3 Best Mushrooms for Brain Fog

If you’re anything like us, you’ve probably woken up on the wrong side of the bed before. It always seems to happen on days when you need to be on your “A” game, like when you’re delivering a big presentation at work or taking a big test in school.

Unfortunately, it’s not just physical fatigue that’s subtly sabotaging your day — it’s also the mental fatigue that comes with brain fog. Read on to learn more about brain fog, what causes it, and which mushroom supplements can help you stay focused.

What Is Brain Fog?

The term “brain fog” might sound a little funny, but it’s actually a pretty good description of what it feels like. Basically, this term is used to describe that feeling when your brain just doesn’t seem to be as powerful as it normally is. 

Symptoms of brain fog include the following:

• Difficulty concentrating
• Feeling tired
• Slow reaction times
• Trouble with memorizing
• Muddled thoughts
• Forgetfulness
• Difficulty expressing thoughts
• Trouble with multitasking
• Lowered creativity

Even if you’ve never heard of brain fog, we’re almost certain your doctor has. If you have any of the above symptoms, ask your doctor about brain fog and they’ll likely have a few suggestions for you.

What Causes Brain Fog?

The human body is like a massive web. When one part of the body starts to falter, the effects can be felt throughout the rest of the body. Because of this, there are many possible causes for brain fog. 

Potential reasons behind your brain fog include the following:

• Lack of Sleep: Getting a poor night’s sleep affects communication between brain cells, causing all of the above symptoms and more.
• Vitamin Deficiencies: Deficiencies in vitamins D and B12, omega-3 fatty acids, and iron can all contribute to brain fog.
• High Blood Sugar: Having chronically high blood sugar can cause brain shrinkage, neurotransmitter imbalances, and damaged blood vessels in the brain.
• Alcohol: Alcohol can cause dehydration, which can contribute to brain fog.
• Stress: Stress activates the fight-or-flight response, which uses up a lot of energy and leaves the body and brain feeling exhausted.
• Gut Imbalances: Leaky gut and imbalances in the gut microbiome can affect overall inflammation levels in the body and contribute to brain fog.
• Hormonal Changes: The hormonal changes that come with pregnancy, postpartum, and menopause can all contribute to trouble focusing.
• Cognitive Decline: Some symptoms of brain fog can overlap with age-related diseases like dementia, which is technically a separate health condition from brain fog.
• Health Conditions: Brain fog can also be a symptom of many health conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome, hypothyroidism, depression, diabetes, and infections.

3 Best Mushrooms for Brain Fog

We’ll get to a broader list of ways you can minimize brain fog, but before we do, we’d be remiss if we didn’t put you on to some of our favorite brain fog supplements: medicinal mushrooms. If you thought mushrooms were just for adding a light umami flavor to your dinner menu, think again. Read on for our top three mushrooms for brain fog.

1. Lion’s Mane Mushroom

Lion’s mane mushroom (Hericium erinaceus) comes out on top in this category. This mushroom can help support the body’s production of nerve growth factor (NGF), which can positively support overall brain health and quick thinking.

Lion’s mane can also support a good night’s sleep, minimize feelings of depression and anxiety, and encourage focus, which can all help combat the symptoms of brain fog. And, if you’re not sure where to even start looking for a lion’s mane supplement, don’t worry — we’ve got you covered with our delicious and super convenient Mushroom Coffee+. 

2. Reishi Mushroom

Reishi mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum) has been shown to improve symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, such as cognitive decline. This mushroom can also stop the progression of Alzheimer’s.

This mushroom can also help minimize brain fog caused by excessive alcohol consumption. Obviously, this doesn’t mean you should go overboard and max out your tab. However, reishi might be the missing link you need to enjoy a night out with friends and still perform well at work the next day.

3. Chaga Mushroom

Finally, we have chaga mushroom (Inonotus obliquus), also known as the “King of Mushrooms.” “How did chaga earn this honorable nickname?” you might ask. The answer lies in its powerful antioxidants.

Free radical damage is one of the main causes of aging and can be a potential cause of cognitive decline and overall brain fog. Chaga is rich in antioxidants that can help fight free radical damage and keep your brain razor-sharp.

If you want a piece of this action, try chaga for yourself when you take our Mushroom Coffee+. This blend features both lion’s mane and chaga, as well as L-theanine, coffee extract, and collagen protein. It has the familiar taste of your favorite coffee with none of the side effects and even more benefits — so why not give it a shot?

Additional Supplements for Brain Fog

We definitely love mushroom supplements for brain fog, but that’s just because we’ve seen the benefits for ourselves. If you’re looking to amp up your anti-brain fog regimen, there are some great supplements you can take alongside functional mushrooms.

These include the following:

• Vitamin A
• Vitamin D
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin E
• Omega-3s
• Ashwagandha
• L-theanine
• Magnesium
• B-vitamins
• Zinc
• Ginseng

The Bottom Line

If you’ve ever felt a little groggy and discombobulated after a poor night’s sleep, then you’re probably familiar with brain fog. This set of symptoms might not seem super serious, but it can have ripple effects throughout almost every area of your life. Luckily, you can beat brain fog thanks to the help of some unlikely ingredients: medicinal mushrooms.

At Everyday Dose, we know how frustrating brain fog can be. In fact, our founder first developed our Mushroom Coffee+ as a way to manage his own brain fog. Once we saw how good the benefits could be, we knew we had to share our formula with the world. If you want to try the benefits for yourself, shop all of our mushroom blends to find one that suits your needs today!

Sources:

Neurotrophic properties of the Lion's mane medicinal mushroom, Hericium erinaceus (Higher Basidiomycetes) from Malaysia | PubMed

The Acute and Chronic Effects of Lion’s Mane Mushroom Supplementation on Cognitive Function, Stress and Mood in Young Adults: A Double-Blind, Parallel Groups, Pilot Study | PMC

Therapeutic potential of the medicinal mushroom Ganoderma lucidum against Alzheimer's disease | ScienceDirect

Ganoderma lucidum Ameliorates Neurobehavioral Changes and Oxidative Stress Induced by Ethanol Binge Drinking | PMC

Chaga mushroom extract inhibits oxidative DNA damage in human lymphocytes as assessed by comet assay | PubMed