Nutritional Optimization for Brain Health in Contact Sports: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on Long-Chain ω-3 Fatty Acids and Neurofilament Light
Nutritional Optimization for Brain Health in Contact Sports: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on Long-Chain ω-3 Fatty Acids and Neurofilament Light
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Summary: Background: Accumulating evidence has highlighted the acute and chronic impact of repetitive subconcussive head impacts (rSHIs) in contact sports.Neurofilament-light (Nf-L), a brain-derived biomarker of neuroaxonal injury, elevates in concert with rSHI.Recently, long-chain ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC ω-3 PUFAs) supplementation has been suggested to mitigate brain injury from rSHI as reflected by attenuation of Nf-L concentrations within contact sport athletes.
Objective: Using a systematic review with a meta-analysis, we aimed to determine the effect of LC ω-3 PUFA supplementation on Nf-L concentrations rawafricaonline.com in athletes routinely exposed to rSHI.Methods: Electronic databases (PubMed and CINAHL) were searched from inception through January 2024.One-stage meta-analysis of individual participant-level data was used to detect changes in Nf-L concentrations between LC ω-3 PUFA and control/placebo (PL) groups from baseline to midseason (MS) and postseason (PS).
Least square means (±SE) for Nf-L change from baseline were compared by treatment group for MS/PS using contrast t tests.Significance was set a priori at adjusted P ≤ 0.05.
Results: Of 460 records identified, 3 studies in collegiate American football players (n = 179; LC ω-3 PUFA = 105, PL = 71) were included in the meta-analysis.Compared with PL, the change in Nf-L concentrations was statistically similar at MS [mean difference (MD) = –1.66 ± 0.
82 elliot pecan tree for sale pg·mL–1, adjusted P = 0.09] and significantly lower at PS (MD = –2.23 ± 0.
83 pg·mL–1, adjusted P = 0.02) in athletes following LC ω-3 PUFA supplementation.Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate preliminary support for the prophylactic administration of LC ω-3 PUFA in contact sport athletes exposed to rSHI; however, further research is required to determine the effective dosage required.
This trial was registered at OSF (DOI: https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.
IO/EY5QW).