What Causes Brain Fog?
Symptoms of brain fog are said to include fatigue, irritability, and memory loss. Various diets and supplements are said to help treat it. But is brain fog even a real thing? What causes brain fog?
Monica Reinagel, MS, LD/N, CNS
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What Causes Brain Fog?
I have gotten a handful of questions lately from listeners wanting to know whether a certain diet or supplement will help with “brain fog.” Each of the people that wrote to me had come across a blog or a YouTube video or podcast that described a product or dietary regimen that was supposed to treat brain fog. Interestingly, each offered a completely different solution for the same problem.
Although Brain Fog is not a recognized medical condition, it’s a term that I’m starting to see more and more frequently. It’s used as a sort of catch-all to describe a wide range of symptoms. Here’s a typical list of things that are given as symptoms of brain fog:
- Low energy
- Fatigue
- Irritability
- Trouble concentrating
- Headaches
- Forgetfulness
- Low motivation
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Confusion
I don’t know if the folks who wrote to me were online trying to find a solution for a problem they were experiencing or whether they simply stumbled across this list of things and thought, “Hey, I sometimes feel tired or blue. Maybe I have brain fog?“
Brain Fog: Many Symptoms with Many Potential Causes
There are many possible reasons that you might experience any one of these. You might feel fatigued because you have iron deficiency anemia, for example. Or, you might have a problem with your thyroid. Or, you might feel fatigued because you’re not getting enough sleep at night.
If you have iron-deficiency anemia, an iron supplement could help you feel much better. But if the problem is that you’re not sleeping, it’s probably not going to help much.
If you’re not sleeping well, it could be because you’re drinking too much caffeine too late in the day. It could also be that you’re drinking too much alcohol. Maybe your room isn’t dark enough, or maybe it’s that you spend the last two hours of every day staring at your iPad, which emits a blue light that stimulates the brain. Each of these can disrupt your sleep and leave you groggy the next day.
When fatigue might be caused by such a long list of unrelated factors, how can anyone claim that their thing is the solution? And fatigue is only ONE of the alleged signs of brain fog.
Another commonly cited symptom of brain fog is difficulty concentrating. The inability to keep your mind focused on a task could be due to low blood sugar. Or it might be that you have twelve tabs open on your browser and your phone buzzes or beeps every 30 seconds. Similarly, your headaches could be due to sinus pressure or muscle tension or a food sensitivity. Your forgetfulness could be stress or it could be caused by your cholesterol medication. Your low mood could be due to a neurotransmitter imbalance or it could be due to the fact that your dog just died.
I’m sure you see my point. Each of the symptoms of brain fog could be nutritional, neurological, hormonal, behavioral, environmental, or even cardiovascular in nature. You might feel you have several of these symptoms, and each might be due to completely different factors.
Is Brain Fog a Real Thing?
That’s why I don’t think that brain fog is a very useful term—or a valid diagnosis. And it’s also why I feel suspicious of any diet or supplement that promises to help with brain fog.
I’m not saying that these symptoms aren’t real. I’m just saying that it’s silly to suggest that everyone that every feels unmotivated or anxious needs to stop eating wheat or start taking a certain supplement and that this will solve the problem.
A Healthy Diet Never Hurts
If you’re feeling poorly, following the basics of good nutrition (such as minimizing sugar and junk food and eating plenty of vegetables and other whole foods) might help and certainly can’t hurt.
Some people with diffuse and persistent symptoms feel better when they cut back on grains or try other approaches such as the low-FODMAP diet or the low-histamine diet. As long as the diet is reasonably balanced, it’s worth experimenting.
But I don’t think that there’s any single dietary approach that’s going to be the solution for everyone who feels fatigued or unfocused. And I’m even less optimistic about supplements.
A Low Mood Is Not a Medical Condition
We all have blah days. If you occasionally feel lethargic or irritable or unmotivated, it may be well within the realm of normal human experience—and not a condition that necessarily needs to be treated.
If your symptoms are frequent and intense enough to be interfering with your ability to live your life, it might be time to get checked out by a doctor or make an appointment with a mental health professional to see if there are issues that can be identified and resolved. I’d hate to see you spending $100 a month on a probiotic when it turns out that you have sleep apnea.
Your comments and questions are always welcome! Post them below or on the Nutrition Diva Facebook page.
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About the Author
Monica Reinagel is a board-certified licensed nutritionist, author, and the creator of one of iTunes’ most highly ranked health and fitness podcasts. Her advice is regularly featured on the TODAY show, Dr. Oz, NPR, and in the nation’s leading newspapers, magazines, and websites. Do you have a nutrition question? Call the Nutrition Diva listener line at 443-961-6206. Your question could be featured on the show.