6 replies to this topic

[Phileas Fogg]

First post so, Hi.

I suffer from brain fog, concentration issues and occasional anxiety / stress.

I'm working my way through various supplements to see if anything helps. I'm currently on Lion's Mane mushrooms and started taking the Host Defense extract yesterday morning. One dose (1ml) in the morning, one in the evening and one this morning.

I would say the brain fog / concentration has got noticeably worse (although just about bearable) and also had great difficulty sleeping last night.

Should I give it some time and see if things improve or does this mean Lion's Mane is just not for me? Difficult to know how long to continue when something appears to be making things worse. Should I lower the dose?

Anyone got any advice?

I don't think it makes any difference but should probably mention I'm taking Tumeric as well which is the only thing I've found that helps without causing too many unpleasant side effects.

Thanks.

[Phileas Fogg]

Anyone?

[Fafner55]

Concerning Lion's Mane mushroom, a good overview is found here http://www.smarterno...-mane-mushroom/

 

A study involving 30 Japanese men and women aged 50-80 who suffered cognitive impairment showed a significant cognitive benefit from consumption of 3 grams of powdered lion’s mane pressed into tablets (2). The lion’s mane was sourced from air dried fresh fruiting bodies. Patients  were instructed to consume 1 gram, 3 times daily for a period of 16 weeks. Cognitive testing took place at weeks 0, 4, 8, 12, 16 and 4 weeks post-trial. A statistically significant benefit was noted at weeks 8, 12 and 16 for the lion’s mane group. Interestingly cognitive scores declined significantly 4 weeks post-trial, suggesting lion’s mane would need to be taken on an ongoing basis for continued benefit.

“Improving effects of the mushroom Yamabushitake (Hericium erinaceus) on mild cognitive impairment: a double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial” (2009) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18844328

 

My personal view is that any treatment you are taking that seems to make matters worse should be discontinued.

 

Also, I suggest avoiding supplements that affect dopamine, serotonin or other neurotransmitter levels.

 

Sometimes brain fog is caused by excessive acetylcholine. You might consider looking into that. http://mindrenewal.us/page13.html

 

 

 

[Andey]

Anyone?

 

  Brain fog + trouble sleeping could be a manifestation of underlying health problem.

Increased cytokines level(this is just one of many options) from system inflammation could do it easily. The source is a chronic disease that you don't know yet, chronic food allergy you don't know yet, infection, adrenal hormones out of whack etc.

If its a persistent problem you need help from a healthcare professional.

If I were to start to investigate it I would check my tnf-a, il2 levels (those are cytokines) + standard blood and liver panel.

If I were to start to address it I would fast for few days (to detoxify) than simplify my diet essentially to meat and rice to exclude food intolerances, reduce stress, take whatever it takes to get a good night sleep.

If I were to choose one supplement for brain fog it would be phosphatidylserine 300mg before bedtime, it would help brain directly and remove stress from adrenals. 

[Phileas Fogg]

Thanks for the replies.

I've been to the doctor numerous times over the last 2 years. Had many blood tests, urine test, brain MRI, spine MRI, ears checked, eyes checked etc etc. Apart from the odd incidental finding they found nothing particularly out of the ordinary.

Doctors think it's stress related and prescribe anti-depressants (don't want to take these as I don't feel depressed) or CBT which I've tried and doesn't help.

To clarify the sleep issues were related to the Lion's Mane, I've stopped taking it and my sleep has returned to normal.

Symptoms are...

Bad short term memory
Feeling disconnected from surroundings
Slight dizzy / woozy feeling although balance isn't affected
Concentration issues
Brain fog
Feel mentally slow
Anxiety
Irritability
Distracted

Also a few years before all this started I did develop IBS almost out of the blue so I suppose this could be related?

Phosphatidylserine was the first supplement I tried. It made me feel extremely weird and seemed to make the disconnected, brain fog issues worse.

Also tried Aswaganda - Helped with anxiety and irritability but again made the brain fog worse.

Stemetil - Doctors initially thought it might be an inner ear issue. This helped me concentrate and made me calmer but it's not nice medication and didn't help with disconnection / dizziness / memory.

Zoloft - Did not get on with this at all.

Tumeric - Seems to help slightly with the brain fog, memory and mental slowness. Upsets my stomach but I'm sticking with it anyway. As Tumeric reduces inflammation I'm thinking this may be a direction to go in. Candida infection?

Sorry for ranting just been around the houses with this for a long time.

Edited by Phileas Fogg, 19 July 2017 - 08:33 AM.

[Andey]

Thanks for the replies.

I've been to the doctor numerous times over the last 2 years. Had many blood tests, urine test, brain MRI, spine MRI, ears checked, eyes checked etc etc. Apart from the odd incidental finding they found nothing particularly out of the ordinary.

Doctors think it's stress related and prescribe anti-depressants (don't want to take these as I don't feel depressed) or CBT which I've tried and doesn't help.

To clarify the sleep issues were related to the Lion's Mane, I've stopped taking it and my sleep has returned to normal.

Symptoms are...

Bad short term memory
Feeling disconnected from surroundings
Slight dizzy / woozy feeling although balance isn't affected
Concentration issues
Brain fog
Feel mentally slow
Anxiety
Irritability
Distracted

Also a few years before all this started I did develop IBS almost out of the blue so I suppose this could be related?

Phosphatidylserine was the first supplement I tried. It made me feel extremely weird and seemed to make the disconnected, brain fog issues worse.

Also tried Aswaganda - Helped with anxiety and irritability but again made the brain fog worse.

Stemetil - Doctors initially thought it might be an inner ear issue. This helped me concentrate and made me calmer but it's not nice medication and didn't help with disconnection / dizziness / memory.

Zoloft - Did not get on with this at all.

Tumeric - Seems to help slightly with the brain fog, memory and mental slowness. Upsets my stomach but I'm sticking with it anyway. As Tumeric reduces inflammation I'm thinking this may be a direction to go in. Candida infection?

Sorry for ranting just been around the houses with this for a long time.

 

 

We are at very sketchy voodoo territory here but IBS and gut permeability could be an issue. Problem is there is no easy way to check or fix to this. And IBS is a symptom by itself, not a cause.

As an option to investigate - fasting for few days could point out is it a right direction, then some diet like SCD or Fast Tract Diet (they are the opposite but Fast Tract is far simpler to try). And it could be some food intolerance.

 

P.S. and all this does not negate the possibility of a cytokine syndrome. If you look at CFS or Lyme or any chronic illness of infectious nature forums you will find exactly the same symptoms. If money is not an issue than Kenny de Meirleir have a nice reputation of an investigative doctor.

Edited by Andey, 19 July 2017 - 09:35 AM.

[chris85]

Firstly, I am a big fan of a paleo diet without red meat including legumes and rice (if they work for you). The paleo diet is plant based, includes good quality meat, seeds, nuts, fruits, vegetables, no processed stuff, no refined sugars, no breads, no dairy. I find it works best if you tinker it a bit, like I have described here, but broadly speaking, it makes a lot of sense. They have a good evolutionary argument for this diet and I think it will reduce excess inflammation if you have any.

 

Secondly, lions mane wasn't a bad idea. It is a shame it did not work for you, I did try it a while back too for my problem. People all are different. Yeah it could be inflammation, in which case curcumin could help, but also herbs like reishi, holy basil (tulsi), and boswellia. Reishi and holy basil are active on the mind and could really help the cognitive problems. Reishi is relaxing, but also stimulates, tulsi is more relaxing and could help for sleep. I tend to work through herbs trying between 2-6 in a formula and see how they effect me over 2 months, I add one at a time. People just need to research for themselves and make their own mind up with this stuff.