Citation Policy
At WhatIsBrainFog.com, we try to ground public health claims in peer-reviewed literature, guidelines, and sourceable clinical material. Where a claim is not individually cited, that should mean one of two things: it is a high-level summary sentence built from cited material nearby, or it is a weaker framing statement that still needs tighter sourcing.
Source Selection
- We prioritize meta-analyses, systematic reviews, and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published within the last 10 years.
- For emerging conditions like Long COVID, we rely exclusively on literature published from 2022 onwards.
- We do not cite pre-prints for clinical interventions unless explicitly noted as preliminary data.
- Animal and in vitro studies are only cited to explain biological mechanisms, not to prove clinical efficacy in humans.
- When a claim depends mostly on community-reported experience or editorial synthesis, that should be labeled more carefully than a study-backed claim.
Citation Format
Where available, citations include the primary author, journal name, publication year, and a DOI or equivalent source trail. Some broader educational content still uses summarized estimates without individual inline citations. That is editorial debt, not a feature, and it should keep shrinking.
What we do when the evidence is weak
We still sometimes include weak or emerging material because brain fog is full of underfunded, messy, or clinically real areas that do not yet have perfect trials. But weak evidence should not be written like strong evidence. If something is early, contested, mechanistic, or mainly community-reported, the wording should reflect that plainly.
Updates and Corrections
Medical science changes rapidly. If a cited study is retracted, if a number turns out to be inflated, or if new higher-quality evidence contradicts our current wording, we update the relevant page and log the meaningful change publicly.
Evidence Tiers
Tier A: Strong Evidence
Meta-analyses, multiple RCTs, or established clinical guidelines
Tier B: Moderate Evidence
Single RCTs, systematic reviews, or strong cohort studies
Tier C: Preliminary Evidence
Pilot studies, case series, or mechanistic rationale
Tier D: Emerging/Anecdotal
Preclinical data, case reports, or community-reported efficacy
Contact
If you believe we have cited a source inaccurately or if you have suggestions for additional research, please contact us. We take accuracy seriously.
This information is for educational purposes only. Typically, consult with a qualified healthcare professional.
Related Causes
Citation policy pages should connect to causes with citation-rich educational sections.