Depending on the body to repair itself from traumatic brain injury without nutritional assistance is a gamble! Research shows that the primary injury that occurs in traumatic brain injury, TBI (either through concussion or stroke), initiates a secondary injury which is an interdependent cascades of biological reactions caused by the primary injury.

In other words, even if your overt symptoms subside don’t think that the brain has healed and you are out of the woods. This cascade of pathophysiological and biochemical reactions starting within minutes after the primary injury and may continue for years.These secondary reactions are predominantly excitotoxicity, (a process by which neurons are damaged and killed by the over activations of receptors for the brain chemical glutamate), oxidative stress, (aka free radical damage) and inflammation and these mechanisms continue until quenched. These are targets for nutritional intervention.

The research shows that these secondary injuries cause a persisting progressive deterioration in neurological functions in almost all cases and neurological damage can progress over many years and result in early dementia. So cognitive dysfunction may slowly progress over time due to persistent chronic inflammation that is untreated and the neurological deficits may often be very subtle until late in the disease process.

The nutritional protocol for TBI is as follows:

• Lipothiamine, suggest: Cardiovascular Research NP,

• Vitamin C, suggest: Empirical Labs Liposomal Vit C,

• *Oxaloacetate: Mito-Charger

• Curcumin: suggest: Empirical Labs, Curcumin/Resveritrol, NP,

• *DHA/EPA suggest: Nordic Naturals DHA 1000,

• CDP-choline suggest: Cardiovascular Research NP,

• DMG: Gluconic DMG 500,

• *Magnesium L’Theonate: suggest: Life Extension Neuro-Mag,

• Coenzyme Q10: Empirical Labs, Liposomal COQ10:

• *Vitamin B 6: See American Biologics, Neuro Recovery NP,

With the extensive research I have seen I don’t think that any of these nutrients should be overlooked but the ones with the star in front of them are an absolute must. For more information on TBI and nutritional intervention talk to Radhia Gleis at the Lake Hills Pharmacy.