Supplements for cognitive decline?

i would suggest trying some of teh adaptogens for most of these symptoms
Eleuthero seems quite effective for me in these areas
especially
trouble focusing
trouble staying on task
lack of interest
( they seems perhaps to be related more to lack of mental energy and stamina - which eleuthero is good for )
Rhodiola is another good choice
I use Rhodiola, Eleuthero, Ashwagandha, and Ginkgo tinctures 2.5ml of each 3x a day and find this has helped me considerably when my energy was at its worst - and the effects build slowly over the long term.
it also has immune strengthening effects in the long term and no downsides that I know of.

the ginkgo is also a CNS anti-inflammatory ( often inflammation is the underlying cause of CNS dysfunction) and some studies show it helps circulation in the CNS ( another potential cause of decline)

memory and processing sound more like typical cognitive function issues
as well as the above herbs Lions Mane mushroom is promoted by buhner as about the best herb to help repair damage caused to the CNS by infections such as Lyme and co-infections esp is de-myelination of nerves is involved ( usually seems to be - esp is you have experienced neuropathies, pain, tingling, burning, stabbing etc )

there are many other anti-inflammatory herbs that are supposed to be good specifically for CNS inflammation
i am taking most of them and think they do help with all-round function - but progress is slow and steady rather than step-change ( for me at least)
Cats Claw, ( root bark )
Uncaria Rhynchophilia ( hooks)
Kudzu Root ( also helps with auto-immune issues in the CNS i belive - which can be caused by lyme and co)
Chinese skullcap root
Andrographis leaf

some mitochondrial support supplements that help energy production can also support low CNS function ( esp where that is caused by mitochondrial damage from inflammation/infection)
CoQ10, L-acetyl-carnitine come to mind

the most effective for any one person may depend on the particular mechanisms and root cause at work in their particular case - and so it seems some trial and error is needed to find what works well for you.

I think the theory that any food from the fungus family will exacerbate mold illness is largely bogus.

specific species or strains of species of fungi (usually tiny spore-producing molds ) produce specific toxins that can be v damaging to humans - whereas food mushrooms etc do not.

i have seen some people mention that they find some mushrooms (or other herbs for that matter) can trigger their mast cell activation syndrome ( MCAS) #to become worse - but that is the kind of reaction any herb or supplement can cause and so the usual rules apply of adding one thing at a time and seeing how your body reacts.

Do you take NAC? When I first started it, I had noticeable cognitive improvements.

Honestly, my cognitions function has been more affected by toxins either from environmental exposure to mold, herxing from herbs and supplements, or internally produced by gut pathogens (likely yeast or fungi). I do believe yeast and fungi in the body produce some nasty toxins that are just as potent as external exposure to mold and water damaged buildings. Antifungals and TUDCA have been the most helpful for me regarding those.

Thank you all so much, I'm going to look into these supplements.

WalkingbyFaith I don't take NAC, but it sounds interesting, were the effects permanent?

huperzine a. it increases acetylcholine the same way that aricept does for alzheimers, which is to inhibit acetylcholinesterase, although there is some concern about how bioavailable it is in the brain.

maybe phosphditylcholine as well. anything that increases choline and acetylcholine in the brain is good in my book

the functional medicine people have about the best handle on this as far as i can tell.

there was a very interesting podcast on the subject of Alzheimer's other brain diseases associated with aging and cognitive decline recently - will try to find the link

he gist of it was that they have identified something like 7 root cause pathways that cause it - and treatments are available to address most of these.

https://chriskresser.com/podcasts/
(scroll down to the Alzheimers podcast with Dr Dale Bredesen)

I used Phosphatidylserine supplements for a while.

The ACC (Andy Cutler Chelation) group says it’s to be avoided if you are mercury toxic. Its known to cause these effects and has properties that allow Heavy Metals to move and end up being concentrated in the in the brain.

I personally cannot recommend any HM detox outside ACC since anything else is likely to make it worse.

disulfiram

WalkingbyFaith said...

Mark F said...
disulfiram

Really? Why? I hadn’t heard that before.

yep - i came across this also - some remarkable effects at even the lower doses - in terms of restoring perfusion in all tisues ( one of teh most detrimental lyme effects ) AND anti-inflammatory effects - and great penetration of the CNS.

some really good and interesting videos with Dr Rajedas on youtube - will try to post a link
but if you search youtube for Dr Rajadas they will come up.

a very bright guy and comes over with complete authenticity.

he is a pharmokineticist by training, I think, so is v focused on how to get the drugs to where they need to work in sufficient concentrations - which he says is an issue with Lyme due to the hypoperfusion (reduction in effective circulation) in tissues it causes.

even postulated that it can be a way of getting patients who other treatments to be able to be treated effectively - first by lowish doses of disulfiram.

shame the drug has so many off-target effects - but he is working on that.
some amazing achievements for nonprofit funded research
there is a Disulfiram for lyme Facebook group that will keep track of updates

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=dr+rajadas+lyme

sorry - was not following the question

ref heavy metals - there seem to be some interaction between disulfiram acting as a chelator and mobilizing metals and there are some concerns that once it mobilized them, it may not hang on to them long enough or hard enough to get them out of the body and so there is a concern that they could end up in the brain.

from what i recall the concern was mainly around copper toxicity - but perhaps it extends to other heavy metals

it was discussed at some length in the youtube videos

WalkingbyFaith said...
Okay, but what does disulfiram have to do with mercury?

Said best in the post above in quotes below.

"ref heavy metals - there seem to be some interaction between disulfiram acting as a chelator and mobilizing metals and there are some concerns that once it mobilized them"

Don't really know anything more than that. I just recalled reading in on the ACC site and thought I pass it along. I've found Andy Cutler's info to to be pretty reliable. He's was also a pharmokineticist . I had the same reaction with certain drugs. Unfortunately by the time I joins the FB group he had passed away so I could not ask him.. Anyways,, It took about month to pass. However after a reaction like that I stopped taking for good.

I dont really get on this site or into discussions anymore since I found Mercury as my root of my issue but maybe there is some connection.