Brain fog refers to a collection of symptoms including impaired memory, difficulty concentrating, mental fatigue, and reduced mental clarity, rather than a medical diagnosis itself.
Ranked by community outcomes, then evidence grade, Health Voice mentions, and recency.
Why it may help Brain Fog: Deficiency impairs cognition
Why it may help Brain Fog: Rhodiola may reduce brain fog by modulating stress response systems, such as the HPA axis, and improving mental fatigue under stressful conditions.
Why it may help Brain Fog: Bacopa monnieri may alleviate brain fog by enhancing neurotransmitter activity, particularly acetylcholine, which is crucial for memory and cognitive processing.
Why it may help Brain Fog: Creatine monohydrate may improve brain fog by increasing brain energy reserves (ATP), supporting cognitive function, especially during sleep deprivation or mentally demanding tasks.
Why it may help Brain Fog: Improves sleep quality that drives clarity
Why it may help Brain Fog: Supports nerve growth and cognitive clarity
Why it may help Brain Fog: Reduces stress-related cognitive fatigue
Why it may help Brain Fog: Supports overall vitality and clarity
Why it may help Brain Fog: Calm focus without sedation
Why it may help Brain Fog: Omega-3 fatty acids, particularly DHA, are integral components of brain cell membranes, supporting neuronal communication and reducing inflammation that can contribute to brain fog.
Why it may help Brain Fog: N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC) may help brain fog by increasing glutathione, an antioxidant that reduces oxidative stress and inflammation in the brain, improving cognitive clarity.
Why it may help Brain Fog: Alpha-Lipoic Acid acts as a potent antioxidant, reducing oxidative stress and inflammation in the brain, which can improve mitochondrial function and alleviate symptoms of brain fog.
Why it may help Brain Fog: Vitamin B12 (Methylcobalamin) is essential for neurological function and myelin synthesis, and its deficiency can cause cognitive impairment, so supplementation can improve brain fog.
Why it may help Brain Fog: Choline is a precursor to acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter crucial for memory and cognitive function, and its supplementation can support neuronal health and reduce brain fog.
Why it may help Brain Fog: Ginkgo Biloba improves cerebral blood flow and acts as an antioxidant, which can enhance neuronal function and reduce oxidative stress, thereby improving cognitive clarity and reducing brain fog.
Why it may help Brain Fog: Magnesium may reduce brain fog by regulating neurotransmitter function and supporting mitochondrial energy production, which are vital for clear cognitive processing.
Community outcomes
Self-reported by community members · not medical advice.
Self-reported community outcomes. Not medical advice. Requires at least three reports per remedy to surface.
Total reports
48
Reported worked
75%
Mixed results
17%
Did not work
8%
Top reported helpful approaches
75% worked · 48 reports
Most reported did not help
8% did not work · 48 reports
Most reported side effects
Few side effects reported.
As more members share outcomes, RemedyAtlas will show which remedies helped people with similar conditions, symptoms, goals, and lab patterns.
Structured experience reports from people managing this condition. Not medical advice.
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Community Discussions
How global health authorities view Brain Fog.
The Mayo Clinic acknowledges brain fog as a common symptom of various conditions, including long COVID, and emphasizes addressing underlying causes. NCCIH highlights research into natural products like Ginkgo Biloba and Omega-3s for cognitive health, though often not specifically for 'brain fog' as a standalone condition. The NHS advises consulting a doctor for persistent brain fog to identify potential medical causes. Overall, major bodies emphasize medical evaluation for persistent symptoms and support for general brain health through lifestyle.
Indexed studies for Brain Fog, grouped by source type and quality.
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Pooled analyses across multiple human trials.
Brain fog with long covid and chemotherapy: systematic review and meta-analysis.
Wilson JC, Liu KY, Mittelman E, Bareke P, Shleifer E, Howard R · BMJ mental health · 2025
What are the cognitive, functional and affective characteristics of brain fog in individuals with long covid and following chemotherapy, and how are these features assessed across studies? In March 2024, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of peer-reviewed studies assessing cognition, function or mood in adults (≥18 years) with brain fog after COVID-19 or chemotherapy. PubMed, Embase and Web of Science were searched systematically according to eligibility criteria to March 2024, with an update in May 2025. Random-effects meta-analyses using the 'dmetar' package (V.0.0.9000) in R V.4.3.1 were performed for studies comparing individuals with and without brain fog. Bias was assessed using the National Institutes of Health Study Quality Assessment Tools. Of 3077 records screened, 65 studies met inclusion criteria: 40 investigated brain fog in long covid and 25 in chemotherapy populations. Considerable variation in assessment tools was observed. Montreal Cognitive As
Subjective versus objective cognition during menopause: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Furey RT, Thomas EHX, Kulkarni J, Gurvich C · Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society : JINS · 2025 · n=5629
This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to review existing measures of subjective cognition during menopause and to estimate the correlation between subjective and objective cognition in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women. Eligible studies reported scores for at least one subjective and objective measure of cognition for perimenopausal or postmenopausal women. EMBASE, Medline, and PsycINFO were searched for eligible studies on November 22nd 2024. The risk of bias in individual studies was evaluated using a modified QUADAS-2 form. The results of the review were summarized in narrative form. Studies that reported correlations between subjective and objective cognition were synthesized using a multilevel meta-analysis. The sample included 5629 participants over 24 studies, including 295 perimenopausal women, 5086 postmenopausal women, and 248 women across mixed peri- and post-menopausal samples. Twelve measures of subjective cognition were used across studies. Six studies we
van der Feltz-Cornelis C, Turk F, Sweetman J, Khunti K, Gabbay M, Shepherd J · General hospital psychiatry · 2024
Long COVID can include impaired cognition ('brain fog'; a term encompassing multiple symptoms) and mental health conditions. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to estimate their prevalence and to explore relevant factors associated with the incidence of impaired cognition and mental health conditions. Searches were conducted in Medline and PsycINFO to cover the start of the pandemic until August 2023. Included studies reported prevalence of mental health conditions and brain fog in adults with long COVID after clinically-diagnosed or PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. 17 studies were included, reporting 41,249 long COVID patients. Across all timepoints (3-24 months), the combined prevalence of mental health conditions and brain fog was 20·4% (95% CI 11·1%-34·4%), being lower among those previously hospitalised than in community-managed patients(19·5 vs 29·7% respectively; p = 0·047). The odds of mental health conditions an
Structured reviews of the full body of evidence (incl. Cochrane).
Intervention modalities for brain fog caused by long-COVID: systematic review of the literature.
Gorenshtein A, Liba T, Leibovitch L, Stern S, Stern Y · Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology · 2024
Individuals suffering from long-COVID can present with "brain fog", which is characterized by a range of cognitive impairments, such as confusion, short-term memory loss, and difficulty concentrating. To date, several potential interventions for brain fog have been considered. Notably, no systematic review has comprehensively discussed the impact of each intervention type on brain fog symptoms. We included studies on adult (aged > 18 years) individuals with proven long- COVID brain-fog symptoms from PubMed, MEDLINE, Central, Scopus, and Embase. A search limit was set for articles published between 01/2020 and 31/12/2023. We excluded studies lacking an objective assessment of brain fog symptoms and patients with preexisting neurological diseases that affected cognition before COVID-19 infection. This review provided relevant information from 17 studies. The rehabilitation studies utilized diverse approaches, leading to a range of outcomes in terms of the effectiven
Post-COVID-19 fatigue: A systematic review.
Joli J, Buck P, Zipfel S, Stengel A · Frontiers in psychiatry · 2022 · n=629
Fatigue is recognized as one of the most commonly presented long-term complaints in individuals previously infected with SARS-CoV-2. This systematic review was performed to describe symptoms, etiology, possible risk factors related to post-COVID-19 fatigue and the therapeutic approaches used for the treatment of post-COVID-19 fatigue. For the systematic literature search the databases PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and PsycInfo were used. All articles that met the inclusion criteria were analyzed for demographics, clinical data and treatment. Included were studies which focused on an adult population (18-65 years old); elderly patients and patients with chronic somatic diseases which can also cause fatigue were excluded. We identified 2,851, screened 2,193 and finally included 20 studies with moderate to high methodological quality, encompassing 5,629 participants. Potential risk factors for post-COVID-19 fatigue were old age, female sex, severe clinical status in the acute
Recommendations from medical societies (NICE, AHA, ADA, ACG, Endocrine Society…).
What Do I Need to Know About Long-Covid-related Fatigue, Brain Fog, and Mental Health Changes?
Gross M, Lansang NM, Gopaul U, Ogawa EF, Heyn PC, Santos FH · Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation · 2023
Clinical Practice Guidelines for Integrative Health
NCCIH
The NCCIH website provides information and research on complementary and integrative health approaches. While not a direct guideline for 'brain fog' as a standalone diagnosis, it offers resources on interventions that may address symptoms associated with brain fog, such as fatigue and cognitive impairment, from an integrative perspective.
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)
NICE provides national guidance and advice to improve health and social care. Users can search for guidelines related to various conditions, which may include aspects of cognitive impairment or conditions associated with 'brain fog'.
Controlled human studies with random assignment.
Omega-3 fatty acids, brain health and the menopause.
Minihane AM · Post reproductive health · 2025
The menopausal transition is associated with vasomotor symptoms, disrupted sleep, transient cognitive deficits and changes in mood and anxiety levels, underpinned by declining and erratic estrogen availability in the brain. Relative to other tissues the brain is enriched in the omega-3 fatty acid, docosahexaenoic (DHA), with well-defined neurophysiological roles for both eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and DHA. Substantial preclinical and epidemiological evidence along with accumulating randomised controlled trial (RCT) data indicates that an increase in EPA and DHA intake and status is associated with improved brain function. In this narrative review, the role of EPA and DHA in the menopausal transition (MT) is considered. The evidence, although relatively sparse, is indicative of benefit, with future RCTs needed to establish dose-response relationships and when it is most beneficial to intervene. Although research is at a relatively early stage, the MT is emerging as a critical window of
Cohort, case-control, and cross-sectional human studies.
Vitamin B12 Deficiency: Common Questions and Answers.
Patel H, McGuirk R · American family physician · 2025
Vitamin B12 deficiency occurs in approximately 2% to 3% of adults in the United States. Risk factors include malabsorptive processes, limited dietary intake of vitamin B12, use of certain medications (eg, metformin, proton pump inhibitors), and older age. Symptoms vary based on the severity of vitamin B12 deficiency but may include fatigue, brain fog, depression, peripheral neuropathy, and ataxia. Although universal screening is not recommended, testing should be considered in patients with at least one risk factor for and one clinical feature of vitamin B12 deficiency. Initial testing includes total serum vitamin B12 level, which is diagnostic for deficiency if less than 180 pg/mL. Borderline levels (180-350 pg/mL) warrant a methylmalonic acid measurement, which is diagnostic for vitamin B12 deficiency if elevated. Patients without a clear cause of deficiency should undergo further testing for atrophic gastritis with a Helicobacter pylori test and evaluation for autoantibodies associa
McWhirter L · Practical neurology · 2025
'Brain fog' is a term that patients use increasingly frequently in the neurology clinic. We may think that we know what patients are talking about but at least some of the time we are likely to be getting it wrong. Patients use the term 'brain fog' to describe a wide range of subjective phenomena and symptoms. This paper suggests useful lines of questioning, and discusses the clinical correlates of a range of common 'brain fog' experiences.
Skeletal muscle adaptations and post-exertional malaise in long COVID.
Charlton BT, Goulding RP, Jaspers RT, Appelman B, van Vugt M, Wüst RCI · Trends in endocrinology and metabolism: TEM · 2025
When acute SARS-CoV-2 infections cause symptoms that persist longer than 3 months, this condition is termed long COVID. Symptoms experienced by patients often include myalgia, fatigue, brain fog, cognitive impairments, and post-exertional malaise (PEM), which is the worsening of symptoms following mental or physical exertion. There is little consensus on the pathophysiology of exercise-induced PEM and skeletal-muscle-related symptoms. In this opinion article we highlight intrinsic mitochondrial dysfunction, endothelial abnormalities, and a muscle fiber type shift towards a more glycolytic phenotype as main contributors to the reduced exercise capacity in long COVID. The mechanistic trigger for physical exercise to induce PEM is unknown, but rapid skeletal muscle tissue damage and intramuscular infiltration of immune cells contribute to PEM-related symptoms.
Public-health agencies: NCCIH, NIH, CDC, NHS.
Long-term effects of coronavirus (long COVID)
NHS
The NHS page on long COVID discusses various symptoms, including 'brain fog,' and provides advice on managing the condition and seeking support.
Registered ongoing or completed trials (ClinicalTrials.gov).
n=4 · NCT04141046 · TERMINATED · TERMINATED
The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of a type of non-invasive transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) on patients diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who are experiencing depression. Targeting depression in patients with SLE may provide benefit to these patients, as there is a clear relationship between chronic pain and depression. The investigators propose that a tACS stimulation montage that was previously used in depression could be beneficial to patients with SLE, resulting in reduced depression symptoms, thus resulting in reduced chronic pain and cognitive difficulties.
The Effect of Mental Fatigue on the Cerebral Oxygenation During Endurance Exercise
n=15 · NCT05355493 · UNKNOWN · UNKNOWN
The experiment will consist of 3 consecutive trials performed in a sound-insulated climate chamber (20°C and 40% RH) at the VUB. Participants will be asked to return 3 successive weeks. Trained staff (pre-doctoral researchers and trained master students) will be present during the experimental trials. The first visit will be a familiarization trial in which they will complete all procedures as if it was an experimental trial, except for the interventional 60min Stroop task. Instead of the 60-min Stroop task the participants' maximal cognitive capacity will be determined. The participant wil come in, perform a cognitive performance test, will then perform the intervention/control procedure, which will be followed by an additional conduction of the same cognitive performance test as before the intervention/control, as well as a physical performance test (time to exhaustion cycling test). The intervention will consist of a 60 min Stroop task, while the control trial will consist of watching a documentary of the same duration. Multiple different questionnaires (e.g. to assess the mentally fatigued state of participants) will be assessed throughout the experimental/control trial. The aim of this study will be to research if mental fatigue influences prefrontal cortex oxygenation during a time to exhaustion cycling test. Marcora et al. (2009) already showed a decrease in cycling performance during the exact same protocol.
n=20 · NCT07545928 · NOT_YET_RECRUITING · NOT_YET_RECRUITING
Palliative care patients frequently face a "symptom cluster" of pain (up to 96%), fatigue (up to 90%), and anxiety (up to 79%), which severely degrades their quality of life in their final months.The study is built on the concept of passive exposure therapy (VREP), which engages multiple senses to distract the brain from pain signals. By creating an "immersive distraction" or a "flow state," VR can activate the brain's reward networks and reduce activity in areas associated with pain perception. Unlike most existing VR research in palliative care which uses "passive" VR (like watching a 360-degree video), this study uses interactive VR. Patients can perform simple actions-like grabbing or dropping virtual objects-within a calming natural environment, which may better support their sense of autonomy and dignity. Because this is a pilot study, the "Go/No-Go" decision for future larger trials depends on a strict composite of three factors: * Adherence: The patient must complete at least 11 out of 14 planned daily sessions. * Duration: Each session must average at least 7.5 minutes of usable VR exposure. * Tolerance: The patient must experience no device-related serious adverse events and maintain a high average tolerance score (VRISE score ≥ 25).
Curated cross-source summaries (TRIP Database and similar).
TRIP Database Search: Brain Fog
TRIP Database
The TRIP Database is a clinical search engine designed to allow users to quickly and easily find high-quality research evidence to support their practice. A search for 'Brain Fog' aggregates evidence from various sources, including guidelines, systematic reviews, and primary research.
TRIP Database
The TRIP Database is a clinical search engine designed to allow users to quickly and easily find high-quality research evidence, potentially including studies related to brain fog and its causes.
Conventional care for brain fog typically focuses on diagnosing and treating any underlying medical conditions that may be causing the symptoms. This can involve medication for specific diseases, lifestyle counseling, and management of chronic conditions. If no specific cause is found, treatment may focus on symptom management and supportive care.
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This information is for educational purposes only and not intended as medical advice. Brain fog can be a symptom of serious underlying conditions. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for diagnosis and treatment, especially if symptoms are severe, persistent, or accompanied by other co
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