Concussion – when the brain loses its biological balance

You might feel it as a throbbing headache. A heaviness in your head. Light that suddenly seems too bright. Sound that pierces.

A concussion is not just a blow to the head. It is a functional disruption of the brain's delicate biological balance. Even though scans often look normal, the brain can be in a temporary metabolic crisis.

What happens in the brain?

When the head is subjected to trauma, the brain moves inside the skull. This creates a cascade of biological reactions:

• Ion imbalance (disruption of potassium and calcium)
  Overactivation of nerve cells
• Increased energy demand
• Temporarily reduced blood flow
• Increased production of reactive oxygen species (oxidative stress)
• Neuroinflammation

The brain attempts to restore balance, but its energy production is at the same time impaired. It is this imbalance that creates the symptoms.

Symptoms

Headache, dizziness, nausea, sensitivity to light and sound, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, and sleep disturbances are among the most common symptoms. For some, it resolves in a few weeks. For others, the symptoms can last for months.

Why does it often take a long time to heal?

The brain uses approximately 20% of the body's total energy. When the mitochondria – the cell's powerhouses – are affected, it takes time to restore normal function.

Persistent neuroinflammation and oxidative stress can prolong the healing process. Returning to cognitive or physical exertion too quickly can further delay recovery.

Hydrogen and brain healing

This is where molecular hydrogen (H₂) becomes particularly interesting. Hydrogen is a small, neutrally charged gas that can cross the blood-brain barrier and reach directly into the brain tissue.



Research shows that hydrogen can:

• Reduce oxidative stress
• Dampen neuroinflammation
• Protects mitochondria
• Reduce cell death

• Support neurological function



Hydrogen does not extinguish all inflammation – it modulates it. It supports the body's own regulation and helps the brain return to redox balance.

Hydrogen as hormetic support

A concussion is a severe stress load. Hydrogen does not work by forcing healing, but by creating better biological conditions for the brain to heal. Combined with rest, sleep, and gradual rehabilitation, hydrogen can be a valuable tool in the healing process.

Reflection

When I work with people affected by a concussion, I often see the same frustration: “Why does it take so long?”.

But when we understand that it is about energy, inflammation, and oxidative balance, it makes sense that the body needs support – not pressure.



To me, hydrogen is not a shortcut, but a tool to support the brain's own intelligence and its ability to find its way back to biological calm.

References

• Ohsawa et al., Nature Medicine, 2007 – Hydrogen as a selective antioxidant.

• Ji et al., 2010 – Hydrogen reduces brain injury in an animal model of traumatic brain injury.
• Sun et al., 2011 – Hydrogen reduces neuroinflammation after traumatic brain injury. 

• Ichihara et al., 2015 – Hydrogen and mitochondrial protection.