tonto
Member
- Joined
- Nov 29, 2014
- Messages
- 60
Thesis: Concussion causes many symptoms but there are common symptoms that are similar to thiamine deficiency or Wernicke's Encephalopathy, including memory disorder, gait imbalance, and variable eye movement problems. I'll try to explain that the principal problem in concussion is an abrupt thiamine deficiency due to an extreme hypermetabolic state.
Evidence: If you look at the mainstream view of metabolic changes in the brain after concussion as demonstrated in this graph below, you can see the extreme hypermetabolic state by the abrupt rise in glucose use by the brain for several hours or so, followed by 1 week+ of reduced glucose use:
Not surprisingly researchers have jumped on the sugar is bad for concussion band wagon and there are studies showing that glucose administration is harmful during the post-concussive period - these studies tend to suggest Omega-3 fatty acids or Ketosis is preferable. After looking at this problem for some time and reading Peat's work, I've come to the conclusion that the sharp increase in glucose metabolism has depleted the brain of thiamine. Adding glucose to this system IS harmful for that reason. Please note this important point that even a marginal decrease in thiamine can cause mild Beriberi if too much glucose is ingested (see this source) - people that consume large amounts of sugar without nutrient dense foods with thiamine may in fact develop mild Beriberi, the classic thiamine deficiency condition.
In support of a thiamine deficiency being caused NOT by malnutrition BUT by hypermetabolism (which using up of thiamine supplies) I could find only this paper from 1943 - which discusses how the hypermetabolic state of thyrotoxicosis can deplete the body of thiamine (paper is attached).
Conclusion: most athletes with concussion have enough thiamine stores in the body to quickly overcome the abrupt hypermetabolic thiamine depletion in the brain. But, for some athletes or "regular" people that are marginally malnourished, the concussed brain may not get replacement thiamine quickly and longer term symptoms known as post-concussive syndrome, can develop. Thiamine replacement followed by high carbohydrate diet is probably therapeutic if this thesis is correct.
@haidut @aquaman I would be interested in hearing what you and others think of this.
Evidence: If you look at the mainstream view of metabolic changes in the brain after concussion as demonstrated in this graph below, you can see the extreme hypermetabolic state by the abrupt rise in glucose use by the brain for several hours or so, followed by 1 week+ of reduced glucose use:
Not surprisingly researchers have jumped on the sugar is bad for concussion band wagon and there are studies showing that glucose administration is harmful during the post-concussive period - these studies tend to suggest Omega-3 fatty acids or Ketosis is preferable. After looking at this problem for some time and reading Peat's work, I've come to the conclusion that the sharp increase in glucose metabolism has depleted the brain of thiamine. Adding glucose to this system IS harmful for that reason. Please note this important point that even a marginal decrease in thiamine can cause mild Beriberi if too much glucose is ingested (see this source) - people that consume large amounts of sugar without nutrient dense foods with thiamine may in fact develop mild Beriberi, the classic thiamine deficiency condition.
In support of a thiamine deficiency being caused NOT by malnutrition BUT by hypermetabolism (which using up of thiamine supplies) I could find only this paper from 1943 - which discusses how the hypermetabolic state of thyrotoxicosis can deplete the body of thiamine (paper is attached).
Conclusion: most athletes with concussion have enough thiamine stores in the body to quickly overcome the abrupt hypermetabolic thiamine depletion in the brain. But, for some athletes or "regular" people that are marginally malnourished, the concussed brain may not get replacement thiamine quickly and longer term symptoms known as post-concussive syndrome, can develop. Thiamine replacement followed by high carbohydrate diet is probably therapeutic if this thesis is correct.
@haidut @aquaman I would be interested in hearing what you and others think of this.
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