Is Brain Fog a Legitimate Medical Condition?
While brain fog is not considered a “medical condition,” it is a term used to describe certain symptoms that can affect your ability to think. The term “Brain Fog” is said to have originated from the research done by a British physician, James Tunstall, to describe the mental exhaustion that “brain workers” —lawyers, doctors, teachers, and students — experienced as a consequence of over-studying, and overthinking. Today the term has changed to describe symptoms associated with certain medical conditions, as well as a consequence of burnout and overworking in modern-day society.
Possible Causes of Brain Fog
Aside from being burned out from overworking, there are some other common causes of brain fog. Some are lifestyle driven while others are specific to certain medical conditions or stages of life.
Hormonal Changes: Menopause and pregnancy can contribute to symptoms of brain fog. Research shows that women who are pregnant report feeling mental changes like fogginess, and confusion resulting in forgetting things quickly and the inability to focus. Many menopausal women, because of fluctuating estrogen levels, have difficulty with memory as well.
Medical Conditions: Certain medical conditions and their treatments tend to increase brain fog as well. Conditions like postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, anemia, diabetes, depression, anxiety, and autoimmune conditions such as multiple sclerosis, chronic fatigue syndrome, celiac disease, and lupus tend to result in a person experiencing brain fog. Cancer treatments, because they use very strong drugs, can lead to a person experiencing brain fog.
Medications: Taking medication may lead to the side effect of brain fog. Many medications include warnings on their packaging about the side effects of confusion or cloudy thinking after taking the drug.
Diet: Not eating enough, or maintaining a restrictive diet for any reason, will result in nutritional deficiencies. A deficiency in several nutrients could potentially contribute to brain fog, including vitamin D, vitamin B12, iron, and omega-3 fatty acids. Low levels of magnesium, vitamin C, and choline may also cause brain fog.
Nutritional deficiencies can be alleviated with supplementation. Supplementing the vitamins and minerals your body needs to function properly may help with cognitive focus and wellness.
What Supplements Can Help with Brain Fog?
Knowing which nutrients are most important for brain health is the first step in avoiding brain fog. Most nutritionists agree that B vitamins are vital to brain wellness. If you are deficient in any B vitamins, supplementation would be an advantageous option for maintaining cognitive wellness.
The B vitamins that should be part of a supplement plan to avoid brain fog include:
- Vitamin B1: Increases energy
- Vitamin B2: Breaks down medications
- Vitamin B3: Reduces inflammation
- Vitamin B5: Supports overall brain health
- Vitamin B6: Fights diseases
- Vitamin B7: Helps cells communicate better
- Vitamin B9: Keeps you balanced
- Vitamin B12: Helps your heart
In addition to B vitamins, there are some other supplements that may improve brain function and promote cognitive health, like:
- L-theanine: A natural amino acid, L-theanine has the potential for improving mental performance
- Rhodiola Rosa: Rhodiola can be used to reduce stress, combat fatigue, increase mental performance and improve physical and mental fitness and resilience
- Omega-3s: The traditional Mediterranean diet is rich in fish that include omega-3 fatty acids which ward off dementia
- Caffeine Anhydrous: Improves focus, attention, and mental alertness
- Vitamin E: Vitamin E is an antioxidant that combats free radicals that may damage brain cells
- Ginkgo Biloba: It is best known today as a way to potentially keep your memory sharp. Laboratory studies have shown that ginkgo improves blood circulation by opening up blood vessels and making blood less sticky
- Bacopa Monnieri: Bacopa might increase certain brain chemicals that are involved in thinking, learning, and memory. It might also protect brain cells from chemicals involved in Alzheimer disease
- Curcumin: A UCLA study found that people who took curcumin fared better on memory tests and had less buildup of abnormal proteins in their brains
- Huperzine-A: May support brain health, especially memory. Huperzine-A may also help people who have already been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease
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Finding a supplement that complements brain function and wellness is important for everyone. 10X Health has created the supplement, Focus, which combines several of the most important, and natural, vitamins for brain well-being. Focus includes Huperzine-A, Ginkgo Biloba, Caffeine Anhydrous, Bacopa Monnieri, and Rhodiola Rosa providing a supplement that narrows in on complete brain wellness.
If you’re searching for a supplement that may improve brain wellness and cognitive ability, reach out to 10X Health to answer all of your questions! Your journey to brain wellness starts with 10X Health.
