When your brain is not functioning well, then you are likely to find that your physical abilities suffer in the process.
Whether you had a bad night and was unable to sleep, or find that stress is piling up, brain fog is something that we have all experienced in the past. That constant feeling of mental fatigue, sometimes even accompanied by physical symptoms.
When a session of brain fog hits, it can be hard to continue performing your daily tasks without issues.
We take a look at some of the top supplements for brain fog that you can use. Many of these supplements would not only help in getting rid of brain fog, but many of them would give you additional advantages, such as better mental clarity and improved memory function.
List Of Supplements in 2024
Brands | Found | Dosage | |
---|---|---|---|
Caffeine Learn More | Natural | 250-600 mg | |
Acetyl-L-Carnitine Learn More | Natural | 10-20 mg | |
B Vitamins Learn More | Synthetic | 10-20 mg | |
Alpha GPC | Natural | 120-600 mg | |
Citicoline Learn More | Natural | 50-200 mg | |
Ginkgo Biloba Learn More | Natural | 50-680 mg | |
S-Adenosyl Methionine Learn More | Natural | 100-200 mg | |
Creatine Learn More | Natural | 250-1000 mg | |
Omega-3s Learn More | Natural | 150-200 mg | |
Rhodiola Rosea Learn More | Natural | 5-45 g |
What Is Brain Fog?
Brain fog is actually not a condition, but rather a term that is used to describe a wide range of symptoms. The most common association with the term “brain fog” would be mental fatigue. Think about those times where you simply cannot continue thinking.
Your mind feels "foggy" or "cloudy." You struggle to focus on the tasks that you are busy with.
If you do want to get a little more technical – researchers published a journal entry where they describe the term “brain fog” as a mild impairment in specific cognitive functions. The specific cognitive functions that are mentioned by these researchers include:
- Attention
- Executive function
- Processing speed
- Memory
Many people tend to associate certain symptoms that develop when suffering from brain fog that often linked to conditions like ADHD. It is important, however, to understand that there is a major difference here.
While ADHD and similar conditions are psychological disorders, brain fog is rather just a temporary state that causes difficulty with certain cognitive functions.
Apart from these difficulties, when brain fog develops, it is also possible to experience some of the following symptoms:
- You may find that your mood changes
- You might experience some symptoms linked to depression
- Multitasking may seem impossible
In some cases, you may also find that the brain fog session comes with a dizzy or lightheaded feeling.
What Causes Brain Fog?
There are many possible reasons why you may suffer from brain fog. Some potential causes behind this temporary impairment of cognitive functionality may lead to more frequent sessions of mental fatigue and accompanying symptoms.
In other cases, this may rather be something that you only experience on rare occasions.
Some possible reasons why you may experience brain fog could include:
- Not sleeping enough
- Not eating a healthy diet that supports brain function
- Having a lot of stress in your daily life
- Suffering from an anxiety disorder or depression
- Living a sedentary lifestyle
- Suffering from dehydration
- Going through menopause
- Low Thyroid hormones (Also called Hypothyroidism)
- Fibromyalgia, a type of autoimmune disease
- Excessive alcohol consumption
- Experiencing a sensitivity to gluten in the food you eat
In some cases, people with allergies may also find that a flare-up of symptoms causes them to experience brain fog. Additionally, it is also worth noting that pregnancy has also been linked to these symptoms.
The Best Supplements For Brain Fog
The supplement industry is huge and has already gained the support of millions. A report by GlobeNewswire estimates that the Nootropics industry alone will be worth at least $5,959 million by the year 2024, with an expected growth of 15.7% per annum.
While there are thousands of products out there that claim to help improve mental performance and even get rid of brain fog, it is important to do some research before you decide to buy into all of these claims.
There are definitely certain supplements that have been proven to reduce symptoms of brain fog, but many manufacturers base their formulas on claims made in small or irrelevant scientific studies.
Today, we are going to take a look at ten supplements that have adequate research behind them to prove the effectiveness of improving brain fog symptoms. As you will note, many of these supplements also come with additional benefits for body and mind.
1. Caffeine
Let’s start with something that everyone already knows – caffeine. There is a reason why you might need a cup of coffee, or even tea, first thing when you wake up in the morning. Caffeine is a stimulant that has acts on the central nervous system, as well as on the brain.
One journal entry explains that the stimulation that caffeine has on these parts of the body is what causes you to feel more alert. Caffeine comes with other benefits as well – and this journal entry even found that you can consume up to about 400mg of caffeine each day safely.
There is, however, no need to go overboard. According to one study, doses as low as 32mg of caffeine could elevate cognitive performance, including visual reaction time and auditory vigilance.
2. Acetyl-L-Carnitine
Acetyl-L-Carnitine is actually already present in your body. This is an amino acid that your body is able to produce. It acts on the production of energy and has a role to play in the metabolism of the human body.
When you take a supplement that contains Acetyl-L-Carnitine, you equip yourself with the ability to enhance its effects on your body. Studies have shown that this supplement may help you experience an improvement in your memory function.
You might also find yourself feeling more alert and focused when you use Acetyl-L-Carnitine, which may help you get rid of brain fog. One study also provided evidence that regular use of Acetyl-L-Carnitine supplements could potentially slow down the rate of aging in the brain.
3. Vitamin B12 & B9
The B vitamin family consists of multiple nutrients that are essential to your health – including the well-being of your brain. When it comes to fighting against brain fog, vitamins B12 and B9 especially come to mind.
Both of these have roles to play in maintaining the functioning of brain cells.
They also help to protect your brain against damage caused by free radicals. Studies have found that taking supplements that combine these particular two B vitamins could potentially help to reduce homocysteine production.
Homocysteine is a type of sulfuric amino acid that may cause mental fatigue – sometimes chronically. These two vitamins may also help to reduce brain-related damage that is associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
4. Alpha GPC
At the moment, Alpha GPC is one of the more popular supplements that people tend to opt for when they experience brain fog.
This particular supplement is known to work relatively quickly. Alpha GPC is a natural chemical released during the break down of fatty acids. While this product is often used to help with the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, you may also find that even if you do not have a cognitive disorder, Alpha GPC can help to alleviate episodes of brain fog effectively.
When you take a supplement that contains Alpha GPC, the acetylcholine chemicals in your brain are increased. Not only will you feel more alert, but you may also experience an improvement in your learning and memory capabilities.
5. Citicoline
Citicoline is actually a very popular nootropic. This product has been shown to offer a relatively large number of potential benefits for the brain and overall cognitive functioning.
Similar to Alpha GPC, Citicoline is able to help increase the amount of acetylcholine that is produced in the brain.
Furthermore, Citicoline has an active chemical known as CDP Choline, which is known to assist in preserving the cell membranes in the brain. The combined effects of Citicoline has been found to improve working memory, and also help to reduce mental fatigue.
6. Ginkgo Biloba
One of the major benefits of Ginkgo Biloba supplements would be the fact that they are not hard to come by at all.
You can grab this product online and even from almost any local store that sells natural supplements. Ginkgo Biloba has been shown to provide an improvement in memory, as well as in focus.
These are two of the most important functions that are usually impaired by brain fog. Furthermore, there is also evidence that Ginkgo Biloba may help to reduce the rate at which brain function declines due to age.
7. S-Adenosyl Methionine
S-Adenosyl Methionine has a critical role to play in the chemical reactions responsible for breaking down hormones, fats, and proteins.
It has been shown to enhance the efficacy of certain antidepressants. Furthermore, if you do experience depression, you may find that this supplement reduces the effect that the psychological disorder has on your cognitive function.
8. Creatine
While creatine is most often associated with muscle building and performance in the gym, it is important to take note that a small amount of this chemical is also found in the human brain.
If you are not particularly fond of eating meat, then adding a creatine supplement to your daily routine could help to boost your mental performance by as much as 50%. You may find that not only are you able to focus better, but your overall memory function improves as well.
9. Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 fatty acids are essential to the overall survival of your body. In addition to playing a role in the maintenance of a healthy heart, these fatty acids also play a crucial role in brain function.
The two most important omega-3 fatty acids you want to obtain include eicosapentaenoic acid, as well as docosahexaenoic acid.
This is why taking a fish oil supplement seems to have the most benefits.
Studies found that these fatty acids actually play a role in maintaining the appropriate structure of the brain. By taking a fish oil supplement, which contains both forms of omega-3 fatty acids, you may also experience a preservative effect on your brain, which helps to reduce the effects of aging on cognitive functioning.
10. Rhodiola Rosea
Rhodiola Rosea is a herbal remedy used by the ancient Chinese civilizations to promote healthy brain function.
The most important benefit that needs to be noted here is the fact that the plant has been linked to a possible reduction in mental fatigue. In turn, this helps to boost overall mental performance and cognitive function.
There are multiple studies that show Rhodiola Rosea may be effective at alleviating mental fatigue, which is one of the most bothersome symptoms that come with the development of brain fog.
These studies often find that when mental fatigue is reduced, there is a significant enhancement in other mental capabilities, such as learning and working memory.
Conclusion
Brain fog is very common today, especially with the rise in stressors that we face in our everyday lives. When you suffer from brain fog, you are likely to find that your productivity at work is affected in a negative way.
Your ability to continue performing your regular day-to-day activities might also suffer. With the right supplements at your disposal, you might just be able to avoid those mid-day mental fatigue sessions, get rid of brain fog, and enjoy higher productivity.
We listed the ten best supplements for brain fog in this post – now it is up to you to determine which one of these will give you the advantage you need.
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I’m Daniel. Just an average guy trying to share his love for nootropics, biohacking, and life optimization. Follow me on my journey to learning how I use nootropics on a daily basis.