Celsius causes brain fog

Question

Celsius and other caffeinated drinks can lead to brain fog and fatigue.

Comments

Have you ever experience brain fog/fatigue from drinking Celsius in your personal life?

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In the article you referenced, it mentions that brain fog is not a medical condition. I believe that when you're coming down from caffeine, you can feel fatigued and may struggle to think clearly. If someone is dependent on caffeine, they're likely to experience fatigue later in the day and may not be fully cognizant.

Answer 1

The article claims that Celsius and other caffeinated drinks can lead to brain fog and fatigue after restless nights and sleep deprivation. 

Throughout the article, different sites are linked to provide more in depth explanations of causes and effects of caffeine. Dr. Dennis Lipton explains "people with brain fog may not realize how bad they feel until they treat it and suddenly feel- and think- better." That being said, the intake of caffeinated drinks isn’t the leading cause of brain fog and fatigue, but could be factored in restless nights and deprivation of sleep. However, these symptoms are not detrimental and can be treated. According to Lipton, "treatment can be as easy as going to bed earlier, sleeping with oxygen (for sleep apnea), consuming less alcohol and caffeine,". Given that, it is shown that brain fog and fatigue is a result of many different aspects, not just caffeine. Caffeine is just a product that many who struggle with chronic fatigue syndrome (CSF), insomnia, etc use to combat symptoms. Another aspect that is interesting is from Christopher Drake et al article that agrees with the notion "caffeine taken 6 hours before bedtime has important disruptive effects on sleep and provides empirical support for sleep hygiene recommendations to refrain from substantial caffeine use for a minimum of 6 hours prior to bedtime." This may be a fact in which many people don't take into account. Those that are struggling with constant fatigue and drowsiness may use caffeine more frequently and past the time slot recommended. With that, they don't receive proper sleep and will continue this vicious cycle. 

The heading of this article is made to hook people's attention and get them to click, but is misleading. Although caffeine doesn’t directly result in brain fog and other symptoms stated in this article, it can take a toll on people's sleep schedules and habits. The lack of sleep can cause symptoms of brain fog, fatigue, dehydration, and others, but isn’t the actual cause. 

https://www.vailhealth.org/news/could-it-be-brain-fog

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3805807 

Comments

I found this to be an excellent fact check on the article above. Your use of other sources to show how caffeine has effects that may worsen fatigue, drowsiness, or "brain fog" when consumed without considering time and situation was very helpful. It helped establish where the claim came from and how some may find it to feel true, but also explains how good habits with caffeine consumption can lessen or erase those issues. I think something that could've used more emphasis in your response is the arbitrariness of the term brain fog. To associate "brain fog", such an unclear term with no tangible or identifiable traits or symptoms, to such a commonly used substance such as caffeine, allows for so much misinterpretation and grey area that cannot be disproven. While it may exist and caffeine may be associated in some way, these are such broad terms that it is difficult to pin down any causes of substance anyways.

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This answer is perfectly worded and explains everything precisely. I appreciate how the author explained how caffeine doesn't cause brain fog, but it will only enhance it. Brain fog is caused by underlying issues. This answer goes into those issues and addresses how they can be cured.
The source that I found had remarkably similar information to the additional sources within this answer. They both talked about how caffeine will only enhance brain bog but does not create it. (https://thecenterforfunctionalhealth.com/blog/why-coffee-can-make-brain-fog-worse/)
I also appreciate how the author of this response makes it clear that the claim is exaggerated and not the full truth. That's important to note as the claim is intriguing.

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Hey Eevi, great job on this fact check. I think you did an especially great job in validating yourself when you drew on multiple other sources to question the claim. This is something that I try to do too, because no matter how accurate or inaccurate a claim and its source can be, unless it can be traced to other locations the validity is certainly questionable. In addition, I like how you questioned whether or not 'brain fog' is a clear and identifiable medical term. Nice job!

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This fact check is great! You added quotes from the articles linked in the text, as well as referenced your thoughts on why the statements don't lead up to his reasoning. I agree with the title as well, I never understood why Celcius was such a main reasoning when it was never mentioned because caffeine is a reason for losing sleep and certain foods creating fatigue.

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This answer is very well researched and informative for how this information is misleading, while not being completely untrue. There's the difference between cause and correlation. You cited multiple reliable sources to make your argument, this is a great fact-check!

Answer 2

The article claims that energy drinks such as Celsius, gives the consumer brain fog and fatigue in mornings. 

The site claims "Vail Health", "does not recommend following an overall nutritious diet because blood sugar swings can cause inconsistent brain fuel, thus resulting in brain fog."

The linked Vail Health site reads "Brain fog is fairly common, but it’s not normal; it’s actually a symptom of other problems, which can be as simple as not sleeping well or as serious as low or high blood sugar in a person with diabetes." This site is a .ORG site which makes it more trustworthy, and I found one mention of caffeine on this site; "Many times, treatment can be as easy as going to bed earlier, sleeping with oxygen (for sleep apnea), consuming less alcohol and caffeine, eating healthy food regularly and even drinking more water. Studies have shown dehydration contributes to poor brain function (kids who drank a few cups of water before a cognitive test did better than the control group), and in the High Country, it’s easy to become dehydrated."

Throughout the article, there were claims that caffeine consumption effects sleep by a lot, which then causes brain fog due to the lack of sleep, which is true, but the site's headline is clearly clickbait trying to get people to click and read the article, even stop consuming coffee and energy related drinks. But the linked evidential sites claimed from their studies that brain fog comes from lack of sleep and dehydration, and not directly from consumption of coffee or energy related drinks. 

Comments

I appreciate how in-depth you went into trustworthy ".org" sites and a quote about a study that found evidence that this claim is true, it gives your claim a solid background. Claiming the title is clickbait, however, goes against all the credibility you gave your claim considering you reference sites that proved the new title true. I would also suggest looking at a second source not just the source provided.

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Great job factchecking! You were very thorough in your research of the claim. One detail that could have furthered your fact checking is looking into specific details/statistics mentioned in the article. For instance, the article states that around 1 million Americans are affected by brain fog- Is this statistic true? Though you do mention how many of the sources they quote are reliable because of their .org status- does anything else make them reliable? Are the sources scientific or particularly knowledgable regarding celsius or brain fog? Overall, a couple details would benefit your fact-checks!

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I like the lengths that you went to to ensure that the sources used were reliable. It really makes be believe you're claims as you were really thorough with your research. I liked how you pointed out that causation does not equal causation as there are other factors that may cause brain fog for an individual.

Answer 3

In the article quoted for this claim, the conclusion of the study proves that the claim to be true but that the headline is clickbait. In the article it states that caffeine does have an effect on brain fog proven as well as ability to sleep and anxiety from studies done Vail Health. "Vail Health does recommend following an overall nutritious diet because blood sugar swings can cause inconsistent brain fuel, thus resulting in brain fog". Cleveland Clinic came to a similar conclusion, "The more caffeine you consume, the more likely you are to experience negative side effects, including neurologic and cardiac issues and even death". Clearly caffeine has negative side effects but nowhere in any of these studies does it specifically say anything about Celsius, which means that this headline is clickbait.

Comments

Something I appreciate about this comment is the last sentence concluding and summarizing the ideas of the claim and your fact check. It makes it very easy to understand what all the evidence you found means regarding the claim.

Answer 4

The linked article talks about the effects of caffeine on the brain, including the brain fog that can come from drinking too much of it. This is technically true, though not directly. The article linked Vail Health's article on brain fog, which states that brain fog could be caused by something "as simple as not sleeping well, or as serious as low or high blood sugar in a person with diabetes." Lack of good sleep can be caused by ingesting caffeine, so to say that caffeine causes brain fog is not wrong, though it eliminates the other factors that effect the brain's ability to focus.

The writer of the original Live Strong article is a full time professional journalist who has a college education at the University of Maryland. The reviewer of the article is a registered dietition with experience in this topic. Both of these people seem qualified to speak on this topic, which aids in the articles credibility and reliability. Both sources that they cite (Vail Health and the Cleveland Clinic) are .org websites, which points to the fact that they're reliable, as well. In addition, other journalists/articles agree that, based on what we know, caffeine causes dehydration and sleepiness, which causes brain fog.

Though caffeine doesn't directly cause brain fog, it causes sleeplessness and dehydration, which is what causes brain fog. Drinking large amounts of Celsius would give a person brain fog because it would cause dehydration and limit their ability to sleep properly, which are both large factors in the creation of brain fog. And while not all brain fog can be linked to caffeine, there's a good chance that caffeine usage will indirectly cause brain fog.

Comments

I think your first paragraph makes a very good point. Often, we can look at something and see that it is technically true but also not take any time to think about the fact that there could be, as you say, "other factors" affecting the problem. When doing research, it is important to focus on all the factors. That way, we can try to see if there are any deeper areas to the problem at hand.

Answer 5

The article that was linked talks about what brain fog is and some of the things that could attribute to it, like energy drinks such as Celsius.  In this article it also links a Vital Health page which is a more credible site, since it's a .org.  

In the Vital Health article it says, "Many times, treatment can be as easy as going to bed earlier, sleeping with oxygen (for sleep apnea), consuming less alcohol and caffeine, eating healthy food regularly and even drinking more water. Studies have shown dehydration contributes to poor brain function (kids who drank a few cups of water before a cognitive test did better than the control group), and in the High Country, it’s easy to become dehydrated."  So, the article does say that caffeine may be a cause in brain fog, however it does not say that Celsius is the main thing that causes it. 

While caffeine is most likely a cause in brain fog, another organization didn't even recognize it as an option.  Listing, "A lack of sleep, autoimmune conditions like lupus, multiple sclerosis and fibromyalgia, diabetes and low blood sugar levels (hypoglycemia), mental health conditions like anxiety or depression, neurodivergent conditions like ADHD and autism spectrum disorder, hormonal changes like during pregnancy or menopause, poor nutrition, stress."

Brain Fog: What It Is, Causes, Symptoms & Treatment

Caffeine is a cause in messing up your sleep and thus leading to brain fog, however this article is misleading in placing the blame on Celsius and caffeine alone.

Comments

I completely agree with your fact-check! This is a great way tp explain how the article linked is misleading and that the author's references are legitimate but don't refer to the main claim of celsius. Why not just refer to caffeine like you mentioned? Overall your fact check gives an understanding of what the majority are thinking when reading this article.

Answer 6

The article on caffeine and brain fog raises some interesting points, but the main claim in the title is misleading. While it suggests a direct causal relationship between caffeine and brain fog, the complexities of this topic warrant a more nuanced discussion. The article accurately notes that caffeine can disrupt sleep patterns, citing research from the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine that shows caffeine consumed up to six hours before bedtime can significantly affect sleep quality, leading to increased fatigue and cognitive issues. However, the title implies that caffeine is the sole cause of brain fog, which oversimplifies the issue. The connection between brain fog and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is mentioned, but it’s crucial to highlight that brain fog is not a clinically recognized condition on its own, it is a symptom associated with various health issues, including CFS. This condition currently lacks a cause or treatment, making it misleading to solely attribute brain fog to caffeine consumption. 

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Answer 7

This article is misleading. While this article states that caffeine can lead to less sleep, which is supported by other trustworthy sources such as the NIH, it doesn't prove that caffeine directly leads to brain fog. Sleep-deprivation can lead to both "brain fog" and fatigue, but the article also explains how people can treat those symptoms by getting more "oxygen intake, drinking less caffeine", and other healthy habits before bed. The source also never actually mentions Celsius by name, and also doesn't explain if energy drinks are worse for your health than other caffeine products. There has been no evidence of safe use of Celsius causing health problems. According to Drink Reviews, Celsius has much more caffeine that an average can of redbull, which can put the average consumer at more risk if they don't know the ingredients.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6230475/

Comments

I agree! This is a good fact check that examines the issues with the original claim. I think you could have benefitted from using a second source to further triangulate your data, but I like that you used a good .gov source for your response. I also think it is important to consider the quantity of caffeine that is considered unsafe or no longer healthy.

Answer 8

This article claims that Celsius and other caffeinated drinks can lead to brain fog and fatigue.

This article provides links to other articles, which provide more factual information on this topic. They claim that while caffeine itself is not the direct cause of brain fog, it can contribute to sleep deprivation, which in turn can lead to symptoms of brain fog and fatigue. Dr. Dennis Lipton notes that brain fog can be alleviated by improving sleep quality and reducing caffeine intake. The articles links also state that research indicates that caffeine can disrupt sleep if consumed too close to bedtime. A study by Christopher Drake found that caffeine taken six hours before bedtime can significantly disrupt sleep.

Brain fog and fatigue are multifaceted issues with various contributing factors, including stress, poor diet, and lack of exercise. Caffeine is just an additive factor that can worsen these conditions.

The claim that Celsius and other caffeinated drinks directly cause brain fog and fatigue is misleading. While caffeine can contribute to sleep disruption, which may lead to brain fog and fatigue, it is not the sole cause. Improving sleep hygiene and reducing caffeine intake can help mitigate these symptoms. Therefore, the claim is partially true but is exaggerated/misleading and lacks context regarding the multifactorial nature of brain fog and fatigue.

The Balanced Nutritionist

NeuroLaunch

Comments

This is a great fact check. I like the way you walked through the steps on how people could associate Celsius with brain fog and fatigue. I also appreciate the way the you broke down the article that way linked in the claim.

Answer 9

I think expanding on your claim in the description box could be useful and beneficial to those before clicking on the article that you provided to provide a better understanding and strong stance to your claim that Celsius and or caffeinated drinks can lead to brain fog.

this could include talking about your opinion on Celsius and caffeinated drinks whether or not you have had them or not as well as maybe why you found this claim interesting or why you choose it to engage your readers as well as where you found this article and if its reliable or why we should look more into it as well as maybe including an article about what brain fog is and the effects it personally can cause on a person besides caffeinated drinks being involved.

Answer 10

In this article, Dylan Roche claims that caffeine is causing brain fog, but more accurately it affects other parts of your life that will have negative effects on your concentration and memory. Dylan Roche is a well-known author and journalist, and the site Live Strong is focused on setting examples of healthier lifestyles. Taking into consideration the purpose of this website, it makes sense if the effects of caffeine, specifically Celsius and coffee which already have negative reputations, were exaggerated to make a point. Roche mentions the limited stimulation but lasting effect caffeine has on your body, and how that can affect your sleep. An article published in the National Library of Health corroborates this argument, saying "The consumption of caffeine in response to insufficient sleep may impair the onset and maintenance of subsequent sleep". Although it's proven true, the study still doesn't legitimize the claim that caffeine causes brain fog, just that it can affect your sleep and in turn, the lack of sleep may make it hard to concentrate. 

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36870101/ 

Comments

This fact check does a good job of supporting Roche’s argument with a credible source from the National Library of Health, which improves its validity. This connection between caffeine’s impact on sleep and potential cognitive effects adds additional reliability to the claim. However, you could be clearer of the fact that the study links caffeine to sleep disruption, not directly to brain fog, making the argument slightly overstated.