Like Welstead, Tomen says, “There is no ‘one-pill solution’ to conquering brain fog. Once you are familiar with each of the six primary causes of brain fog you can plan your supplement strategy.”
If the specific cause of the brain fog is unknown, Tomen says, consumers can select nootropic supplements that address and alleviate each of the six causes of brain fog.
For example, vitamin C and gotu kola are free radical scavengers which relieves oxidative stress.16,17 Myo-inositol has been shown to lower C-reactive protein levels implicated in inflammation.18
Supplementing with iodine can help support thyroid hormone and relieve brain fog. Using a daily high-quality, bioactive multivitamin can help restore nutrient deficiencies.19
Combining magnesium chelate, L-tryptophan and PharmaGABA can support a good night's sleep and with less brain fog the next day.20 And using enough DHA (omega-3) and Rhodiola rosea extract daily will help restore serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels.21, 22
There is no ‘one-pill solution’ to conquering brain fog
According to a study published in the journal Antioxidants, the combination of curcumin and iron is also proven to increase BDNF. The clinical trial, administered by the University of Westminster and Coventry University, found individuals who were given curcumin and a ferrous sulphate supplement (low-dose iron) experienced a significant increase in BDNF. The results have been described as an important neurotrophic factor contributing to learning and memory.23
“Everyone experiences stress in different ways. For instance, it could manifest as difficulty falling asleep, irritability, anxiety or lack of focus. So, the ways we combat stress should be tailored to our own individual stress effects,” Yarcony argues.
Yarcony argues that solutions for stress management and improving cognitive health should be person-based. Measuring, managing and relieving stress should be rooted in science and combined with collected, individualized data to create the most effective results for stress resilience, says Yarcony.
Using data — like the physiological information obtained from a smartwatch — personalized nutritional profiles can be developed to help create tailored routines to monitor, manage and relieve the effects of cognitive disruptions like brain fog, Yarcony contends. Eventually, that data can lead directly to addressing root causes and offer tailored tools to create stress resilience, she says.
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