Dr. Kyle Warren
Meghan Feir Walker
Brain fog and fatigue, two of Lyme’s most prevalent symptoms, can make a Lyme sufferer feel like they’re sleepily trudging through mental sludge. In this article, we’ll go over what Lyme disease brain fog is, a study on brain fog and fatigue, how Lyme can cause these nasty neurological symptoms, other conditions that may cause brain fog and fatigue, and a few of our favorite brain-supporting supplements.
What is “brain fog” and what does brain fog feel like?
Lyme, especially when it enters its chronic form, can cause various cognitive and mitochondrial problems. Brain fog is a term that describes a plethora of cognitive symptoms including memory problems, focus issues, trouble finding words, and confusion. Lyme patients often worry they’re developing dementia or Alzheimer’s because their cognitive abilities are so much noticeably worse.
To compensate for their cognitive decline, many Lyme patients work extra hard to accomplish regular tasks, even if it takes them 10 times longer than before they got Lyme. They work hard to compensate for their diminished brain function so they appear like a normal, functioning adult on the outside.
The brain fog Lyme can cause makes a person feel like a flake—like an absolute ditz. This is incredibly frustrating. You miss the old you—what you were able to accomplish, remember, think of, and say. Your brain feels like it’s working at a much lesser and slower capacity than normal. It can be difficult finding words, remembering names, recalling what you did the day before, and focusing on work, reading, or otherwise can feel impossible. Brain fog makes life so much more difficult.
When my wife was sick with Lyme disease and co-infections, we would have entire conversations she wouldn’t remember a couple of days later. It was very frustrating—for both of us. My wife couldn’t track and follow things well. This was one of the most outwardly noticeable symptoms she had when she was suffering from Lyme disease.
Before she got Lyme, we had wonderful discussions. She had been great at solving problems and was passionate in her pursuits. The brain inflammation Lyme disease caused made it so she couldn’t cognitively process certain things well. Thankfully, after treating Lyme and helping her body repair the damage that had been done, her brain inflammation went down and her cognitive abilities improved dramatically.
Some clarity on brain fog symptoms
As the term “brain fog” implies, mental clarity gets covered in a deep fog, making it difficult to think and speak well.
This kind of mental fatigue is a core symptom of Lyme and often accompanies physical exhaustion. For many people, it can be hard to distinguish between physical and mental fatigue, and Lyme can cause both.
Patients of mine have described brain fog as though they’re spinning through sludge, trying to swim through a thick liquid, or—as the name implies—trying to find their way through a thick wall of fog. They tell me their brain doesn’t move or think right. They feel disoriented, confused, unbalanced, foggy, or dumb. Maybe it’s a word, a memory, or a fact they’re trying to grasp. Perhaps they just need to remember how to get to the grocery store. But no matter what it is, they’re unable to find it behind that thick wall of fog.
Despite the myriad symptoms a person can experience, it all boils down to one statement I’ve heard time and again: “My brain doesn’t work right.”
Brain fog symptoms include, but are not limited to:
- Mental fatigue and fogginess
- Memory issues
- Easily overstimulated and overwhelmed
- Difficulties making decisions
- Feeling like your mind goes blank
- Difficulties concentrating
- Disorientation
- Slower processing
- Difficulty with word recall
- Feeling mentally drained or hungover
The many symptoms that fall into “brain fog” can vary greatly among people. Some neurological Lyme patients only experience one symptom of brain fog while others experience the whole gamut.
The link between brain fog and Lyme disease: What does the research say?
While brain fog is a greatly understood term among the Lyme community, in the past, “brain fog” hasn’t been used in medical circles or research. This has often caused a dissonance between what doctors know and what patients experience. This has often produced more instances where doctors have told patients, “It’s just anxiety” or “You’re just depressed” because they don’t understand, have limited information, and don’t have time to explore the root cause(s).
Lyme can affect different parts of the brain, and because of this Lyme can affect people differently. Dr. Brian Fallon, the director of the Columbia Research Center, once documented 218 different neurological symptoms that Lyme can cause. It can look totally different depending on which nerves it affects.
In this 2022 study out of Belgium, they researched people with Lyme disease from 2016 to 2020. They looked at the different symptoms their test subjects were experiencing. In the primary grouping of symptoms being tracked, fatigue, joint pain, muscle pain, memory problems/forgetfulness, difficulty concentrating, and trouble finding words were all included. The last three all fall into the description of “brain fog.”
There aren’t direct studies on brain fog because it's such a diffuse collection of symptoms. However, memory problems, difficulty concentrating, and trouble finding words are terms that can be studied more directly, and there is a distinct association between Lyme and chronic fatigue and Lyme and brain problems.
These studies are important for validating the experiences of Lyme disease patients, to show doctors and researchers that Lyme patients aren’t making up symptoms. They’re really experiencing these issues, and it’s a huge problem. After 30 years of doctors gaslighting Lyme patients, that’s major progress.
Unfortunately, while these studies are encouraging, in that sense, they’re far from solving the problem. The Lyme studies that have been coming out are still just proving the problem should not be ignored.
Other plausible causes of brain fog
Just as there is more than one potential cause for almost anything, it’s important to note that brain fog, brain dysfunction, and/or brain inflammation can also have other causes besides Lyme disease.
Other tickborne infections
Lyme co-infections can also cause neurological problems. Take Babesia, Bartonella, and Mycoplasma as examples.
- When a patient has both Babesia and Lyme, Babesia makes Lyme attack the nervous system more aggressively.
- Bartonella, whether on its own or paired with Lyme, messes up the circulatory pattern in the brain and causes inflammation.
- Mycoplasma can also cause brain inflammation.
Beyond those three co-infections and others, a variety of other problems can be caused by tick-carried diseases.
Chemicals, mycotoxins, mold, and more
There are seemingly endless toxic exposures in the world that can cause inflammatory conditions. At high levels, certain chemicals, mold, mycotoxins, herbicides, pesticides, BPA, and other plastics can cause brain inflammation.
Nutrient deficiencies and hormones
Nutrient deficiencies can also cause major cognitive problems. When your brain isn’t getting what it needs, symptoms will occur.
Some of the most common nutritional deficiencies I see causing nerve or brain-related problems include B1, B9, B12, antioxidant, and mineral deficiencies.
Hormone problems can also cause certain brain issues. While having a healthy balance of all hormones is important for both men and women, men especially rely on healthy testosterone levels and women need healthy estrogen and progesterone levels.
Look at the whole picture
When dealing with Lyme disease, it's important to take a comprehensive look at other puzzle pieces that may be missing. I need to know a patient’s history, symptoms, micronutrient levels, and other relevant information.
At our clinic, we use relevant tests to see the whole picture because guessing isn’t accurate and takes you down a much longer, more frustrating path.
If you have Lyme and haven’t defeated it yet, you still need healthy hormone and nutrient levels. Deficiencies can cause their own symptoms and can exacerbate the symptoms of Lyme.
What can you do to clear brain fog and fatigue?
While Lyme can cause cardiovascular, joint, and other major problems, in my practice, the most common parts of the body I'm trying to help are the brain and mitochondria.
In any Lyme protocol, we need to accomplish these three things:
- Kill the Lyme and/or co-infections
- Balance your immune system so it can finish fighting these bugs
- Provide the support your body needs to repair the damage that’s been done
If Lyme disease is the cause of your brain fog and energy issues, the most important thing you can do is treat the Lyme disease infection. You will continue having neurological problems until it’s under control. However, there are some things you can do to support your brain health as you battle against Lyme.
The fundamentals
- Eating a healthy, balanced diet
- Staying hydrated
- Getting regular, good sleep
- Avoiding blue light and screens later in the evening
- Low-impact exercise/movement of any kind
- Going outside/getting sunlight every day
These fundamentals of healthy living offer a strong foundation that can support brain health. However, even if most Lyme patients could sleep well, their exhaustion wouldn’t be relieved with a good night’s rest—not while these infections are still active.
Yet it’s still beneficial to implement these practices. While sleeping and eating healthy food won’t get rid of a Lyme infection, if you live an unhealthy lifestyle, your healing journey will take much longer. Don’t expect the inflammation to go down if you keep adding fuel to the fire. You have to offer your body the support it needs.
Brain-boosting, nerve-healing support
Whether you’re going after Lyme or in the repairing process, one of my favorite brain-supporting, nerve-healing nutrients is lion's mane. Many patients also find ginkgo beneficial as it helps with blood flow to the brain and can improve some memory problems.
Sometimes neurological inflammation can be improved through the natural anti-inflammatories we include in the Lyme program. Japanese knotweed, which is frequently in my Lyme disease protocol, along with other brain-boosting herbs and nutrients can help improve dopamine and serotonin levels.
The power of movement
While rest is important, being a couch potato won’t help anything.
A big part of getting better is getting regular movement. Although intense exercise usually isn’t in the cards for those with Lyme disease, movement of any kind can help your body heal.
Test your micronutrients
Most Lyme sufferers are in a constant energy crisis, yet they constantly push themselves to live life as normally as they can—until it gets so bad they can’t fake it any longer. This striving, paired with existing problems, often causes severe burnout.
The root of Lyme fatigue happens at the cellular level. Testing micronutrient levels can give us a picture of what you need by showcasing any deficiencies.
We need to support the mitochondria with nutrients that support energy production because if your cells don't have energy, your brain doesn’t have energy, and your brain won’t work properly.
If you're missing B9, you can't make serotonin. Your brain won’t work if you're missing B1. You can't make energy in your mitochondria if you're missing certain antioxidants, like alpha lipoic acid, which is extremely important for liver detoxification and is a neurological anti-inflammatory antioxidant.
This is why we don’t end the testing with Lyme disease in our office. Running a micronutrient panel helps us put the puzzle pieces together.
Brain games: Best for later in the program
If you're experiencing brain fog or memory problems, there is a point in the program where playing brain games can be beneficial. Memory games, puzzles, sudoku, and other challenges can exercise your brain. However, don’t expect major results when your brain is still on fire.
Mental exercises have fewer benefits when your neurological inflammation is ongoing. You need to calm down that inflammation first and then send in the repair crew.
Find lasting relief from brain fog and fatigue
Take it from us: It is possible to feel better and for your brain to function well again. We’ve seen our patients’ brain function and energy improve time and again.
First, you must remove the cause of your inflammation and give your body the support it needs so your brain can heal. Taking good care of yourself is another important part of this process and will help you on your healing journey.
At Restorative Health Solutions, we offer individualized care and can help create a plan tailored to your symptoms and infections. If you’re struggling with brain fog and fatigue, schedule a free consultation with me, Dr. Warren today.
Watch the video
To watch the accompanying video to this article, click here!
Share the article and follow us on social media
If this article was helpful to you, consider sharing this with family and friends. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for more beneficial health information on chronic tick-borne infections and other topics.
Sources
Geebelen, L., Lernout, T., Devleesschauwer, B. et al. Non-specific symptoms and post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome in patients with Lyme borreliosis: a prospective cohort study in Belgium (2016–2020). BMC Infect Dis 22, 756 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12879-022-07686-8
