After eight weeks of taking a twice-daily supplement, breast cancer survivors in a small UCLA study reported that it was easier to think, remember and concentrate. Their scores on a measure of perceived brain fog rose from an average of 29.1 to 55.5, reaching a range considered normal rather than impaired.
For many people, the end of cancer treatment does not mean the end of its effects. Memory problems, trouble focusing and lasting fatigue can make ordinary tasks harder, sometimes for years. Researchers estimate that about 15% to 25% of breast cancer survivors have ongoing difficulties with memory, concentration or other thinking skills. Often called “chemo brain,” these symptoms can have several possible causes, not just chemotherapy.
A team at the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center tested oxaloacetate, a molecule that occurs naturally in the body and helps cells produce energy. It also plays a part in regulating glutamate, a chemical involved in communication between nerve cells. Researchers are studying whether inflammation and changes in the brain’s energy systems may help explain why thinking problems and mental exhaustion persist after cancer.
The phase II trial included 18 women who had been diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer one to five years earlier. They were about 50 years old on average, and all had substantial cognitive symptoms when they joined. Most had received chemotherapy, and nearly 90% were still taking endocrine therapy, a treatment that affects hormones, during the study.
Participants took 500 milligrams of oxaloacetate twice a day for eight weeks. They answered questions about their symptoms and completed tests of memory, attention, processing speed and executive function—the skills used to plan, stay focused and manage tasks. The researchers also tracked fatigue, sleep, mood and physical health, and watched for possible side effects.
Sixteen women completed the full course. Every one of them reported a significant improvement in cognitive symptoms. Participants noticed changes as early as four weeks, and the reported benefits generally grew over the rest of the trial. Cognitive test results also improved in areas such as processing information and carrying out tasks that required planning, attention and mental flexibility. Fatigue improved as well, according to the study’s report in JCO Oncology Advances.
The findings offer an encouraging lead for a problem with few established treatments, but they do not yet show that oxaloacetate works for all survivors. The trial was small, and larger studies are needed to confirm both the benefits and the supplement’s safety. Dr. Patricia Ganz, the study’s first author and a distinguished professor at UCLA, said lasting cognitive problems can significantly affect daily life, while effective treatments remain scarce.
For now, the results point to a possible new avenue rather than a proven remedy. Further research will need to establish whether the early gains hold up in larger groups and over longer periods. If confirmed, a treatment aimed at the body’s energy processes could give survivors another option for managing the fog and fatigue that may linger after cancer care ends.