Individuals who have had one concussion are at greater risk for another. For example, in one study of high school and college football players, concussions occurred about six times more frequently in student-athletes who had experienced prior concussions than in those who had not. Moreover, repeated concussions can have more severe outcomes than first concussions.

A rare but particularly scary phenomenon has been called "second impact syndrome" in which a second concussion occurring within days or weeks of an earlier concussion can produce catastrophic consequences—including death—way out of proportion to apparent severity of re-injury.

Because of potentially serious consequences, athletes, coaching staffs and parents need to have a heightened awareness of head-injuries and their need for proper evaluation, including by medical personnel. Various guidelines have been created for decisions about when it is safe to resume participation in contact sports. These guidelines, while based more on expert opinion than on medical evidence, are still best benchmarks we have until more studies are done.

All guidelines agree that an athlete needs to become symptom-free in all areas—thinking, memory, emotions, coordination, balance, etc.—before resuming play. After a first concussion, athlete should have been normal for at least a week, and after a second concussion, for probably two weeks.

When should an athlete hang up his or her cleats and retire from sport? How many concussions are too many? No one has a definite answer to either question. As Clint Eastwood's "Dirty Harry" might ask, "Are you feeling lucky?" Three concussions in same season—or even in an entire sports career—should certainly raise concern about long-term damage to brain.

Of course, student-athletes often pressure their parents to allow them to return to play sooner than might be wise. In these circumstances it is useful to recall that many professional athletes in football, hockey, boxing and other sports have retired from their lucrative careers rather than suffer additional concussions. If these high-profile individuals were willing to give up their big paydays in order to protect their brains, then perhaps your son or daughter will be able to follow their examples when less money is at stake. However, if you are parent and are being pressured to allow an early return to play, you just might have to stand tall, do right thing, and say no.

For more information about traumatic brain injury see websites of The Brain Matters and The Brain Injury Association of America.

(C) 2005 by Gary Cordingley

Mineral Supplements

Calcium- Calcium is known to protect bones and make them stronger, but it also helps in lowering blood pressure and preventing colon cancer and PMS (pre-menstrual syndrome). Make sure you only take recommended amount of calcium per day. Too much calcium can increase risk of prostate cancer in men.

Chromium- This mineral assists hormone insulin and helps it to operate more efficiently. When insulin is functioning at appropriate level, your blood sugar levels are lower, which is helpful to individuals with type 2 diabetes. This mineral has also been proven to help with weight loss.

Iron- Lack of iron can cause fatigue and low energy levels. Iron deficiency is usually found in pre-menopausal women, athletes and vegetarians. Although iron helps boost your energy levels, too much of this mineral may cause heart disease and can place you at higher risks for cancer.

If you feel as though your daily diet does not provide you with adequate amounts of vitamins and minerals, taking supplements can greatly improve your lifestyle and can give you energy and boost you need to get you through day. Always remember that vitamin and mineral supplements are to be used in combination with food and are in no way meant as a replacement for a healthy diet.

Health-related information changes frequently and while every attempt has been made to ensure content in this article is accurate, you should always check with a doctor or nutritional expert before undertaking any substantial changes in diet or lifestyle.