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Natural Remedies for Brain Fog

Written by Institute for Natural Medicine Staff

Medically Reviewed by BreAnna M. Guan, ND

Published June 18, 2024
Last Updated June 18, 2024

If you’ve ever walked into a room and forgotten why you went in, or met someone new only to mentally misplace their name a moment later, you’ve experienced brain fog. Finding the right words in everyday conversation might be difficult, and sometimes your mind seems to go blank. Along with feeling forgetful or spacey, brain fog can lead to trouble focusing, mental fatigue, and distractedness.¹

The brain may be small—only about three pounds—but it is the most complex and critically essential part of the body. That’s why it’s important not to ignore symptoms like memory loss, cloudiness, and confusion.

Brain fog is not a medical term but a description of various issues that affect cognitive clarity.² Mental performance and function change with age, as specific facts or memories may take longer to recall. However, age is one of many factors that contribute to brain fog symptoms.

“Permanent loss of what should be ‘rote memory,’ like not remembering how to get somewhere in your hometown or forgetting the names of people you see frequently, can be more foreboding,” says Naturopathic Oncologist Tina Kaczor, ND, FABNO. “I think of brain fog as functional or pathological, with the latter being conditions [ranging] from brain tumors to neurodegenerative disease. In my clinical practice, many patients experience brain fog [after chemotherapy], often referred to as ‘chemo brain.’”

What Causes Brain Fog?

The first step in treating brain fog is identifying the possible causes and any underlying medical conditions. Health issues that negatively influence cognitive function include the following:

An integrative approach to improving cognitive health includes a thorough review of diet, lifestyle, and nutritional supplements. As a naturopathic practitioner, Dr. Kaczor starts by checking gastrointestinal health and overall energy levels. “Leaky gut and a leaky blood–brain barrier go hand in hand and can lead to neuroinflammation,” she explains. “To assess if a patient has impaired energy production, I consider all the pathways to adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production, including effective glucose [use] by brain cells.”

For More Clarity, Prioritize Cognitive Health

Optimizing brain health to fight atrophy requires regular physical activity, proper hydration, and sufficient sleep quality and quantity.

Sleep activates the glymphatic system, which clears the brain of toxins associated with neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s. “The glymphatic system’s job is to remove waste or protein aggregates that form in the brain,” notes Dr. Kaczor. “Removal of these aggregates is optimized with proper hydration and sleep. Exercise is one of the most proven means of reducing the risk of brain atrophy.”

Clearing Brain Fog the Natural Way

Healthy bowl of fresh fruits and vegetables with hummus

Alongside proper sleep, exercise, and hydration, mindful activities like meditation and deep breathing can reduce anxiety and help the body manage chronic stress.

Whole-food, pescovegetarian, and semi-vegetarian diets rich in omega–3 fatty acids, leafy greens,¹⁶ olive oil, and antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables protect and enhance cognitive and metabolic health. The Mediterranean diet is best known for promoting healthy fats (such as olive oil and nuts), fresh fruits and vegetables, minimal meat, and low levels of processed food. This way of eating can help reduce brain and whole-body inflammation.¹⁷

Natural Remedies to Alleviate Brain Fog

Occasionally, vitamin and mineral deficiencies cause or contribute to cognitive impairment. “I want to ensure the brain is not deficient in anything needed for proper functioning,” she says, “so I will often start by recommending a high-quality multivitamin–mineral supplement as a helpful baseline.” Taking a multivitamin may help improve general cognitive function and memory.¹⁸

Some of Dr. Kaczor’s “go-to” brain health nutrients include flavanols (found in cocoa),¹⁹ proanthocyanidins from plants, and herbs such as bacopa,²⁰ Gotu kola, and Lion’s mane mushroom.²¹ Dr. Kaczor also avoids dietary supplements with stimulants.

“When it comes to positively influencing neurotransmitters for focus and improved processing, I want to improve innate function, which requires a slow and steady strategy that will lead to more permanent changes in neuroplasticity and have a healing effect on the brain,” she says.

Keeping Track of Brain Haze

Dr. Kaczor offers some final advice for anyone experiencing recurrent bouts of fuzzy thinking. “If you are having good days and bad days, consider keeping a diary to track your sleep, activities, and food intake, to see if there are any trends you can address. Even though the brain is complex, don’t overlook the basics—sleep, gut health, and correcting any nutrient deficiencies.”

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Footnotes

1
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Van der Feltz-Cornelis C, Turk F, Sweetman J, et al. Prevalence of mental health conditions and brain fog in people with long-COVID: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Gen Hosp Psychiatry. 2024;88:10-22. doi:10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2024.02.009
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Agarwal P, Leurgans SE, Agrawal S, et al. Association of Mediterranean-DASH intervention for neurodegenerative delay and Mediterranean diets with Alzheimer disease pathology. Neurology. 2023;100(22). doi:10.1212/WNL.0000000000207176
17
Zupo, R., Griseta, C., Battista, et al. Role of plant-based diet in late-life cognitive decline: results from the Salus in Apulia Study. Nutr. Neurosci. 2021;25(6):1300–1309. https://doi.org/10.1080/1028415X.2020.1853416
18
Vyas CM, Manson JE, Sesso HD, et al. Effect of multivitamin-mineral supplementation versus placebo on cognitive function: results from the clinic subcohort of the Cocoa supplement and multivitamin outcomes study (COSMOS) randomized clinical trial and meta-analysis of 3 cognitive studies within COSMOS. Am J Clin Nutr. 2024;119(3):692-701. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajcnut.2023.12.011
19
Nehlig A. The neuroprotective effects of cocoa flavanol and its influence on cognitive performance. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2013;75(3):716-727. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2125.2012.04378.x
20
Walker EA, Pellegrini MV. Bacopa monnieri. [Updated 2023 Mar 17]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK589635
21
Docherty S, Doughty FL, Smith EF. The Acute and Chronic Effects of Lion’s Mane Mushroom Supplementation on Cognitive Function, Stress and Mood in Young Adults: A Double-Blind, Parallel Groups, Pilot Study. Nutrients. 2023;15(22):4842. Published 2023 Nov 20. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15224842

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