophylaxis or Treatment of Sub-Concussive Repetitive Head Impact and Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: A Systematic Review
Feinberg C
Published in Journal of Neurotrauma
Methodology
Systematic review with no date restriction of PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane, CINAHL and Web of Science plus manual reference searching, with librarian-designed search strings; included human studies of mild TBI or sub-concussive repetitive head impacts testing a US-available dietary supplement or dietary intervention with a quantifiable outcome; excluded moderate/severe TBI, stroke and intracranial haemorrhage.
Key Findings
This systematic review identified 15 studies (10 randomised controlled trials, 3 prospective and 2 retrospective observational studies) across 12 subject populations, with 1,139 people with mild traumatic brain injury or sub-concussive repetitive head impacts enrolled in intervention arms, testing 8 different interventions. Only omega-3 fatty acids, melatonin and Pinus radiata extract were examined in more than one study. Eleven of the 15 studies reported benefit, and only 7 had a low risk of bias. The strongest evidence supports omega-3 for preventing neurotrauma in athletes exposed to repetitive head impacts, while melatonin and Pinus radiata may help persistent post-concussion symptoms but need multi-centre confirmation.
Conclusions
Strongest evidence supports omega-3 for neurotrauma prevention; melatonin and Pinus radiata may help persistent symptoms.
Limitations
Fewer than half the included studies had a low risk of bias, the interventions and populations were too varied to pool statistically, and most supplements were tested in only a single study.
Supplements Studied
Strongest evidence supports n-3FA utility for neurotrauma prevention in athletes exposed to SRHI.
Related Health Concerns
Study Details
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This information is for educational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional before starting any supplement regimen.