Nutrition and Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) accounts for up to one-third of combat-related injuries in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to some estimates. TBI is also a major problem among civilians, especially those who engage in certain sports. At the request of the Department of Defense, the IOM examined the potential role of nutrition in the treatment of and resilience against TBI. Table of Contents Front Matter Summary Part I: Background 1 Introduction 2 Nutrition in Clinical Practice Guidelines for Traumatic Brain Injury 3 Understanding Pathophysiological Changes Part II: Nutrition and TBI 4 Approach for Selecting Nutritional Interventions: Mechanistic Targets 5 Acquiring Resilience to TBI Prior to Injury 6 Energy and Protein Needs During Early Feeding Following Traumatic Brain Injury 7 Antioxidants 8 Branched-Chain Amino Acids 9 Choline 10 Creatine 11 Ketogenic Diet 12 Magnesium 13 Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) 14 Polyphenols 15 Vitamin D 16 Zinc Part III: Recommendations 17 Summary of Recommendations Appendixes Appendix A: Agenda Appendix B: Evidence-Based Guidelines for Traumatic Brain Injury Appendix C: Workshop Speakers' Papers Appendix D: Glossary Appendix E: Acronyms Appendix F: Committee Member Biographical Sketches