Brain Fog and Menopause: Experiences and Emerging Treatments
Zoe Kleinman shared her experience of brain fog at work on LinkedIn, a post which attracted hundreds of thousands of views and sparked wide discussion, particularly among women. Although brain fog is not a formal medical term, Kleinman associates it with perimenopause during her 40s as well as with other neurological conditions.
While reporting live from Glasgow for BBC News at Ten during a mass outage affecting dozens of websites and apps, Kleinman had to rely on a single page of notes due to brain fog, as she typically does not use an autocue. This incident brought attention to public speaking norms where the use of notes is generally discouraged and memorization is expected for longer presentations. Opinions varied on whether the presence of notes made the live report feel more fresh or spontaneous.
The broader context revolves around the workplace impacts of menopause, with studies indicating that about 10% of women leave their jobs due to menopause and approximately 50% have considered doing so. Dr Louise Newson highlighted that testosterone supports brain function in both sexes, and menopause-related hormonal changes can reduce these levels. While hormone replacement therapy usually includes estrogen and progesterone, testosterone may sometimes be prescribed separately.
There has been a rise in menopause-related supplements, creating a multi-billion-pound market with the average spend around £147 per year. Emerging approaches to managing brain fog include red-light therapy, with Harvard-linked research exploring its effects on mitochondria. Devices like the Niraxx headband are marketed as quick brain-boosting tools, though the evidence supporting their effectiveness remains limited.
