Brain fog is one of the more common symptoms we see in practice, as well as being one of the most elusive and hard to pin down. A sudden onset of poor concentration, mental fatigue, inability to focus, confusion, and memory issues make even the simplest tasks seem overwhelming and can negatively affect all aspects of life. Let’s take a look at the various causes of brain fog, and what you can do to clear things up.
It may surprise you to read that brain fog is a well-documented symptom of a number of chronic conditions. It is particularly prevalent in diseases involving inflammation, fatigue, and blood sugar imbalance such as diabetes, depression, and autoimmune diseases, as well as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS/ME), and Fibromyalgia.
Research into the factors that contribute to brain fog identify the following triggers:
Brain fog is perhaps most commonly reported by women going through hormonal changes, such as in pregnancy and perimenopause. Why is that? The brain is sensitive to the fluctuations of estrogen and progesterone that occur during both of these life events, contributing to ‘mommy brain’ and the memory issues that are often attributed to menopause.
Perimenopausal women report that brain fog significantly impacts their quality of life, overall health, and productivity. The Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation (SWAN) has observed over 3,300 women throughout the menopausal transition, measuring cognitive abilities before, during, and after menopause.
The good news is that while the results showed that cognitive performance was impaired during the transition to menopause (aka perimenopause), it did go back up to pre-perimenopause levels once menopause had been reached.
When faced with chronic stress and anxiety, our fight or flight response gets stuck in overdrive. This means our adrenal glands, designed to pump out stress hormones in short bursts, end up releasing continued high levels of cortisol and adrenaline which can contribute to cloudy thinking.
During the stress response, the part of your brain that thinks deeply and stores memories is put on the back burner while the part that allows you to respond immediately to protect you from danger is prioritized. This works well in a real emergency, but not so well when you need to dig into that work report or solve a complex problem.
Candida albicans is a yeast naturally present in our bodies, which when unbalanced is the biggest cause of human fungal infections in the world. Under the right conditions, candida populations can quickly overgrow, displacing good microbes and colonizing the gut, urinary tract, genitals, mouth and skin.
Brain fog is a classic sign of Candida overgrowth. A ground-breaking 2019 study showed that Candida can actually enter the brain and cause neuroinflammation, contributing to brain fog. When the Candida infection was cleared out, memory improved.
If you can’t think clearly after eating certain foods, you may have a food sensitivity. Brain fog is a hallmark symptom. Food sensitivities are very individual, but common offenders include dairy, wheat, nuts and food additives like red food coloring, MSG and aspartame.
Celiac Disease sufferers commonly report attention difficulties and unclear thinking. In a 2014 study, 11 Celiac Disease patients were given a gluten-free diet for a year. As their intestinal lining healed, their cognitive measurements improved.
Research has linked low levels of iron, vitamin D and folate (vitamin B9) with brain fog. B12 is the best-known deficiency associated with foggy thinking and memory issues. Studies have demonstrated that B12 supplementation can improve symptoms of Alzheimer’s and as well as minor cognitive impairments.
One study involving over 2,500 participants demonstrated that supplementation with vitamin B12 improved cognitive performance, especially when combined with vitamins B6 and B9 (folate).
Chronic infections such as Hepatitis C, Epstein Barr Virus and HPV have all been connected to the symptom of brain fog. If your immune system isn’t functioning optimally, these infections can infiltrate your cells. Chronic Hepatitis C sufferers report that frequent problems with focus and memory recall significantly interfere with their ability to perform daily activities. And these symptoms often stick around long after the initial infection is gone.
Many patients receiving chemotherapy for breast or prostate cancer experience a degree of cognitive dysfunction affecting their working memory, concentration, information processing speed, reaction time, visuospatial ability, and executive function. Often Labelled as “chemo brain”, these symptoms typically persist for approximately 6 months after the end of treatment.
Even mild dehydration can make it hard to concentrate. Space out the recommended 8 glasses per day and sip slowly. This will allow your body to properly absorb and use the water.
Try keeping a food journal for a month, noting what you eat and when you feel cloudy thinking coming on. Chances are that you will find a pattern that points to the culprit foods. The ultimate test? Eliminate those foods entirely for 2 weeks and see if your thinking comes into focus.
Your brain needs high-quality protein, fat and sugar to function at its best.
Eat less sugar and processed foods to avoid feeding Candida. Did you hear that Ireland recently declared that Subway bread could not legally be called ‘bread’ because of its high sugar content? Sugar lurks where you least suspect it – read food labels or ask for ingredient lists.
Fresh fruit is your best sugar source. Include antioxidant-rich fruits like blueberries, strawberries, goji berries and raspberries and your brain will thank you!
Get both with fat and protein with cold-water fish like salmon, sardines, mackerel and herring. Healthy fat sources include virgin olive oil, walnuts, avocado and coconut oil.
Weekend sleep catch up doesn’t work. Implement a predictable nighttime routine so your body knows when to get into sleep mode. Make sure your bedroom is completely dark, which ramps up melatonin (the ‘sleep hormone’) production to bring on sleepiness.
Anxiety and stress often involve constant worry. Listen to your thoughts – what are you worrying about? Are you caught in a thought loop about a past conversation or a worry about the future?
As Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh says: “The past is gone, the future is not yet here, and if we do not go back to ourselves in the present moment, we cannot be in touch with life.” Next time you catch yourself ruminating, do something physical that will bring your focus back to the present moment. Go for a walk, take a bath - anything that connects you with the here and now.
With so many potential causes of brain fog, where do you start? Let’s get to the root of what’s really going on. We can do testing for food sensitivities, Candida and nutritional deficiencies. We can check your hormone status. Let’s work together on a solid treatment plan involving brain-nourishing nutrients, foods and lifestyle changes. Isn’t it time to clear the fog and get back to a life lived with clarity, vision and joy?
References
About Candida albicans: Natural yeast and problematic infections. Medical News Today. Accessed October 10, 2020.
Adinolfi LE, Nevola R, Lus G, Restivo L, Guerrera B, Romano C, Zampino R, Rinaldi L, Sellitto A, Giordano M, Marrone A. Chronic hepatitis C virus infection and neurological and psychiatric disorders: an overview. World J Gastroenterol. 2015 Feb 28;21(8):2269-80. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v21.i8.2269. PMID: 25741133; PMCID: PMC4342902.
An Y, Feng L, Zhang X, Wang Y, Wang Y, Tao L, Qin Z, Xiao R. Dietary intakes and biomarker patterns of folate, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12 can be associated with cognitive impairment by hypermethylation of redox-related genes NUDT15 and TXNRD1. Clin Epigenetics. 2019 Oct 11;11(1):139. doi: 10.1186/s13148-019-0741-y. PMID: 31601260; PMCID: PMC6787977.
Brain Fog, Foggy Head Anxiety Symptoms. Anxiety Centre. Accessed on October 10, 2020. https://www.anxietycentre.com/anxiety-symptoms/brain-fog.shtml
Candida infection can reach brain and impair memory. Medical News Today. Accessed on October 10, 2020. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324106#Why-study-C.-albicans-and-the-brain?
Carnitine Health Fact Sheet for Professionals. National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. Accessed October 10, 2020. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Carnitine-HealthProfessional/
Gava G, Orsili I, Alvisi S, Mancini I, Seracchioli R, Meriggiola MC. Cognition, Mood and Sleep in Menopausal Transition: The Role of Menopause Hormone Therapy. Medicina (Kaunas). 2019 Oct 1;55(10):668. doi: 10.3390/medicina55100668. PMID: 31581598; PMCID: PMC6843314.
Lanza G, Bella R, Cantone M, Pennisi G, Ferri R, Pennisi M. Cognitive Impairment and Celiac Disease: Is Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation a Trait d'Union between Gut and Brain? Int J Mol Sci. 2018 Jul 31;19(8):2243. doi: 10.3390/ijms19082243. PMID: 30065211; PMCID: PMC6121508.
Lichtwark IT, Newnham ED, Robinson SR, Shepherd SJ, Hosking P, Gibson PR, Yelland GW. Cognitive impairment in coeliac disease improves on a gluten-free diet and correlates with histological and serological indices of disease severity. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2014 Jul;40(2):160-70. doi: 10.1111/apt.12809. Epub 2014 May 28. PMID: 24889390.
Matza LS, Deger KA, Vo P, Maniyar F, Goadsby PJ. Health state utilities associated with attributes of migraine preventive treatments based on patient and general population preferences. Qual Life Res. 2019 Sep;28(9):2359-2372. doi: 10.1007/s11136-019-02163-3. Epub 2019 Mar 28. PMID: 30924071; PMCID: PMC6698266.
Senzolo M, Schiff S, D'Aloiso CM, Crivellin C, Cholongitas E, Burra P, Montagnese S. Neuropsychological alterations in hepatitis C infection: the role of inflammation. World J Gastroenterol. 2011 Aug 7;17(29):3369-74. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v17.i29.3369. PMID: 21876628; PMCID: PMC3160562.
Traina G. The neurobiology of acetyl-L-carnitine. Front Biosci (Landmark Ed). 2016 Jun 1;21:1314-29. doi: 10.2741/4459. PMID: 27100509.
Vitamin B12 Health Fact Sheet for Professionals. National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. Accessed October 10, 2020. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminB12-HealthProfessional/
Wu, Y., Du, S., Johnson, J.L. et al. Microglia and amyloid precursor protein coordinate control of transient Candida cerebritis with memory deficits. Nat Commun 10, 58 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-07991-4
Xu J, Zhu XY, Sun H, Xu XQ, Xu SA, Suo Y, Cao LJ, Zhou Q, Yu HJ, Cao WZ. Low vitamin D levels are associated with cognitive impairment in patients with Hashimoto thyroiditis. BMC Endocr Disord. 2018 Nov 26;18(1):87. doi: 10.1186/s12902-018-0314-7. PMID: 30477467; PMCID: PMC6260768.
6 Possible Causes of Brain Fog. Healthline. Accessed on October 10, 2020. https://www.healthline.com/health/brain-fog