Do you feel fuzzy, tired, or just “off”? It could be mental fog.

Millions of people deal with mental fog every day.

Fortunately, the right supplements can help. Some supplements support cognition and mental wellness. Others energize the brain, boost focus, or even enhance memory formation.

Keep reading to discover the top 7 best supplements for targeting mental fog and supporting your brain.

Caffeine, Coffee, and Green Tea

Caffeine, when used in moderation, is one of the best ingredients for mental fog. In fact, some see caffeine as the world’s most popular nootropic (brain boosting) ingredient.

Caffeine is a stimulant that interacts with pathways in your brain involved with focus, memory formation, and attention.

Drink a cup of green tea daily. Green tea contains ingredients like L-theanine that nullify the negative side effects of caffeine. L-theanine may also have its own brain boosting properties.

Coffee and tea are also rich with antioxidants to support your brain. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals in your brain, which could help clear up brain fog.

The combination of antioxidants, L-theanine, and caffeine could be a winning combination against your brain fog.

Of course, many people struggle with brain fog even with caffeine. For many people, a cup of coffee (or even a pot of coffee) has little impact on brain fog. In fact, some people experience worse brain fog with caffeine.

Antioxidant-Rich Fruits and Vegetables

We mentioned antioxidants above. However, antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables could provide further defense against brain fog.

Fruits and vegetables are rich with natural antioxidants like anthocyanins that neutralize free radicals in your brain, helping with brain fog and mental wellness.

Vitamin C Supplements

Fruits and vegetables are also rich with vitamin C, one of nature’s best antioxidants. Vitamin C is known for its effects on immunity but it can also impact brain health.

In one 2019 study, researchers found people with higher levels of vitamin C in their blood tended to score better on memory, attention, response time, and concentration tests than people with low levels of vitamin C.

One of the best ways to raise vitamin C levels in the bloodstream is to eat more fruits and vegetables. Alternatively, you can take a multivitamin or a vitamin C supplement.

B Complex Supplements

Low B-vitamin levels are among the most common causes of mental fog.

B-complex vitamins are crucial for physical and cognitive energy. If you have chronically low energy levels, then you may not be getting enough B vitamins in your diet.

Some of the most common symptoms of B vitamin deficiency are also common symptoms of mental fog, including:

  • Memory issues
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Lack of focus or poor cognition

Consider taking a vitamin B12 supplement to help with brain fog. In one study, researchers found a vitamin B12 supplement enhanced cognition in 84% of participants and improved memory and attention in 78% participants. The study involved 202 people with cognitive issues, mental fog, and low B-vitamin levels.

Vitamin D Supplements (or Sunshine)

Have you been outside in the sun lately? If not, you could be at a higher risk of experiencing mental fog.

Your body starts to produce vitamin D when sunlight touches your skin. Approximately 10 to 20 minutes of sunlight exposure is enough to get your recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of vitamin D.

However, due to climate, latitude, and seasons, you may be unable to get your daily recommended sunlight exposure. In this situation, you may want to take a vitamin D supplement. A vitamin D supplement can deliver an equivalent dose of vitamin D to support cognition and overall health and wellness.

Multiple studies have linked vitamin D to cognition and mental fog. In this 2020 study, for example, researchers connected vitamin D deficiency to depression. Other studies have linked vitamin D to mental fog and other cognitive issues.

Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplements

Omega-3 fatty acids are well-recognized for their effects on brain health. Many experts recommend getting omega-3 fatty acids daily for brain health and cognition.

In one study, researchers took a group of 176 people with low levels of omega-3 fatty acids. These people took 1.16 grams of the omega-3 fatty acid DHA for six months. After six months, researchers observed significant improvements to episodic and working memory compared to a group that took a placebo.

Adding omega-3 fatty acids to your diet is easy: eat more fatty fish. Or, buy a fish oil or krill oil supplement. Omega-3 fatty acids are crucial for memory, cognition, and overall brain health.

Magnesium Supplements

If you don’t get enough magnesium in your diet, then you could experience mental fog.

Some of the symptoms of low magnesium include:

  • Brain fog
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Worse responses to stress

The most common food sources of magnesium include green and leafy vegetables like spinach along with legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains.

Magnesium supplementation could be more important as you get older. In this study, researchers found a group of 2,466 adults over 60 performed better on cognitive function tests (including attention and memory tests) and had lower risk of cognitive impairment when they had higher magnesium levels compared to those with lower magnesium levels.

Other studies have connected magnesium to focus, attention, depression, and anxiety, among other cognitive conditions.

You can add more magnesium to your diet. Or, you can take a magnesium supplement.

Final Word

You don’t need to suffer with brain fog.

There are science-backed ways to target and relieve brain fog. The supplements listed above can support your body’s natural defense against brain fog, helping you support memory, cognition, focus, and more.

Take a Science Nutrition Lab at-home blood test today to discover your nutritional deficiencies – and discover the root cause of your brain fog.