Another Convert

[DWR]

I found this forum (and RP) via a referral link to one of haidut's products (Pansterone). I srated to take it roughly 7-8 months ago due to a significant loss of libido and the onset and acceleration of ED {These issues go back 3 years}. I posted some of my bloodwork on the pansterone thread. At that point (2012) I had ben fighting cortisol/stress issues for years and had begun significant diet changes as well as herbs (ashwanda, Schisandra adrenal complex and others).

While most of my fatigue issues diminished my T levels continued to fall (395 in 2012 325 in 2014)...my diet while better in some aspects (fruit, olive oil on salads) still contained bread, fish oil etc. I did begin to eat eggs more to add cholesterol realizing it's role in testosterone and other hormones as well as D3/K2, zinc and nuts.

Recently have added 1Q whole milk/OJ and more cheese and fruit. Roughly one serving of meat and one salad...normally spinach/spring greens with walnuts, raspberries, apple slices, cheese and olive oil. Also added 1 83 mg aspirin and 2 tbsp. of coconut oil per day. I already am a long time coffee drinker 4-5 cups with cream and sugar.

Still have significant "cortisol belly" even though I've lost 25 lbs over the last 3 years and my TSH is under 2. Triglycerides were 230+ and are now 85...so that's getting better...very interested in mitochondrial uncoupling...stage one hypertension (on 25 mg losartan and 12.5 water pill)...would love to get of that #$%^.

Very sensitive to salt (reading up on that)...

Everything here makes sense to me, just wanting to implement things in a rational manner. Also doing bag breathing 3 times a day...

All comments, questions, thoughts greatly appreciated.

Dave

 

[charlie]

Dave,

I found this forum (and RP) via a referral link to one of haidut's products (Pansterone).

I knew Pansterone would help change the world.

...normally spinach/spring greens with walnuts, raspberries, apple slices, cheese and olive oil.

Raw greens can be hard on the intestines and can be quite toxic. Here is a great article by Ray about that.
Vegetables, etc.—Who Defines Food?

Walnuts are high in polyunsaturated fats(PUFA) which is a cornerstone of Ray Peats work. Restricting PUFA as much as possible is optimal. I still have boiled peanuts on occasion, but would not eat them daily. Olive oil is also higher in PUFA, so maybe lowering the amount would be helpful if possible. Enjoying your food is super important, so don't make that mistake. Also, slow changes are best and less stressful on the body. Just because me, or Ray, say something is not optimal, does not mean it cannot be optimal for you and your given situation.

Here are two articles about oils and PUFA written by Ray Peat.
- Unsaturated Vegetable Oils: Toxic
- Ray Peat

....stage one hypertension (on 25 mg losartan

Well, you happen to be on a blood pressure medicine that Ray Peat recommends. Losartan actually heals the mitochondria. So that is a bonus! :)
- Switch in Cell's 'Power Plant' Declines with Age, Rejuvenated by Drug - 08/16/2011
- http://www.fasebj.org/content/17/9/1096.full.pdf

Very sensitive to salt (reading up on that)...

Interesting. Would also like to know what that is about. Ray Peat is definitely pro salt, we need it.

Here is an article on salt:
Salt, energy, metabolic rate, and longevity

Everything here makes sense to me....

Many of us here felt the same when we found Ray's work.

..just wanting to implement things in a rational manner.

Slow and easy is the way. :)

"Perceive, think, act."

See you around the forum.

 

[sladerunner69]

Similar problems with terrible ED and low T led me to discovering Danny Roddy and the Ray Peat community at large.

I could reccomend a few suppements in addition to the dieting, which it appears you are getting quite a solid grip on, and maybe the supps will help make the difference in increasing your testosterone. For instance, 30mg zinc gluconate daily helped to increase my testosterone levels by about 100 pts, according to bloodwork. I know that seems remarkable but I can definitely feel the difference in energy and libido on the days I take a small amount of zinc. Less is sometimes more, however, as zinc pills at 50mg will have a marked increase on adrenaline so keep that in mind when considering suppkements in general.

Selenium, zinc, aspirin, vitamin e (miixed toco), vitamin d, vitamin a, are all well documented in having a strong effect on free testosterone and DHT (another very important male hormone in terms of energy and libido, perhaps more important that test)

I also believe haduit, a prolific poster in this forum, posted studies about niacinimide and gelatin and how there is good evidence to those being helpful tools in this issue (just like most metabolic issues)

 

[DWR]

Are there any suggested levels of salt intake?

 

[DWR]

Charlie & slade, thanks both for your input. I normally eat brazil nuts for selenium but that would appear to be an issue I need to contemplate. Much of my prior dietary guidelines are driven by the national institute for aging and outlined in the 8 hour diet. This has made marked differences proved out in my bloodwork but still left me with underlying issues. I have a variety of product en route from haduit and intend to incorporate them as quickly as seems prudent.

E, A & K along with aspirin seem to me my primary focus along with increasing milk, coconut oil, fruit, cheese with the idea that naturally I'll eat less alternative un Peatish food:)

 

[sladerunner69]

Charlie & slade, thanks both for your input. I normally eat brazil nuts for selenium but that would appear to be an issue I need to contemplate. Much of my prior dietary guidelines are driven by the national institute for aging and outlined in the 8 hour diet. This has made marked differences proved out in my bloodwork but still left me with underlying issues. I have a variety of product en route from haduit and intend to incorporate them as quickly as seems prudent.

E, A & K along with aspirin seem to me my primary focus along with increasing milk, coconut oil, fruit, cheese with the idea that naturally I'll eat less alternative un Peatish food:)

As a peatarian I couldn't recommend nuts, because of the unsaturated fats, but I have heard aneecdotal stories of them helping. I think mostly if the cause of low T is selenium deficiency then they would be most beneficial.

Coconut oil doesn't bode well for me in larger amounts, it definitely decrease T>DHT conversion. That is because of the lauric acid content, which acts like a 5-AR inhibitor, for some reason. Sometimes I will have 1 tbsp but not much more.

 

[DWR]

I'll need to look out for that:)

Coconut oil doesn't bode well for me in larger amounts, it definitely decrease T>DHT conversion.

 

[marteagal]

Are there any suggested levels of salt intake?

In general it is recommended to salt your foods to taste but if you want to "supplement" salt, here is a very good starting point:

Optimal Sodium Intake Is At Least 230% Higher Than RDA

Here are some quotes; hope they'll help you:

Basically, you need at least 63mg/kg of body weight daily sodium intake to prevent the chronic loss of calcium and magnesium.

For those looking or specific recommendations, since salt is about 40% sodium, you need 10g-15g of salt daily to meet the requirements of the study. If you use sodium bicarbonate, it is about 27% sodium so that equates to 20g-22g daily intake of baking soda to meet the requirements.

I usually get signs of water retention after 20g/day. I take about at least 12-15 g/day of salt and 3g bicarbonate to offset the chloride.

I upped salt to 12g/day now.

When using high amounts of baking soda in combination with milk, you may want to look up "milk/alkali syndrome" first.

 

[BingDing]

Good post, marteagal. OP, the link he posted has a quote from RP about offsetting an addictive aspect of salt by getting a balance of salts of the other alkali minerals, potassium, magnesium, and calcium. RP has also written that the alkali minerals can substitute for one another to some degree. That idea of a balance of many different elements seems sound to me, and it it not intuitive that an issue with salt could reflect a magnesium defficiency, for example.