Stay Away from Ordinary Drugs! Take the Natural Route!

Ordinary drugs have shown limited benefits for brain (serious physical or emotional harm) since they don’t address the main cause of what is driving (hard hit to the head that knocks you out) signs of sickness. Now, no neuro-(serving or acting to prevent harm) treatment options exist that improve signs of sickness after a TBI.[5] Now many (people who work to find information) are starting to study a wide range of natural compounds and vitamins that have promising broad-spectrum, (related to protecting nerves from harm), and anti-swelling activity. Curcumin, green tea, extremely important fatty acids, resveratrol, and vitamin E are some of the compounds with potential medically helpful benefit in the treatment of TBI.[3] The (event(s) or object(s) that prove something) for these substances is still very early (and subject to change) and there is much more research needed to confirm these effects in humans, but they offer possible options in a condition with no known treatment.

CURCUMIN – is an active compound found in the spice turmeric. It has attracted much interest as a possible treatment for many long-lasting sicknesses, including Brain disease (AD), cancer, and heart disease due to its powerful anti-swelling and body-protecting chemical properties.[6] While results are still early (and subject to change), curcumin extracts are showing positive benefit in neuro-recovery, cell membrane (making steady/making firm and strong), and reduction of oxidative stress in animals.[8,9,19,11] Other potential medically helpful effects include increasing brain growth factors, chelating heavy metals, reducing cholesterol, and protecting mitochondria.[3]

The problem with curcumin is that it doesn’t (mix with and become part of a liquid) well in water, making its (mental concentration/picking up of a liquid) through the (tube from the mouth to the anus) limited. It is important to point out that only free curcumin (not other curcumin molecules) can pass the blood brain (something that blocks or stops something). Newer, fat (able to be dissolved in something) creations, such as a curcumin extract called Longvida, appear to improve delivery into the bloodstream, past the blood brain (something that blocks or stops something) and into brain tissue.[12,13] Longvida curcumin was developed for nerve-based sicknesses/problems by (people who work to find information) at UCLA. Curcumin stands as one of the most promising (related to protecting nerves from harm) and medically helpful agents in TBI and PCS due its excellent safety profile and wide ranging (machine/method/way) of action.

(Editor’s note: Also, other brands of curcumin have been created for improved bioavailability, including NutriCure by NAKA. Or,/In a different way, (ancient medicine) doctors recommend cooking turmeric in oil, and combining it with black pepper, to improve bioavailability of its voters/parts.)

GREEN TEA – like curcumin, is a well-known and widely used/ate/drank/destroyed herb with broad-spectrum body-protecting chemical activity. Its (related to protecting nerves from harm) properties can be attributed mostly to the power body-protecting chemical molecule called epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), the amino acid L- theanine, and to a lesser degree (drug that gives you energy).[14] EGCG has been shown to have body-protecting chemical and anti-swelling effects in animal models of brain injury.[15,16,17] One (like nothing else in the world) aspect of green tea is that the L-theanine content may offer protection from excitotoxic injury that happens immediately after a (hard hit to the head that knocks you out).[17] There is a clear need for more research, but promising (event(s) or object(s) that prove something) hints that even regular dietary consumption of green tea may have a (related to protecting nerves from harm) effect if a (hard hit to the head that knocks you out) happens. Some other plant compounds such as resveratrol (found in red wine) and anthocyanidins (found in berries) have also shown (related to protecting nerves from harm) effects.[3] Unlike (related to medical drugs) medicines, these plant extracts have many modes of action and work cooperatingally with each other. They also support the function of the body’s own body-protecting chemical systems and nerve repair systems.[18] There have been some animal trials using plant compounds such as resveratrol, (showing or proving) an anti-swelling and (related to protecting nerves from harm) effect in TBI, but like green tea, there have been no human trials to date.[19,20] Since these molecules are found in many colourful fruits and vegetables, it would be a safe recommendation for people with TBI or PCS to include/combine them into their diets.

OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS – have long been thought about/believed extremely important for brain development and function. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and to a lesser degree Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), is mostly found in nerve membranes; they influence cell signaling and anti-swelling pathways.[21] Since the human body cannot (in a way that produces a lot with very little waste) convert plant-based extremely important fatty acids to EPA and DHA, fish oil adds to/helpful additions are the best source of the active parts/pieces. (It is important to note that, while using/eating/drinking fish high in omega 3 fatty acids is desirable, the heavy metals and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) found in most fish is a concern, especially for brain function.)[22] Some trials in animal models of TBI have found that DHA and omega-3 addition (to something else) improves thinking-related function, reduces nerve swelling, (makes steady/makes firm and strong) cellular energy production, and increases nerve repair.[23,24] One of these studies showed that pre-injury (something extra you eat or drink) with fish oil also had a (related to protecting nerves from harm) effect.

VITAMIN E – is a commonly studied natural compound for brain health since it has a powerful body-protecting chemical effect, specifically in fatty tissue (i.e. nerves). Some animal studies have found that vitamin E addition (to something else) reduces nerve damage and improves thinking-related performance following repeating, concussive brain injury.[25,26] Interestingly, addition (to something else) before the (hard hits to the head that knock people out) also had a (related to protecting nerves from harm) effect.[26] A good creation should provide all eight molecules of vitamin E, with the highest proportion being the strong gamma-tocopherol, which is carefully thought about/believed the most anti-swelling part. Also, vitamin E works with other body-healing chemicals, such as vitamin C and coenzyme Q10 as part of a body-protecting chemical network. This highlights the need to consume body-healing chemicals together in order to support their proper (related to the body function of living things) function.

CREATINE, L-CARNITINE, ALA AND MORE – There are some other newly-visible (vitamins, minerals, protein, etc.) now being studied for TBI. Creatine, an amino acid found in muscles, has human (event(s) or object(s) that prove something) supporting its benefit in reducing signs of sickness after a (hard hit to the head that knocks you out). Benefits were found for addition (to something else) before and even after the injury, (event(s) or object(s) that prove something) that creatine can be used to prevent and treat nerve-based shortages after a (hard hit to the head that knocks you out). There are other promising adds to/helpful additions being studied, including acetyl L-carnitine, alpha lipoic acid, B12, ginkgo biloba, and magnesium.[27]

HYPERBARIC OXYGEN THERAPY – Another (action that helps a bad situation) suggested to have helpful effects on TBI recovery is hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), although more research is needed to confirm its benefit.