Even in athletes, obese BMI associated with worse concussion recovery

University of Pittsburgh

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Shawn Eagle, Ph.D.

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Credit: University of Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH, June 25, 2025 – Clinicians who work with elite college athletes and military cadets should be aware of the association between higher body mass index (BMI) and worse concussion recovery, suggests new University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine research published today in Sports Medicine.

The study found that athletes and cadets with a BMI equal to or above 30 had increased inflammatory biomarkers, more severe concussion symptoms and worse cognition following a concussion than those with lower BMI.

These findings support previous research indicating that obesity correlates with increased inflammatory response in patients presenting to the emergency room with a mild traumatic brain injury. The new paper suggests that the same association can also be observed in individuals who exercise regularly and vigorously, underscoring the importance of considering ways to minimize post-concussion inflammation, via dietary changes or aerobic exercise, to aid recovery.

“Body fat is essential for overall health and functioning, but excess amounts can predispose people to higher levels of chronic inflammation, even in athletes,” said lead author Shawn Eagle, Ph.D., research assistant professor of neurological surgery at Pitt. “A BMI over 30 is a risk factor that influences post-traumatic inflammation, which, in turn, affects concussion recovery.”

BMI is calculated by dividing weight by the square of height. It is used as a screening tool for weight-related health risks, though it does not account for body composition – someone with high muscle mass could have the same BMI as someone carrying excess fat.

Despite its limitations, BMI remains a useful tool for assessing obesity: A recent report showed that more than 98% of adults in the United States who met the criteria for obesity by BMI alone also carried excess fat as measured by more precise methods for assessing body composition, such as whole-body DEXA scan.

To measure the effects of obesity on concussion recovery, Eagle and team analyzed data collected as part of the Concussion Assessment, Research and Education (CARE) Consortium—a collaboration between the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD). The CARE cohort included more than 3,000 individuals from 30 academic and military institutions across the country.

In contrast to earlier research, the new study analyzed repeatedly collected inflammatory blood biomarkers, psychological health scores, concussion symptom severity and cognitive performance before the injury, as well as throughout the recovery process, until individuals were cleared to return to play or participate in military training.

Researchers underscore that their findings do not mean that athletes who carry excess fat need to lose it—but that body composition should be considered when determining the best recovery protocol after a concussion.

“Other groups, including our colleagues at the UPMC Sports Medicine Concussion Program, highlighted that history of migraines, anxiety and depression, or sleep disorders affect concussion recovery,” Eagle said. “Our work attempts to understand how pre-injury systemic health could influence recovery.”

As a next step in their research, Eagle and team plan to analyze whether body fat distribution, such as visceral fat around the stomach region, is associated with an elevated inflammatory response and health outcomes following brain trauma.

Other authors of this research are David Okonkwo, M.D., Ph.D., of Pitt; Daniel Huber, Michael McCrea, Ph.D., and Timothy Meier, Ph.D., of the Medical College of Wisconsin; Jaroslaw Harezlak, Ph.D., and Thomas McAllister, M.D., of Indiana University; Paul Pasquina, M.D., of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences; Steven Broglio, Ph.D., of the University of Michigan; and the CARE Consortium Investigators.

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Journal

Sports Medicine

DOI

10.1007/s40279-025-02257-8 

 

Fishermen in Maceió, Brazil, have higher-than-average mercury levels

Blood and urine analyses of the population living in the Mundaú lagoon complex revealed a greater presence of chemical contaminants and metabolic alterations that can exacerbate chronic diseases, such as diabetes and hypertension

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

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Blood collection in a neighborhood near the Mundaú Lagoon in Maceió. Mercury contamination causes metabolic changes in residents

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Credit: Ana Catarina Rezende Leite/UFAL

Researchers from the Federal University of Alagoas (UFAL) and the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP) in Brazil have found high levels of mercury in the blood and urine of people living on the shores of the Mundaú Lagoon in Maceió, the capital of the Brazilian state of Alagoas. These levels are higher than those found in other populations within the same municipality that have a similar socioeconomic level but live far from the lagoon.

The study, which was published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials, is the result of an agreement between FAPESP and the Alagoas State Research Foundation (FAPEAL).

“We observed systemic oxidative stress in the population exposed to mercury contamination, a phenomenon related to the onset and worsening of various diseases, including cardiometabolic diseases. Both populations analyzed showed an incidence of around 20% for hypertension and 10% for diabetes. However, the population that gets its food from the lagoon may be worse off because of the contamination,” says Ana Catarina Rezende Leite, a professor at UFAL’s Institute of Chemistry and Biotechnology and one of the study’s coordinators.

The researchers found changes in the quantity, size, volume, and function of red blood cells in the population exposed to mercury contamination, which can lead to anemia. Changes in other biomarkers also indicate damage to organs such as the liver and kidneys.

Mercury was found to increase triglyceride levels, which are a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Additionally, creatinine and urea levels were high in the contaminated population, suggesting kidney dysfunction.

The Mundaú lagoon complex is connected to the sea and receives water from both the ocean and the mainland. It connects to secondary domestic and industrial effluent channels from Maceió and two other cities on its shores. These channels are the most likely sources of mercury and metal contamination.

Of the 125 people who had blood and urine samples taken, 60 were lagoon residents who consumed fish and shellfish (mainly sururu) from the site. The other 65 participants were from other parts of the city and had little to no contact with the contaminated site.

The concentration of mercury in the urine was 0.48 micrograms per liter in the first group, which is almost 2.5 times higher than the concentration in the control group (0.18 micrograms per liter).

The average mercury concentration in the blood of the group exposed to contamination was almost four times higher than that of the unexposed population (3.40 micrograms per liter compared to 0.93). The highest level of mercury found in the blood of lagoon fishermen’s families was 19 micrograms per liter.

Brazilian regulations set the maximum tolerable level at 20 micrograms of mercury per liter of blood. However, international agencies point to a margin of between five and ten for populations that consume fish, according to the International Programme on Chemical Safety (IPCS), and less than six for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

“Our legislation is very permissive. We’d need to follow the populations for a few years to accurately assess the effects of mercury contamination, but our results already show significant changes in metabolism, with less oxygen reaching the cells, which affects their functioning,” says Josué Carinhanha Caldas Santos, a professor at UFAL who also coordinated the study.

Previous evidence

The results of the human analysis were consistent with those of a previous experimental study conducted by the same group. The study examined the impact of inorganic mercury contamination on mice with high cholesterol, exacerbating the condition as well as oxidative stress and atherosclerosis.

“In the animals, a dose considered low-to-moderate of the inorganic form of mercury [less toxic than the organic forms found in food, for example] was administered for just four weeks and caused significant damage to various tissues, including the brain. In addition, it markedly aggravated the lesions characteristic of atherosclerosis,” says Helena Coutinho Franco de Oliveira, a professor at UNICAMP’s Institute of Biology and coordinator of the project that supported the study.

Both papers were written by Maiara Queiroz and were part of her master’s degree. She was supervised by Leite at UFAL and co-supervised by Oliveira at UNICAMP.

Queiroz is currently doing her doctorate at the Institute of Chemistry of the University of São Paulo (IQ-USP) on a scholarship from FAPESP. 

Public policies

The researchers warn that the results provide strong evidence to support the implementation of environmental and health policies. Pollution in the lagoon must be stopped, or at the very least, mitigated. At the same time, the health of the affected populations must be monitored.

“This will enable us to better understand and perhaps reduce the impacts of contamination,” Santos from UFAL points out.

Further research will also monitor other metals that make up the lagoon’s contaminants and can potentiate the effects of mercury.

However, Bebedouro, one of the neighborhoods monitored by the researchers and one of the oldest in Maceió, can no longer be visited. It was evacuated in recent years due to the risk of collapse from underground rock salt mining activities.

The work was also supported by FAPESP through a project coordinated by Professor Aníbal Vercesi from the School of Medical Sciences at UNICAMP.

About São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP)
The São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) is a public institution with the mission of supporting scientific research in all fields of knowledge by awarding scholarships, fellowships and grants to investigators linked with higher education and research institutions in the State of São Paulo, Brazil. FAPESP is aware that the very best research can only be done by working with the best researchers internationally. Therefore, it has established partnerships with funding agencies, higher education, private companies, and research organizations in other countries known for the quality of their research and has been encouraging scientists funded by its grants to further develop their international collaboration. You can learn more about FAPESP at www.fapesp.br/en and visit FAPESP news agency at www.agencia.fapesp.br/en to keep updated with the latest scientific breakthroughs FAPESP helps achieve through its many programs, awards and research centers. You may also subscribe to FAPESP news agency at http://agencia.fapesp.br/subscribe.
 

 

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Journal

Journal of Hazardous Materials

DOI

10.1016/j.jhazmat.2025.138088 

Article Title

Exposure to a contaminated environment and its relationship with human health: Mercury effect on loss of functionality and increased oxidative stress of blood cells

 

Study finds high protein diet improves birds' ability to tolerate infection

Research identifies diet-driven differences in how canary immune systems respond to infection while revealing how a protein diet primes the birds to resist infection.

University of Arkansas

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Erin Sauer

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Credit: Russell Cothren, University Relations

Whether you feed bread to ducks at the local pond or hang a bird feeder on your back porch, the food you’re offering wild birds plays a role in their ability to tolerate infection. New research from the University of Arkansas found that canaries fed a high protein diet fared better when it came to immune function and tolerating infection than canaries fed a high lipid, or fatty, diet.

The findings included molecular analysis of blood draws, revealing how different diets trigger the expression of different, immune-related genes, both before and after infection.

“Our results are exciting because of the importance of human supplemented food in wildlife disease systems, especially wild birds, which are commonly provided with supplemental food via bird feeders,” said Erin Sauer, a first co-author on the study.

Published in Molecular Ecology, the paper’s six authors are or were affiliated with the University of Arkansas at the time work was conducted. In addition to Sauer, a postdoctoral fellow in biological sciences who has accepted a faculty position at Rutgers University, the other first co-author was Carson Stacy, a Ph.D. candidate in biological sciences.

Outline of the Study

Birds were offered food bars that contained either more egg whites or more egg yolks and oil, increasing the amount of protein or lipids, respectively, in their diet. The science of bioinformatic analysis is complicated, but essentially data analysis indicated birds eating a high protein diet were more transcriptionally “ready” to combat infection — in that more immune-related genes were highly expressed (or upregulated) in birds eating a high protein diet than in birds eating a high lipid diet.

Following exposure to a common avian bacterial pathogen, the birds were tested again. Birds fed the high lipid diet saw increased (or upregulated) expression of immune-related genes after infection while the birds fed a protein diet showed a less pronounced response, because their immune systems had already been primed to fight infection. Birds fed high-protein diets also showed more tolerance for the pathogen, as measured by the degree of eye inflammation, a common symptom.

In short, their protein heavy diet resulted in a molecular signature with higher levels of gene expression for immune defense genes, as well as reduced symptoms and increased resistance to the disease.

“To our knowledge, this is the first study to examine the molecular mechanisms underpinning diet-driven infection tolerance in any wildlife system,” Sauer said. “Our study provides important insight into the ecological and immunological consequences of human behavior on wildlife disease.”

Food for Bird Feeders

What are the implications of this study for those filling bird feeders? Sauer suggests buying bird food that is nutritionally dense in both protein and fat. This can include things like suet blocks with seeds, mealworms and fruit mixed in, or food that contains sunflower seeds or peanuts. Foods to avoid are composed mostly of cracked corn, millet or bread, which are not as nutritious.

She also noted that there’s no need to overcorrect by only providing high protein food. There are times when birds may need a little more fat in their diet, and they will prioritize what they eat accordingly.

 

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Journal

Molecular Ecology

DOI

10.1111/mec.17793 

Method of Research

Experimental study

Subject of Research

Animals

Article Title

Diet Driven Differences in Host Tolerance Are Linked to Shifts in Global Gene Expression in a Common Avian Host-Pathogen System

 

Powering your phone with a laser

University of Ottawa researchers demonstrate new laser power converters to transmit power to further, remote destinations

University of Ottawa

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Professor Karin Hinzer of the University of Ottawa’s SUNLAB, Faculty of Engineering and the University Research Chair in Photonic Devices for Energy.

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Credit: University of Ottawa

From smart grids to the internet of things, the modern world is increasingly reliant on connectivity between electronic devices. Thanks to University of Ottawa researchers, these devices can now be simultaneously connected and powered with a simple optical fiber over long distances, even in the harshest environments.

This significant step forward in the development of photonic power converters – devices that turn laser light into electrical power – could integrate laser-driven, remote power solutions into existing fiber optic infrastructure. This, in turn, could pave the way for improved connectivity and more reliable communication in remote locations and extreme situations.

From smart grids to the internet of things, the modern world is increasingly reliant on connectivity between electronic devices. Thanks to University of Ottawa researchers, these devices can now be simultaneously connected and powered with a simple optical fiber over long distances, even in the harshest environments.

This significant step forward in the development of photonic power converters – devices that turn laser light into electrical power – could integrate laser-driven, remote power solutions into existing fiber optic infrastructure. This, in turn, could pave the way for improved connectivity and more reliable communication in remote locations and extreme situations.

“In traditional power over fiber systems, most of the laser light is lost,” explains Professor Karin Hinzer of the University of Ottawa’s SUNLAB, which collaborated with Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems on the study. “With these new devices, the fiber can be much longer.”

To address this, SUNLAB researchers developed a simulation model for multi-junction photonic power converters operating at infrared wavelengths used for telecommunications, which have low attenuation losses per kilometer in fiber. “The fabricated device shows a dramatic improvement in power and data transmission over distances longer than a kilometer, where traditional systems are not viable,” adds Gavin Forcade, first author of this paper.  

Integrating power and fiber sensors

The term “multi-junction” means the devices are constructed by stacking many semiconductor junctions that absorb light, which results in more of the total laser light being converted to electric power, enabling higher efficiencies and voltages to be reached. Using this model, the teams were able to design and fabricate a photonic power converter producing over 2 volts at its maximum power point with an efficiency over 53 percent.

Adopting photonic power converters at telecom wavelengths could lead to more reliable telecommunication networks, reduce costs by enhancing systems performance and create faster more robust networks that could benefit many technologies, such as:

• Smart grid monitoring technologies
• Lightning-proof wind turbine blade monitoring sensors
• Spark-free fuel gauges in airplanes
• Distributed sensors for the Internet of Things (IoT)
• Remote video camera links
• Underwater sensors
• Laser power in free space, which enables future applications like simultaneously powering and communicating with drones, satellites and lunar vehicles.

Advancing telecom infrastructure

“This could improve power to high voltage and monitoring sensors for smart grids without the risk of lightning faults, it could reduce sparking risks in hazardous environments and could potentially transmit power and data simultaneously to remote devices on existing fiber optic infrastructure,” added Hinzer, the University Research Chair in Photonic Devices for Energy.

SUNLAB is Canada's premier photovoltaics research facility, which focuses on high performance devices and specializes in solar energy, optoelectronics, and photonics.

“In traditional power over fiber systems, most of the laser light is lost,” explains Professor Karin Hinzer of the University of Ottawa’s SUNLAB, which collaborated with Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems on the study. “With these new devices, the fiber can be much longer.”

To address this, SUNLAB researchers developed a simulation model for multi-junction photonic power converters operating at infrared wavelengths used for telecommunications, which have low attenuation losses per kilometer in fiber. “The fabricated device shows a dramatic improvement in power and data transmission over distances longer than a kilometer, where traditional systems are not viable,” adds Gavin Forcade, first author of this paper.  

Integrating power and fiber sensors

The term “multi-junction” means the devices are constructed by stacking many semiconductor junctions that absorb light, which results in more of the total laser light being converted to electric power, enabling higher efficiencies and voltages to be reached. Using this model, the teams were able to design and fabricate a photonic power converter producing over 2 volts at its maximum power point with an efficiency over 53 percent.

Adopting photonic power converters at telecom wavelengths could lead to more reliable telecommunication networks, reduce costs by enhancing systems performance and create faster more robust networks that could benefit many technologies, such as:

• Smart grid monitoring technologies
• Lightning-proof wind turbine blade monitoring sensors
• Spark-free fuel gauges in airplanes
• Distributed sensors for the Internet of Things (IoT)
• Remote video camera links
• Underwater sensors
• Laser power in free space, which enables future applications like simultaneously powering and communicating with drones, satellites and lunar vehicles.

Advancing telecom infrastructure

“This could improve power to high voltage and monitoring sensors for smart grids without the risk of lightning faults, it could reduce sparking risks in hazardous environments and could potentially transmit power and data simultaneously to remote devices on existing fiber optic infrastructure,” added Hinzer, the University Research Chair in Photonic Devices for Energy.

SUNLAB is Canada's premier photovoltaics research facility, which focuses on high performance devices and specializes in solar energy, optoelectronics, and photonics.

Graphical abstract

Credit

Cell Reports Physical Science / University of Ottawa

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Journal

Cell Reports Physical Science

DOI

10.1016/j.xcrp.2025.102610 

Method of Research

Meta-analysis

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Multi-junction laser power converters exceeding 50% efficiency in the short wavelength infrared