Research Shows Omega-3 Fatty Acid Helps Recovery from Traumatic Brain Injury

December 9, 2016 | Attorney, Matthew Dolman
Research Shows Omega-3 Fatty Acid Helps Recovery from Traumatic Brain Injury

Several generations ago, mothers convinced children to eat fish by saying it was “brain food” and it would make them learn better in school. A century later fish oil was linked to protection from heart attacks and stroke due to the presence of omega-3 fatty acids. The fish oil market quickly climbed into a multi-billion-dollar industry and is still growing.

New research reported by in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition suggests that there was truth to what our great grandmothers taught. Fish is good for your brain. In fact, the research indicates that aggressive intake of omega-3 fatty acids (n-3FA), as found in fish oil, aids recovery in traumatic brain injury (TBI) concussion and post-concussion patients.

In an article titled Concussions, Traumatic Brain Injury and the Innovative Use of Omega-3s. research suggests that omega-3 fatty acids have the potential to improve outcomes from TBI when used early and optimally.

Three brain injury case studies were reviewed in pre-clinical research that involved a mining accident, a motor vehicle accident, and a drowning accident. In each of the cases, the patients with life-threatening injuries recovered brain health with the aid of omega-3 fatty acids (n-3FA).

Saturating the brain with high doses of n-3FA giving the injured brain the opportunity to heal has been the clinical experience of numerous providers. Healing is less likely to occur without an ample supply of omega 3 but it is not a cure in every situation. Evert traumatic brain injury is different.

Some patients will respond better than others to treatment with omega-3. There is no situation where this treatment can't be applied, as no harm can be done by its use. It is important to provide optimal levels of nutrition to the brain, giving the patient the best chance for regaining function following a TBI. Until this promising research, treatment of TBI was a clinical challenge. Up to this point studies have failed to find any effective treatment. Omega-3 may not be the drug to end the effects of traumatic brain injury but it at least shows promise and at best will succeed in many cases.

Traumatic brain injuries affect an average of 1.7 million Americans each year. Of those, 52,000 die, 275,000 are hospitalized and 1.365 million are treated and released. Falls and motor vehicle accidents account for more than half of all traumatic brain injuries. Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA is committed to reducing the incidence of TBI and reaching out to those who were injured. If you were injured in a motor vehicle accident or a fall which you feel was no fault of your own, a personal injury attorney at Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA would like to speak with you. You may be entitled to recovery a substantial award for your injury.

Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA 800 North Belcher Road Clearwater, FL 33765 727-451-6900

 

Matthew Dolman

Personal Injury Lawyer

This article was written and reviewed by Matthew Dolman. Matt has been a practicing civil trial, personal injury, products liability, and mass tort lawyer since 2004. He has successfully fought for more than 11,000 injured clients and acted as lead counsel in more than 1,000 lawsuits. Always on the cutting edge of personal injury law, Matt is actively engaged in complex legal matters, including Suboxone, AFFF, and Ozempic lawsuits.  Matt is a lifetime member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum for resolving individual cases in excess of $1 million and $2 million, respectively. He has also been selected by his colleagues as a Florida Superlawyer and as a member of Florida’s Legal Elite on multiple occasions. Further, Matt has been quoted in the media numerous times and is a sought-after speaker on a variety of legal issues and topics.

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