Have Brain Fog? Low Glutathione Could Be the Cause
Do you feel like your brain isn’t working as well as it should? Maybe you’re forgetting things more often than usual, or you’re having a hard time focusing on a task?
If your mind feels hazy, you might be suffering from brain fog, a term used to describe these strange declines in cognitive ability. The good news, though, is that it can usually be reversed, you just need to determine what is causing your brain fog.
Continue reading to learn more about what brain fog can feel like, some possible causes, and what you can do to feel better.
What Is Brain Fog?
Brain fog is interesting in that it is not a medical term, but it describes an impairment in your health and well-being.
Brain fog refers to a temporary reduction in your perceived mental acuity. This is not a new phenomenon, but it has become more prevalent and discussed more often as workloads and expectations increase, leading to more cases of burnout.
Still, since it is not a medical term, brain fog is not something that you can receive a diagnosis for. Instead, it often encompasses a range of cognitive symptoms that leave you thinking your memory or thinking abilities are not as effective or efficient as they used to be. For example, those with brain fog may struggle with memory when they didn’t before or have a harder time concentrating.
Brain Fog Symptoms
Individuals with brain fog often describe the feeling as a fuzziness in their thinking or feeling scatterbrained or less mentally sharp. Some people may also feel as though their thinking is cloudy or that they are in a daze.
Those with brain fog may struggle with the following:
- concentration
- attention
- short-term memory
- learning
- multitasking
- forgetting conversation details
- finding a word
- being distracted
Top Causes of Brain Fog
Because brain fog is a symptom it generally signifies that something is off within the body, but as for what might be off, there are many options, such as:
- low glutathione
- illness
- stress and burnout
- poor nutrition
- hormonal changes
Low Glutathione
Glutathione is the body’s master antioxidant and plays an important role in preventing oxidative damage, especially in the brain.
Glutathione prevents oxidative damage by helping to maintain oxidant homeostasis in your cells and preventing an abundance of reactive molecules. These reactive molecules can cause damage and inflammation to your cells, so by neutralizing their reactive nature, glutathione helps to prevent oxidative stress.
The brain is especially susceptible to oxidative stress because it requires a lot of power and consumes 20% of the body’s oxygen. However, greater production then leads to more free radical creation, and if your glutathione levels are low, these free radicals are free to cause oxidative damage to the cells in your brain, which can then affect your cognitive functioning and may lead to feelings of brain fog.
Not only that, but your brain is already at a disadvantage because of its low antioxidant presence when compared to other tissues, meaning a low glutathione level can dramatically affect these crucial cells.
Illness
Brain fog has been more frequently discussed within the past few years because of its growing occurrence in some individuals after COVID-19 infection. However, other illnesses may also have brain fog as a symptom, including chronic fatigue syndrome, celiac disease, multiple sclerosis, or fibromyalgia.
Hypothyroidism is another disease associated with brain fog, with research indicating that some common symptoms of hypothyroidism include difficulty with memory and executive function.
Stress And Burnout
Chronic stress can lead to burnout, which does more than affect your mood—it affects your brain itself.
Research has shown that burnout causes the gray matter in the prefrontal cortex, an area of the brain, to become thinner. The prefrontal cortex is the area of the brain that allows for appropriate reactions, gives perspectives, and enables you to make complex decision-making and have thoughtful reasoning.
When you’re burnt out, and this area of the brain becomes weaker, you can have difficulty paying attention, retaining memories, or learning new things, which are all associated with brain fog.
Poor Nutrition
The foods we eat play a considerable role in our health and well-being, and this includes their effect on our brains. Deficiencies in iron or B12, in particular, can lower energy levels and lead to cognition problems.
Hormonal Changes
Menopause and pregnancy are two times in a woman’s life when their hormones shift significantly, resulting in a wide range of side effects. Brain fog may be one of them.
Studies have shown that pregnant women often report feeling disoriented, confused, and foggy. Often called “pregnancy brain,” this brain fog can result in women misplacing their belongings, putting stuff down in the wrong place, or forgetting how to do simple tasks.
Menopause can also result in brain fog, likely because of the role of estrogen on memory. During menopause, estrogen levels are considerably lower, which can manifest as brain fog. However, this is not permanent, with one study finding that memory problems can begin in early menopause but end when menopause is complete.
How To Recover from Brain Fog?
The good news about brain fog is that, as a symptom of something else, it is not often permanent. In most cases, when you address the cause of your brain fog, it can reduce or dissipate completely.
If you’re suffering from brain fog, it is often easiest to address lifestyle changes, such as getting more sleep, reducing stress levels, or managing your workload to prevent burnout. Yet another easy addition you can make is addressing low glutathione levels by taking a glutathione supplement.
Original Glutathione Formula (OGF) by RobKellerMD is a revolutionary supplement that supplies your body with the precursors to glutathione, allowing the body to increase its natural production. This leaves you with higher glutathione levels and better brain functioning.
If brain fog persists despite these lifestyle changes, see a medical professional. Brain fog can also result from hormonal imbalances or medical illnesses, and your doctor can run any necessary tests to help rule out these causes or make a diagnosis.
Relieve Your Brain Fog with Glutathione
No one wants to feel as though their brain isn’t working to full capacity, and RobKellerMD is here to help.
With glutathione as the master antioxidant in the body, supplementing its levels might be the solution your brain needs. Try OGF or Glutathione Rapid Boost+ (GRB+) to boost your body’s glutathione production, support your brain, and clear away your brain fog.
References
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