Functional Neurology

Brain Fuel

What your brain runs on. If brain exercises make you worse, your tank is empty. Refuel first.

If you only do one thing from this page:

Start MCT oil — 1 teaspoon, twice daily

MCT converts to ketones and crosses the blood-brain barrier directly. In Alzheimer's patients, MCT doubled brain ketone uptake. $15/month. Available at Costco. Start today.

Too foggy to read this page? Start here:

  • • Your brain needs three things: fuel + oxygen + activation. Remove any one and cells die.
  • • If brain exercises cause headaches or worsening symptoms, your fuel is depleted.
  • • MCT oil provides direct brain fuel. Seed oil elimination removes fuel blockers.
The Brain Fuel Triangle Your brain needs all three. Miss one, everything fails. BRAIN FUNCTION ⚡ FUEL Glucose, ketones, ATP MCT oil bypasses glucose ○ O₂ Blood flow Exercise ◎ USE Stimulation Brain exercises SOLUTIONS FUEL MCT oil, PBM light OXYGEN Cardio, breathing ACTIVATION Figure-of-8, VOR WhatIsBrainFog.com
Clinical Case

"Katrina — a menopausal woman — tried the figure-of-eight exercises. Result: heaviness in her head, right-sided headache, feeling worse not better."

The diagnosis wasn't that the exercises were wrong. The diagnosis was that her brain lacked the fuel to perform them. Menopause disrupts mitochondrial function — oestrogen decline impairs ATP production.

Prescription: MCT oil + photobiomodulation FIRST. Brain exercises SECOND. Demanding energy from an empty tank doesn't refill it — it drains the last reserves.

The Fuel Sources

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MCT Oil (Direct Brain Fuel)

Mechanism

Medium-chain triglycerides bypass normal digestion, convert to ketones in the liver, cross the blood-brain barrier, and provide immediate ATP. Your brain gets fuel even when glucose metabolism is impaired.

PROTOCOL

1 teaspoon coconut oil or MCT oil, 2-3× daily. Start low — GI upset is common initially. C8 (caprylic acid) is the most ketogenic fraction. Low melting point coconut oil stays liquid.

Evidence

Moderate — Croteau et al., J Alzheimers Dis, 2018: MCT doubled brain ketone uptake without affecting glucose. Fortier et al., Alzheimers Dement, 2021: RCT showed improved cognition in MCI.

Practical Tip

Available at Costco, Walmart, Amazon. C8 MCT oil is more potent than coconut oil but also more expensive.

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Seed Oil Elimination

Mechanism

Canola, vegetable, and soybean oil metabolites impair mitochondrial ATP production, creating chronic low-grade neuroinflammation. Found in virtually all fast food and most restaurant cooking.

PROTOCOL

Eliminate: canola oil, vegetable oil, soybean oil, corn oil. Eliminate: all fast food (cooked in seed oils). Replace with: avocado oil, extra virgin olive oil, butter, ghee, coconut oil, animal fats.

Evidence

Preliminary — Ramsden CE et al., BMJ, 2013: Dietary linoleic acid (seed oils) and mortality. Mechanistic evidence strong; clinical trials limited.

Practical Tip

Read labels — seed oils hide in salad dressings, mayo, chips, crackers, bread, and almost all processed foods.

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Photobiomodulation (Red/NIR Light)

Mechanism

Red (630-670nm) and near-infrared (810nm) light stimulates cytochrome c oxidase in mitochondria → upregulates ATP production. Like photosynthesis for brain cells.

PROTOCOL

Transcranial application targeting frontal lobe. Devices: Vielight (intranasal + transcranial, most researched). Key: wavelength AND pulsing rate (Hz) both matter. Daily use.

Evidence

Preliminary — Hamblin MR, Photomed Laser Surg, 2016. Saltmarche AE et al., 2017: pilot data showed improved cognition in dementia cases. Larger trials ongoing.

Practical Tip

Device quality varies wildly. 100+ brands on Amazon. Pulsing rate matters as much as wavelength — not all devices are equal. Research specific models.

Photobiomodulation Light → ATP: photosynthesis for your brain cells 1. LIGHT SOURCE Red (630-670nm) + NIR (810nm) Specific wavelengths that penetrate tissue ↓ 2. PENETRATION Through skull → brain tissue NIR penetrates 2-3cm deep ↓ 3. MITOCHONDRIA Activates Cytochrome C Oxidase Light energizes enzyme in electron transport chain ↓ ↑ ATP PRODUCTION = Better Brain Function WhatIsBrainFog.com

The Menopause Energy Crisis

Menopause brain fog isn't "just hormones." It's a specific energy crisis:

  1. 1 Oestrogen decline impairs mitochondrial function in neurons
  2. 2 ATP production drops — the brain's energy currency depletes
  3. 3 Any cognitive or physical demand exhausts remaining reserves
  4. 4 Brain exercises that should help instead make things worse

Solution: Refuel first. MCT oil provides ketones that bypass impaired glucose metabolism. Photobiomodulation directly stimulates ATP production. THEN exercises work.

→ See full menopause protocol

Implementation Timeline

DAY 1

Start MCT oil — 1 teaspoon with breakfast

WEEK 1

Increase to 2-3× daily if tolerated. Identify and eliminate obvious seed oils.

MONTH 1

Full seed oil elimination. Consider PBM device if budget allows.

MONTH 2

Re-attempt brain exercises that previously caused symptoms.

Fuel Before Activation

If you've tried brain exercises and felt worse — headaches, heaviness, increased fog — your brain is signalling empty fuel reserves.

Do NOT push through. Brain exercises demand ATP. Demanding energy from an empty tank causes damage, not recovery. Refuel for 2-4 weeks, then retry exercises at 50% intensity.

2×

Brain ketone uptake increase with MCT oil (Croteau 2018)

2-3cm

NIR light penetration through skull (reaches brain tissue)

100%

Of fast food is cooked in seed oils

IDENTIFY YOUR PATTERN

Brain Self-Tests →

6 tests to map which brain areas need support.

AFTER REFUELING

Brain Exercises →

Figure-of-eight and VOR training — now that you have the fuel for them.
← The Cerebellum All Protocols →

This information is for educational purposes only. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional.