And this isn't the first time researchers have found a link between cholesterol and memory problems. An earlier study in 2002, published in the Archives of Neurology, found that women with high levels of LDL had increased degrees of cognitive impairment, including memory loss.
Later on, clinical retrospective studies in humans showed that hypercholesterolemia predisposes to cognitive deficits, including dementias of the Alzheimer's type [74], and that chronic treatment with cholesterol-lowering statins seemed to prevent the disease [75,76].
Low HDL cholesterol has been correlated with deficits and declines in memory in midlife (Singh-Manoux et al., 2008). A study of cholesterol synthesis showed the level of the cholesterol precursors lanosterol and lathosterol are correlated with low memory performance as subjects age (Teunissen et al., 2003).
Brain fog could be a sign of early-onset cognitive decline. Other medical causes. Anemia, multiple sclerosis, diabetes, thyroid issues, and various other health conditions can also affect your brain functions.
Vitamin D can improve brain health, reducing symptoms of brain fog. The brain treats vitamin D as an antioxidant, leading to improved cognitive function, more melatonin production, and hormone control.
You can help yourself recover, because brain fog improves with healthier lifestyle choices. The "basics" are eating healthier, getting enough sleep and rest, and increasing physical activity (gradually). Reducing stress is also important.
Brain fog can be a symptom of a nutrient deficiency, sleep disorder, bacterial overgrowth from overconsumption of sugar, depression, or even a thyroid condition. Other common brain fog causes include eating too much and too often, inactivity, not getting enough sleep, chronic stress, and a poor diet.
While spacing out can simply be a sign that you are sleep deprived, stressed, or distracted, it can also be due to a transient ischemic attack, seizure, hypotension, hypoglycemia, migraine, transient global amnesia, fatigue, narcolepsy, or drug misuse.
And this isn't the first time researchers have found a link between cholesterol and memory problems. An earlier study in 2002, published in the Archives of Neurology, found that women with high levels of LDL had increased degrees of cognitive impairment, including memory loss.
While statin users have reported memory loss to the FDA, studies haven't found evidence to support these claims. Research has actually suggested the opposite — that statins may help prevent Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia.
High blood cholesterol can raise the risk of certain types of dementia, such as Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia.
High cholesterol has no symptoms. A blood test is the only way to detect if you have it.
There is no set period in which cholesterol is guaranteed to drop. Cholesterol-lowering drugs usually produce a change in LDL within 6 to 8 weeks. It is possible for lifestyle changes to change cholesterol levels within weeks. However, it may take longer, usually about 3 months — sometimes more.
It was reported that HMGR inhibition by statins significantly decreases cholesterol biosynthesis in rodent brains [84, 91] and, more recently, two-dimensional gel electrophoresis approaches provided evidence that statins also lead to a significant reduction in protein prenylation in this organ [92].
Information overload, stress, and anxiety are common causes for feeling like you're unable to gather the flurry of thoughts running through your head.
Brain fog isn't actually a medical condition, but rather a term used to describe the feeling of being mentally sluggish and fuzzy. It can be a symptom of other health conditions.
Medical conditions. Medical conditions associated with inflammation, fatigue, or changes in blood glucose level can also cause mental fatigue. For example, brain fog is a symptom of chronic fatigue syndrome, which involves persistent fatigue for a prolonged period of time, according to 2020 research .
Losing just 2 percent of the water in your body (mild dehydration), can impair your cognitive performance, attentiveness, short-term memory and may affect decision-making ability. These symptoms, which affect your ability to think, are often collectively described as “brain fog”, a non-medical, colloquial term.
Keep in mind, though, that brain fog can be a symptom of so many things, including stress, lack of sleep, and menopause. Sudden personality changes: Becoming suddenly aggressive or sluggish, for instance, would be a rare symptom of a brain tumor.
A deficiency in several nutrients could potentially contribute to brain fog, including vitamin D, vitamin B12, iron, and omega-3 fatty acids. Low levels of magnesium, vitamin C, and choline may also cause brain fog, but more research is needed.
In general, there aren't any known medications or treatments that correct brain fog directly. To immediately address most chronic stressors, Dr. Krishnan suggests focusing on improving your sleep, getting good nutrition and exercising 30 minutes every day, five days a week.
B vitamins: does vitamin B12 help with brain fog? Yes! Your body needs sufficient levels of vitamin B12 for healthy nerve function, and deficiencies are linked with cognitive decline, slowed thinking and poor memory.