Brain Fog in Women: What Functional Testing Often Reveals
If you’ve ever walked into a room and forgotten why you’re there…
If you reread emails three times before they make sense…
If you lose words mid-sentence in meetings and laugh it off…
You’re not imagining it.
And it’s not “just stress”.
Brain fog is one of the most common symptoms I see in women in Canberra, particularly overwhelmed professional women who are juggling work, family, and constant mental load.
And almost all of them have been told the same thing:
“Your blood tests are normal.”
When “Normal” Isn’t Optimal
Standard pathology tests are designed to detect disease. They are not designed to assess optimal function.
There’s a big difference.
You can have:
Thyroid markers within range but not functioning optimally
Iron technically “normal” but not high enough for energy and cognition
Blood sugar levels that look fine on paper
Cortisol patterns that haven’t been assessed at all
And still feel mentally exhausted.
A Recent Example
I recently worked with a client who came to me with significant brain fog and fatigue. Her glucose and HbA1c were within normal range. On paper, everything looked fine. But when we tested fasting insulin, it was significantly elevated. Her body was working extremely hard to keep blood sugar stable and that metabolic stress was contributing to her symptoms. This is something standard testing often doesn’t assess unless specifically requested.
Once we identified the pattern, we could target the root cause instead of guessing.
What Functional Testing Often Reveals
When brain fog is persistent, I look deeper.
Depending on the individual, this may include:
Full iron studies
Insulin and metabolic markers
DUTCH hormone testing
Functional stool testing
Hair mineral analysis
Targeted pathology panels
Brain fog is rarely random.
It is often linked to:
Blood sugar dysregulation
Thyroid dysfunction
Iron deficiency (even in range)
Hormonal imbalance
Without investigation, you’re left trying random supplements or cutting foods unnecessarily.
That’s exhausting.
Why Professional Women Are Particularly Vulnerable
In Canberra, many of the women I work with are high-performing professionals.
They push through.
They meet deadlines.
They carry the mental load at work and at home.
Chronic stress alters blood sugar regulation, impacts thyroid conversion, affects digestion, and increases inflammatory load.
Over time, that shows up as:
Brain fog
Afternoon crashes
Poor concentration
Irritability
Feeling flat or overwhelmed
And yet, standard labs often say “all clear”.
Stop Guessing. Start Investigating.
If you’ve been told everything is fine, but you don’t feel fine. That’s not something to ignore.
Brain fog is a sign your body needs support.
Functional testing allows us to:
Identify patterns standard testing misses
Understand what is driving your symptoms
Create targeted, personalised protocols
Stop unnecessary restriction and supplementation
You deserve clarity.
If you’re tired of feeling mentally foggy and dismissed, book a 15-minute call and we’ll talk through what’s been happening and whether deeper investigation is appropriate for you.
Book your call
You don’t need another productivity hack.
You need answers.
