High Adrenaline & Cortisol, Hypothyroid, Adrenal Fatigue, How To Fix?

[Strongbad]

So I'm a hypothyroid. My Basal Metabolic Rate (MBR) is very low and now I've been suffering adrenaline and prolactin rush. So my hair falls out like crazy accompanied with headache. Also, my heart pounds fast and hard and sometimes I feel chest pain in heart area. Oh yeah, did I mention anxiety, fight-or-flight sensations and panic attack all day? Seems like cortisol is off the roof, too.

This is all thanks to overdosing preg and DHEA for a week. On one hand, it's a blessing to know my health problem. On the other hand, hair is falling out like crazy it's freaking me out! Must stop prolactin now ! And the anxiety sensation doesn't help, either. The anxiety and fast heartbeat are so overbearing that it's difficult to think positive and to be stress free all-day.

So upon some reading, it seems that I may have also have adrenal fatigue due to high prolactin, adrenaline and cortisol. Since the first priority is to stop hair shed, I have to lower prolactin hence fix adrenal fatigue ASAP

Kineticz recommended me to take thyroid supplement (most likely T3). But after reading tons of threads regarding thyroid supplement alongside its trial and error, I'd prefer if it's possible to fix hypo and adrenal fatigue via food instead. I'd rather eat the food and let the body decides the ratio and how much nutrient it needs rather than micro-managing supplement intake (apparently didn't work so well on DHEA and pregnenolone).

This is my current daily Peat diet. I eat between upper 2000 to mid 3000 calories. Any suggestions for hypo and adrenal fatigue fix? Aka PROLACTIN-ADRENALINE-TERMINATOR

- Orange juice (lots of it)
- Grass fed butter (to cook with)
- Coffee + raw Cacao powder + Milk + Raw Honey
- Matcha tea + Raw Honey
- Carrots + Coconut Oil + distilled white vinegar
- Oysters
- Grass-fed beef liver (1lbs total per week, spread by 2 days per week consumption)
- Free-range, soy-free Duck eggs
- Grass feed beef meat
- Bone broth
- Salt
- Coconut oil
- Raw honey (lots)
- Baking soda
- Egg shell powder

Supplements: vitamin A, B1, B2, Niacinamide, D3, E, K2, Zinc

Anything to add/increase/reduce/delete? I also need to exercise a little more to increase MBR and spread the meal to 5-6 times a day to help reduce cortisol and adrenaline. But any other tips/suggestion is appreciated!

BTW, is it possible to substitute caffeine completely with raw cacao powder? I read around about its controversy in coffee inducing adrenal fatigue, and I wonder if that's true or not. Because whenever I drink coffee + milk + raw honey + cacao, I always get nervous, jittery, and heart beating fast. Especially matcha tea + honey

And there are some claims that liquid-dominant diet (Peaty with lots of OJ) cause adrenal fatigue? Is it true or not?

 

[answersfound]

So I'm a hypothyroid. My Basal Metabolic Rate (MBR) is very low and now I've been suffering adrenaline and prolactin rush. So my hair falls out like crazy accompanied with headache. Also, my heart pounds fast and hard and sometimes I feel chest pain in heart area. Oh yeah, did I mention anxiety, fight-or-flight sensations and panic attack all day? Seems like cortisol is off the roof, too.

This is all thanks to overdosing preg and DHEA for a week. On one hand, it's a blessing to know my health problem. On the other hand, hair is falling out like crazy it's freaking me out! Must stop prolactin now ! And the anxiety sensation doesn't help, either. The anxiety and fast heartbeat are so overbearing that it's difficult to think positive and to be stress free all-day.

So upon some reading, it seems that I may have also have adrenal fatigue due to high prolactin, adrenaline and cortisol. Since the first priority is to stop hair shed, I have to lower prolactin hence fix adrenal fatigue ASAP

Kineticz recommended me to take thyroid supplement (most likely T3). But after reading tons of threads regarding thyroid supplement alongside its trial and error, I'd prefer if it's possible to fix hypo and adrenal fatigue via food instead. I'd rather eat the food and let the body decides the ratio and how much nutrient it needs rather than micro-managing supplement intake (apparently didn't work so well on DHEA and pregnenolone).

This is my current daily Peat diet. I eat between upper 2000 to mid 3000 calories. Any suggestions for hypo and adrenal fatigue fix? Aka PROLACTIN-ADRENALINE-TERMINATOR

- Orange juice (lots of it)
- Grass fed butter (to cook with)
- Coffee + raw Cacao powder + Milk + Raw Honey
- Matcha tea + Raw Honey
- Carrots + Coconut Oil + distilled white vinegar
- Oysters
- Grass-fed beef liver (1lbs total per week, spread by 2 days per week consumption)
- Free-range, soy-free Duck eggs
- Grass feed beef meat
- Bone broth
- Salt
- Coconut oil
- Raw honey (lots)
- Baking soda
- Egg shell powder

Supplements: vitamin A, B1, B2, Niacinamide, D3, E, K2, Zinc

Anything to add/increase/reduce/delete? I also need to exercise a little more to increase MBR and spread the meal to 5-6 times a day to help reduce cortisol and adrenaline. But any other tips/suggestion is appreciated!

BTW, is it possible to substitute caffeine completely with raw cacao powder? I read around about its controversy in coffee inducing adrenal fatigue, and I wonder if that's true or not. Because whenever I drink coffee + milk + raw honey + cacao, I always get nervous, jittery, and heart beating fast. Especially matcha tea + honey

And there are some claims that liquid-dominant diet (Peaty with lots of OJ) cause adrenal fatigue? Is it true or not?

In my experience, t3 alone was a disaster. (Low cortisol) Pregnenolone alone was a disaster. (High cortisol) But together they are a great combo, you just need to find the right balance.

 

[nikotrope]

If coffee/tea makes you jittery, stop right now or reduce the amount. One quick fix to reduce adrenaline/cortisol until you can handle caffeine better.

If you are bloated from all this liquid, then it's not good. But if you get salt and sugar in addition to each glass of liquid (in my opinion even with OJ when you are hypo) then it should be okay.

 

[Bodhi]

Have you tried to give up Preg, DHEA and T3 for a while
And experiment with Ashwaganda??

Bodhi

 

[Strongbad]

It makes sense that T3 and Pregnenolone work well. T3 helps thyroid and BMR, and Pregnenolone works well with well-functioning thyroid. I wonder if there is food that has tons of natural T3 in it. Playing with T3 supplement dosage scares the heck outta me

Yeah, I think I should stop coffee/tea for now. There's another post regarding adrenal fatigue and one of its recommendations is to stop caffeine altogether. I do take a tablespoon of salt per day, so it seems that I gotta up the dosage a bit. I'd just have to bear with such salty taste

I only tried Preg and DHEA exactly for a week. Stopped using it about 2 days ago. And no I haven't had T3 yet. I'd rather resort to food rather than T3 supplement if possible.

 

[tara]

It makes sense that T3 and Pregnenolone work well. T3 helps thyroid and BMR, and Pregnenolone works well with well-functioning thyroid. I wonder if there is food that has tons of natural T3 in it. Playing with T3 supplement dosage scares the heck outta me

Thyroid glands have a lot of thyroid hormones in them. Apparently these used to be eaten more routinely than they are now, eg thrown in and ground up with the sausage meat. It is possible to get into serious trouble over eating whole thyroid, too.
I have read here, chicken neck or fish head soup have enough to be useful.
Personally, I drink a small amount of chicken neck stock with breakfast and dinner. I think it makes a difference. But I would find tablets much more convenenient when I 'm away from home.

 

[barbwirehouse]

how do you feel when eating the raw Cacao powder?

don't you feel that 1lbs of liver per week is quite a bit?

>Because whenever I drink coffee + milk + raw honey + cacao, I always get nervous, jittery, and heart beating fast. Especially matcha tea + honey

You should try l-theanine powder, 200mg when drinking a coffee or tea.

Do you drink milk, eat cheese or fruits?

 

[kineticz]

Your problems occur due to one reason only. Low thyroid metabolism and high tyrosine depletion due to adrenal suppression.

 

[Strongbad]

I'll look into l-theanine powder, seems like a good green substitute without all the jitterness. Yes, I do eat milk, cottage cheese and (orange) fruits.

Hate to have this low thyroid metabolism, though. I'd rather have it fixed and work normally like healthy people do.

 

[kineticz]

I'll look into l-theanine powder, seems like a good green substitute without all the jitterness. Yes, I do eat milk, cottage cheese and (orange) fruits.

Hate to have this low thyroid metabolism, though. I'd rather have it fixed and work normally like healthy people do.

Do you exercise? Any blood tests?

With T3, you will know almost straight away if it's along the right lines or not. No trial and error needed. I couldn't imagine sitting it out waiting for food to cure me.

I've eaten the finest quality organic food for a while, and it does boost my health and general wellbeing, but it does not give me proper results in terms of growth and renewal.

Metabolism and cellular density is primarily genetic.

 

[FunkOdyssey]

Google the Circadian T3 Method (CT3M or T3CM), tons of people have had success resolving adrenal insufficiency simply by adjusting the timing and dose of their first dose of the day.

 

[Strongbad]

Funny you mention exercising. I actually started working out 2 days ago. I heard it raises Basal Metabolic Rate, although not specifically from Ray Peat's sources.

Any particular brand / type of T3 to recommend? I heard various suggestions and there've been some recent changes in T3 supplements industry (like Cyn no longer manufactured in Mexico or something like that), so I gotta make sure I get the right one.

 

[tara]

Funny you mention exercising. I actually started working out 2 days ago. I heard it raises Basal Metabolic Rate, although not specifically from Ray Peat's sources.

If you overdo it for your current state of health and nutrition, it is more likely to reduce basal metabolic rate. It increases your overall metabolic rate, though - ie including all the energy used for the exercise itself etc, and whatever the body expends on recovery and repair.

 

[tara]

With T3, you will know almost straight away if it's along the right lines or not. No trial and error needed. I couldn't imagine sitting it out waiting for food to cure me.

I've eaten the finest quality organic food for a while, and it does boost my health and general wellbeing, but it does not give me proper results in terms of growth and renewal.

I guess you know it's not just quality that counts, but quantity too.
I can see not wanting to wait a long time for improvements, and maybe there are situations where thyroid supplementation can reasonably be started alongside or soon after improving nutrition. But if nutrition is inadequate, supplementing T3 could well exacerbate both stress and deficiencies. So I think it is important to address nutrition as best one can first, even if that is soon followed by supplementing thyroid. If you don't get the nutrition in first, how do you know that is not the key cause of the low thyroid situation in the first place?

Metabolism and cellular density is primarily genetic.

Peat says metabolism is largely inherited by epigenetic mechanisms. This is promising, because the epigenetic factors can sometimes be improved within one generation, with the possibility of not passing it on to the next next.

 

[SQu]

I agree with Tara. The road is far less rocky when we ingest AND digest abundant nutrition. When hypo , digestion can be impaired so you may only know you're deficient from symptoms. Raising metabolism with t3 etc can just widen the gap. That's why addressing nutrition first matters. Not to say don't take thyroid - it will improve digestion for one thing - just check you're getting enough or more than enough of the minerals, b vits, protein, sugars, calories etc

 

[BingDing]

Strong, there is an old thread where the poster said she was afraid of hormones because they are so strong. Peatarian's response was

Ray Peat says hormones have a bad reputation because of estrogen's effects. I think that's true. Many people who would really need progesterone tell me they don't want to use 'hormones'. Well, you do every day. Vitamin A and vitamin D would really fit the description of hormone. Salt has hormone like effects. So you are really experimenting with hormones every time you eat a carrot. There is only one side effect from progesterone if you use a lot (about 1 bottle in three days) over a long time (half a year or more): It suppresses testosterone and by that can decrease muscle mass. There are 200 hormones. Estrogen is the most dangerous one. But lots of people are forced to use insulin with damaging effects.

T3 is synthetic and it is all the same, liothyronine sodium. That is the generic name but it is the same molecule as triiodothyronine, the name of the naturally produced hormone.

The body normally makes 4-5 mcg/hour so taking 2-3 mcg would be a physiologic dose. Starting low and increasing slowly is a good way to approach it.

The 25 mcg pills are hard to split up evenly so I crush it with the back of a spoon in a small bowl and wet my fingertip to get a dose. It figure that is close enough to a right dose.

There is a thread about adrenal fatigue and RP's view here.

 

[kineticz]

I advise anyone with problems to try a good source of fructose. It has changed my life, hence i haven't been on here much. Sorry.

 

[InterrogaOmnia]

I advise anyone with problems to try a good source of fructose. It has changed my life, hence i haven't been on here much. Sorry.

Are you talking about isolated fructose or quality fruits/sugars?

 

[tara]

I advise anyone with problems to try a good source of fructose. It has changed my life, hence i haven't been on here much. Sorry.

Yay for sugar.

 

[kineticz]

I advise anyone with problems to try a good source of fructose. It has changed my life, hence i haven't been on here much. Sorry.

Are you talking about isolated fructose or quality fruits/sugars?

I'm using a high quality fructose powder. I came across the suggestion when I read an article from another doctor who quoted Ray peat who states that only 'the fructose part of glucose is essential for cholesterol synthesis'. What I found interesting was that lactic acid can be used to create glucose but it consumes 6 times more energy than it creates and this is where fatty acids are stepped up.

I am very annoyed that I've spent most of my life since I was about 13 years old running on adrenaline and a fundamental supply of sugar was needed to give the thyroid the go-ahead to boost my metabolism into youthful teenage levels. Fortunately I'm only 26 so I have some years to claw back.

Fruits, refined sugars such as in cola, DO reduce adrenaline but DON'T seem to boost my metabolism.

Fructose absolutely categorically increases everything in a positive way. I can also tolerate higher doses of T3 rather than bottoming out.

I am still using the lysine, licorice, ionizer at bedtime, and I've added in pantethine to shunt the raw materials into the adrenals.

I was quick to judge Peat's theories on sugar but I neglected the part where there are different forms and qualities of sugar and only fructose is useful. You will get a temporary reprieve from adrenaline with refined sugar or even orange juice but it won't restore liver supplies very efficiently, not as well as quality fructose powder.