The Effect of Docosahexaenoic Acid Supplementation on Biomarkers of Concussion Over the Course of a Year in Canadian National Rugby Players

Status

Completed

Phases

Study type

Interventional

Source

ClinicalTrials.gov

Registry ID

NCT03582267

Enrollment

Registered

2018-07-10

Start date

2017-08-01

Completion date

2019-08-01

Last updated

2019-09-13

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Head Trauma

Brief summary

Nutrition interventions may present a safe and relatively risk free intervention for protection against subconcussive impacts. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3) is the principal Omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acid in the brain, playing an integral role in the brain's development and structural integrity. The goal of this study is to determine if supplementation with DHA attenuates blood biomarkers of repetitive head trauma linked to sub-concussive impacts sustained in rugby participation.

Interventions

DIETARY_SUPPLEMENTDocosahexaenoic Acid (DHA)

Daily administration of docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA). 2 grams of DHA liquid concentrate administered per day throughout trial period.

Study design

Allocation

NON_RANDOMIZED

Intervention model

CROSSOVER

Primary purpose

BASIC_SCIENCE

Masking

NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

ALL

Healthy volunteers

Yes

Inclusion criteria

* Canadian national rugby athletes on 7s and 15s teams

Exclusion criteria

* None

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame	Description
Blood concentration of neurofilament light protein	12 times throughout course of 1 year	Concentrations of neuronally derived proteins measured in blood

Countries

United States

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026