One of the most common complaints for those with adrenal fatigue is brain fog. Even as a very common complaint, it is not a recognized illness in traditional medicine. In addition to adrenal fatigue, brain fog is often associated with hypothyroidism, or menopause.
Brain fog is described as confusion, forgetfulness, and difficulty concentrating. Often you may just not feel right, or you may feel a bit spacey. Sometimes people will call this having a temporary “senior moment” where you can’t seem to remember certain things. For instance at dinner you might start to say “please pass the ….” and then you forget either the name of what it is you want or you simply can’t remember what it was that you wanted.
Some of the other symptoms of brain fog include:
1) Horrible short term memory
2) Difficulty with word finding and word substitution
3) Disorientation lasting 30-60 seconds ( You might be driving somewhere and you forget where you are and where you are going)
4) Loss of mental acuity
5) Forgetfulness
6) In ability to think clearly
7) A feeling that you’re in a fog or a dark cloud is over your head
8) Decreased attention span
9) Mild depression or anxiety
10) Lack of spatial awareness
11) Difficulty concentrating
12) Lack of focus
13) Confusion
14) Spaciness or Absentmindedness
15) Trouble learning new tasks
16) Trouble solving problems
17) Decrease in creativity
18) Decreased mental stamina
All natural diet recommendations:
1) Look for foods high in protein. You may consider supplementing with whey protein to insure adequate amounts of protein daily.
2) Eat lots of green leafy vegetables (the darker green the better).
3) Eat brown rice or winter squash.
4) Eat foods high in omega-3 essential fatty acids i.e. oily cold water fish (albacore tuna, salmon, herring, mackereel, anchovies, sardines), flax seed, walnuts, and eggs.
5) As always, make sure to always have adequate hydration
How do you treat over active thyroid? My doctor recommends burrning it and pills for the rest of my life
Comment by Barbara — April 20, 2010 @ 8:04 am
[...] Original post: 18 Symptoms of Brain Fog [...]
Pingback by 18 Symptoms of Brain Fog | Adrenal Diet Weight Loss — May 5, 2010 @ 2:33 pm
I would recommend that for people with true adrenal exhaustion, fish oil be used cautiously, particularly with the high dosages available. Most know by now that fish oil has the effect of lowering cortisol which sounds like a good thing for anyone with high stress and healthy adrenals. Those with adrenal exhaustion, however, suffer the symptoms of low cortisol to begin with and lowering it further should be expected to excacerbate symptoms of this illness. One may be fooled into believing high dose fish oil is beneficial because, as the oil is metabolized, there is a bounceback effect on ACTH and, in turn, cortisol such that these hormones are secreted above baseline enabling one to temporarily feel better. The net effect is further depletion of the adrenals. I’ve experienced this firsthand & recommend, rather, the B complex vitamins. These increase adrenal hormones without the depletion effect. Perhaps a very low dose fish oil regimen is prudent along with these vitamins.
Comment by Steven Heward — May 29, 2010 @ 1:18 am
can adrenal fatigue get a lot worse every month after having your period? this is when i have the symptoms the most.
Comment by melody — June 10, 2010 @ 7:09 pm
Steven – that is exactly the information I was looking for! I knew they were not helping! They just blunted my brain to the point where I thought everything was fine and now six months later I realise I don’t actually like this feeling at all, it stops me from doing things! Thank you!
Comment by TR — September 10, 2010 @ 3:09 pm
i also get adrenal fatigue symptoms after my period. aniety, panic, mood swings. feeling slightly better after ovulating. i am 45 yrs . can anyone help melody and i ? 6/10/2010
Comment by sara — October 5, 2010 @ 12:24 pm
I have been told I have adrenal fatigue. I have tried every treatment recomended. Nothing has helped. I have severe brain fog and fatigue. Anyone have any suggestions. Yes I do have hypo thyroid and am on armour. T3 and T4 great tsh stinks. Help!!
Comment by Deb — October 20, 2010 @ 5:50 pm
Hello…I was wondering why I am having brain fog problems when I do have hypothyroidism but, my doctor says that my thyroid level is now to high so she lowered my dose from .175 to .150 of synthroid? I went to get a blood test for it thinking it was too low…I am 37 and returning to school. I am having problems concentrating and my recall is awful…If my thyroid level has been too high from taking synthroid can it cause brain fog also and will lowering the dose help? Please let me know if there are any other supplements out there that can help?
Comment by Katherine — November 14, 2010 @ 11:51 am
I am always stuck in a brain fog where I cannot focus very well on anything as if my brain is being ate up by something and I feel like I am walking in a dark cloud. :(
I believe this brain fog may be also attracting negative energy due to my low-health but that’s another subject.
I wish there was a treatment 4 this.
Comment by Kyle — December 5, 2010 @ 11:19 pm
dear sir,
i feel sense less or sometimes burning sensation and cloudy fog in the temple, nape and parietal ridge area of head.is this a brain fog???if so why it makes me sense less in those area if touched and sometimes a severge burning sensation…let me imform u i usually suffers from constipation and i m a gilbert’s syndrome patient.. please help me sir …u can send reply to my e mail
thank you alot sir
Comment by chuppe limbu — January 30, 2011 @ 4:31 pm
What can be done to help improve ACTH levels? My endocrinologist has told me my adrenals are low. As a fitness instructor I am stunned and don’t know the first thing to do. I am tired all day, have energy in the evening and feel dizzy, Foggy, have mild hypoglycemia, have low potassium, low progesterone and low testosterone. The doctor told me he may try steroids but doesn’t want to. Wants to make this a last resort. Please help. I have two busy children, a full-time job, a husband and I love my life. I need energy and a clear head to live it. Are there any safe supplements you can suggest? Please help me. I feel like I’m dying.
Comment by Saundra — March 19, 2011 @ 1:42 pm
I may represent the brain as hardware of the computer , files in C are infected with virus so this will lead to slow loading, Try to use E hard ware which is not infected by directing the images and balance to it by using base in prism then the fog will disappear .
the god who is the designer does not want us to find the solution till now he want this like it is till forgiveness…
Comment by walid — May 13, 2011 @ 12:54 pm
I have to say the one thing that I did and stuck too was a detox and it was an awesome experience. I feel so much better after 3 years of suffering and two of which I did not have a clue what was wrong with me. Go to dherbs.com and yes its a radical website but I am tired of dishing out copays for NOTHING. All you can do is try and see what happens. What do you have to lose but brain fog and much more.
Comment by Kay — May 24, 2011 @ 1:42 pm
For hypothyroid, I took Kelp and or Dulse. This apparently has helped my levels be normal again, for what its worth.
Comment by Uma — August 10, 2011 @ 10:29 am
I Can’t Believe This Is All ( Everything In The List )I’m Going Through. In Addition I’m Experiencing Some Major Brain Farts, Irritating Mentle Fatigue, Disorientation Lasting For About A Minute Or Two While Walking!I Sometome Feel That I Have Some Personality Disorder I Feel Like I’m A Sociopath You Know. I Often Procatinate A Lot Than You May Think This Is Usually Early In The Morning Instead Of Doing Some Constructive Task, I Tend To Dismiss It By Listening To Music Sometimes For Some Strange Reason Unfortunately My Number One Bands Don’t Do Any Good Either So All I Can Do Is Meet With My Friends Or My Girlfriend This Usually Helps When They Are Around. I Don’t Do Any Drugs. I’m Fit And I’m A Very Talented Soccer Player But I Have Very Low Energy! Atleast That Is What I Believe, And I’m Terribly Stressed, i Can’t Help It But To Be Taken Down By The “Silent assasin” Thanks A Bunch Please Help I Read Somewhere That Oils And Fats Trigger Brain Fog So Why Is Fish Oil Exceptional And Recommended “I Love Fish”
Comment by Zafir Yaman — August 11, 2011 @ 1:19 am
[...] This list is courtesy of MyAdrenalFatigue.com. [...]
Pingback by Brain Fog Symptoms | The Health Matters Show With Cinda Crawford — August 11, 2011 @ 10:29 am
I couldn’t see the picture, please fix the page.
Comment by cmc — September 5, 2011 @ 11:28 pm
I get it some times for weeks on end, and then nothing for a while.
I suspect it may be sleep related.
I’ve been taking Magnesium at night to help me sleep and I’ve seen a significant drop in symptom regularity.
Biggest problem in finding a real cure is the un-specific nature of symptoms, and all the white noise caused by snake oil sellers.
Comment by Simon — October 3, 2011 @ 12:29 am
im 15 years old and get these symptoms and its horrible. :(
Comment by Lewis — October 24, 2011 @ 2:52 pm
I am a gorgeous 40 yr old female. Looking at me you would never know that I constantly suffer from brainfog, anxiety, fatigue, insomnia, appetite loss, it hits hard . It has come and gone with seemingly no precursors. It is almost disableing and I often wonder how I completed a days work. It feels like I am constantly “stoned” but it feels awful. No one knows but me. How can anyone else understand..:(
Comment by Brandy Lampman — November 22, 2011 @ 3:14 am
Steven, are you a doctor? I don’t think you have anything to back up your claims. In fact there’s much more evidence against what you are saying.
Comment by Someone in the know — November 22, 2011 @ 4:46 pm
By lowering your cortisol with fish oil, you are allowing your adrenals to REST, which in the LONG term, helps with adrenal fatigue: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12909818
Comment by Someone in the know — November 22, 2011 @ 4:48 pm
[...] new tasks 16) Trouble solving problems 17) Decrease in creativity 18) Decreased mental stamina 18 Symptoms of Brain Fog It feels like there's something preventing me from willing myself to think necessary thoughts, [...]
Pingback by [INFP] What Happens When You Lose Yourself? — December 27, 2011 @ 12:50 am
my son is 15 and has brain fog and has had for 6 months he is getting very frustrated and we are going to see a neurologist pls can you help me and him to get rid of this, he has had blood tests and they are fine
Comment by michelle — January 9, 2012 @ 4:23 pm