Aspirin For Insulin Resistance Experiment

[ErinElizabeth]

A few weeks ago I had a few days with reoccurring spells of extended light headedness (10-30 minutes at a time). I wondered if it was hypoglycemia so I checked my blood sugar during one, it was 130 (I can't remember how long after eating that was but I typically eat at least a little something every couple hours). So low bloodsugar wasn't the culprit but I wasn't happy with that reading either so I came here and started poking around. That's when I read about aspirin being used to reverse insulin resistance.

I'm not diabetic (that I know of anyway) but my fasting insulin was high at my labwork a few months ago and I'm obese so insulin resistance seems like an obvious thing to me. So, I've read everything I could find on using aspirin to reverse insulin resistance and dove in.

I haven't taken aspirin before so I started slow with just 1 a day for a couple days and have increased over about a two week span up to 12 325mg tablets a day (split into three doses) so just under 4g. I'm taking Haidut's estroban so I'm getting some vit K and I haven't had any stomach issues so I seem to be tolerating it fine in that regard.

After about a week I started noticing I was really hot all the time, uncomfortably so despite temperatures in the low 60's in the house. What I'm noticing now -though is that starting a few days ago, right about when I pushed over 8 aspirin I've been having an increasing hard time keeping my temps up. I've gone from waking temps in the high 97s to mid 96. Instead of seeing daytime temps in the low 99s I can't even keep my hands warm.

I've been taking 1.5 grains of NaturThroid since Sept and thought I was doing fairly well. Today I decided to try taking a bit more (2 grains through the day) but what else should I do? Are my sudden cold temps indication that I should abort the experiment? I'm scheduled to check labwork Thurs and I'm REALLY curious to see it (I'm open to suggestions for what to make sure they look at).

I don't think I'm undereating, I've been tracking what I eat in cronometer today and it seems like I'm on track to end up at a good amount for the day (1700 cal so far with dinner and 2-3 snacks left, already 105g of protein mostly from dairy).

I was so excited about trying this out but I'm really not liking the return of the low temps, suggestions please!

 

[ecstatichamster]

My understanding of aspirin is that it behaves exactly this way. Cellular respiration is stimulated, then at some point, cellular respiration is repressed. I assume that's the wall you hit.

I don't think you should abort, but perhaps cut back on the aspirin to stay in the zone? OTOH, if it's all just to get insulin resistance up, my understanding is that dosages in the studies was 5g to 7g per day. But that was with people very diabetic.

 

[tara]

post 114806 I don't think I'm undereating, I've been tracking what I eat in cronometer today and it seems like I'm on track to end up at a good amount for the day (1700 cal so far with dinner and 2-3 snacks left, already 105g of protein mostly from dairy).

I'm no expert, so just speculating here.
The cold temps don't sound good.

How are you going with micronutrients? Are you getting generous amounts of all the B-vits and essential minerals?
Increasing metabolism can require more of them, and put one into deficit more quickly if they are not sufficiently supplied. Once in deficit, the body may deliberately lower metabolism to protect you. When metabolism is low, the body can have trouble retaining some of the minerals well - eg sodium and magnesium, so may need more at times. Don't know if this is what's at play for you, just a possibility that occurs to me.

Diabetes is the only thing I've seen Peat recommend brewers yeast extract for. It has lots of B-vits and some potassium and maybe other useful stuff.

Not really knowing what's going on, if I were in your shoes I'd probably back down a bit on the aspirin, and see if you can get a more sustainable dose. Or back off altogether, and try more cautiously another time.

 

[ErinElizabeth]

Well, actually tracking a whole day's intake was interesting... I've done some here and there but I have a very short attention span for that and haven't actually tracked a full day for a long time and I apparently I eat more in the evening than I realized. I ate 4400 calories today, and while I think it could have been a bit higher than usual it wasn't much higher. A very large part of that was sugared milk and milky coffee. Vitamins and minerals were well covered except for E and K which I'm supplementing. 180g protein and 58g fat, the rest was carb (800g!).

I'm rather astonished at the quantity. I have a long history of undereating so I have made an effort to eat more because I read repeatedly that one of the hurdles to overcome in ramping up metabolism is having enough fuel but that seems likely to be more than I need. I'll reduce the amount of sugar added to my drinks.

I don't track my weight but my clothes don't feel any different so if there's been weight gain it hasn't been significant (good, I'm 5' 4" and 260 already).

I haven't found a mag supplement that I can take without making things move uncomfortably fast. Well, that's not true, I can take the magnesium bicarb but it tastes AWFUL to me so after a long time of assuming I was mag deficient, I've started wondering if that might not be the case for me. I take epsom salt baths with about 1# of salt about every 7-10 days. I don't add salt to drinks as even a small amount makes it hard for me to drink but I salt my food to taste, and that's a LOT of salt. I am taking in a lot of fluid but I don't think that's my problem as even when I'm getting my cold hands I'm not peeing excessively or clear.

I'll try backing down the aspirin to the last level I was doing well at and see how it goes (8 tabs/day). If I can get back to the good warmth maybe I'll try increasing again more slowly as long as my labs don't give me any reason to abort.

 

[tara]

post 114887 Well, actually tracking a whole day's intake was interesting... I've done some here and there but I have a very short attention span for that and haven't actually tracked a full day for a long time and I apparently I eat more in the evening than I realized. I ate 4400 calories today, and while I think it could have been a bit higher than usual it wasn't much higher. A very large part of that was sugared milk and milky coffee. Vitamins and minerals were well covered except for E and K which I'm supplementing. 180g protein and 58g fat, the rest was carb (800g!).

I haven't got the motivation for much detailed tracking either, even though I ask others about it frequently - cheeky, eh?

I think the micronutrient minimums/RDIs might be related to someone eating half the calories you are. So you may need twice as much of them just because of that. I think sometimes people get a bit depleted or out of balance and need more of something specific.

Peat has said a craving for sugar usually indicate a need for sugar. I think once glycogen and blood levels are up, it shouldn't taste good to have a whole lot more. Are you eating to appetite, or have you been pushing for more than appetite? If appetite keeps you above about 2500 these days, then you may not need to push it higher than you have a taste for.

Personally, I've not got a way to track blood sugars, so I don't know what they are doing other than by hunches and the taste of sugar. But I think even quite small amounts of decaf coffee may make a difference for how I feel I'm using sugar. I'm aiming to have 100-250mg aspirin every day for a bit, too.

 

[tara]

I haven't seen Peat recommend measuring this for most people, but another thing you can check if you want to is UpH. Ideally averaging 6.3 - 6.7. I think large amounts of aspirin may have an acidifying effect. It can be dissolved with a little baking soda, and still be usefully active. I think this may somewhat counter the acidifying effect, if that is part of what's up for you. You could try this and see if it makes a difference. But maybe in smaller quantities than you were doing, anyway.

 

[tara]

Another thought. Somewhere along the line I started getting sick of having to drink when I was hungry, and having to have sugar when I was thirsty. I still drink quite a bit of juice, but I also eat more solids and drink water when I 'm thirsty but not hungry. It lets me regulate these things separately, which I think is useful for me. To start with, I was adding sugar to drinks, but now I seldom do.

 

[milk_lover]

How much OJ do you drink?

 

[Giraffe]

post 114806 A few weeks ago I had a few days with reoccurring spells of extended light headedness

Light headedness makes me think of low blood pressure. More salt might be the remedy. I would also try to supplement more magnesium.

Salt, energy, metabolic rate, and longevity

 

[milk_lover]

I think Aspirin lowers blood sugar, blocks iron, reduces vitamin C absorbance, and might deplete folic acid according to some websites. Also, Aspirin has been shown to reduce cholesterol which is important in steroid hormones synthesis. From my own experience, when I upped orange juice while taking large amounts of Aspirin, I felt so much better. Orange juice happens to increase blood sugar, provide vitamin C and folic acid, and increase cholesterol, so in a way OJ might help mitigate the problems associated with large supplementation of Aspirin.

 

[Tarmander]

One thing to remember is that in the insulin resistance study, they used 6g of aspirin daily for only like two weeks if I remember right.

 

[ErinElizabeth]

post 114895 I think the micronutrient minimums/RDIs might be related to someone eating half the calories you are. So you may need twice as much of them just because of that.

Good point, looking closer I barely met the RDI for folic acid and Niacin was only a little better, the rest of the vitamins look plenty high, but for the minerals calcium, magnusium, and phosphorus were the only ones above 200%

I have been adding more sugar to my drinks than I really prefer but I'm eating when hungry and only past that occasionally (when it's something too yummy :) ) I'm hungry a LOT. Even after yesterdays consumption I was hungry at bedtime (ate a cheese stick). I do have a nursing toddler so my base needs are higher than they would be otherwise but it doesn't seem like I should be hungry after a day like that. I actually like getting my calories from drinks and not having to fuss about food but maybe my body would prefer more solids.

post 114902 Light headedness makes me think of low blood pressure. More salt might be the remedy. I would also try to supplement more magnesium.

I have a hard time imagining I need more salt but since I like the way it tastes (I can even eat it plain) I can try increasing it more. I've got mag oil I'll start using again, I've never noticed an effect from it but I suppose it wouldn't hurt.

post 114905 I think Aspirin lowers blood sugar, blocks iron, reduces vitamin C absorbance, and might deplete folic acid according to some websites. Also, Aspirin has been shown to reduce cholesterol which is important in steroid hormones synthesis. From my own experience, when I upped orange juice while taking large amounts of Aspirin, I felt so much better. Orange juice happens to increase blood sugar, provide vitamin C and folic acid, and increase cholesterol, so in a way OJ might help mitigate the problems associated with large supplementation of Aspirin.

This is an interesting angle. I haven't had any OJ for the last few weeks, had some apple juice and other fruits instead (no particular reason). But yesterday afternoon and evening I drank about 1/2 gallon across 8 hours or so and I didn't have any cold hands episodes. That may just be my normal evening temp increase, but maybe the orange juice play a part too. I'll keep that consumption up.

post 114918 One thing to remember is that in the insulin resistance study, they used 6g of aspirin daily for only like two weeks if I remember right.

That was my understanding too. I wasn't hoping to make this a long term thing, though I did want to ease into it. Maybe at this point I should drop it for a while and then restart later at the full 6g rather than extending it like I did. Hm... I'll consider this today.

Thank you all for helping me try to figure this out!

 

[tara]

post 114935 I do have a nursing toddler so my base needs are higher than they would be otherwise but it doesn't seem like I should be hungry after a day like that. I actually like getting my calories from drinks and not having to fuss about food but maybe my body would prefer more solids.

Oh yes, you are right that you need a fair bit more when nursing. I really like the convenience of drinking some of my food too - who has time to chop and chew while looking after babies.

Niacinamide is one of the supplements that Peat recommends from time, 50-100mg up to several times a day, with food. If you niacin is low, then adding some niacinamide might help. IIUC, it reduces lipolysis, so you have less fat interfering with your sugar oxidation. Have you seen Dan Wich's toxinless website for info about supplements that don't contain lots of harmful excipients?

 

[ErinElizabeth]

I've dropped the aspirin significantly, down from 4 3 times yesterday to 2 4 times today and staying warm was effortless again. I don't have temps for the day thou as my thermometer appears to have walked off in a chubby little fist and I can't find it.

I greatly reduced the sugars added to drinks and total intake today was a lot different as a result: 108g protein, 488g carb, 100g fat for a total of about 3300 calories. More B vitamins are borderline adequate so I think I'll start a b complex.

A result of reducing sweetening was that I drank a lot less though so I'll need to monitor that to make sure I drink enough. I don't do well relying on thirst, when I do I end up severely dehydrated.

Dinner isn't digesting well (just sitting there like a lump) and my kidneys kinda hurt tonight so I'm going to drop the aspirin completely for now. Really disappointing but something wasn't right so I'll listen to my body.

Tara, I have looked at Toxinless and it's an awesome resource.

 

[tara]

post 115012 I don't have temps for the day thou as my thermometer appears to have walked off in a chubby little fist and I can't find it.

I lost one or two that way, too. :)

post 115012 A result of reducing sweetening was that I drank a lot less though so I'll need to monitor that to make sure I drink enough. I don't do well relying on thirst, when I do I end up severely dehydrated.

I'm gradually regaining my sense of thirst, but I still find the most reliable way of telling if I'm thirsty is to see what happens when I put glass to lips.

post 115012 Really disappointing but something wasn't right so I'll listen to my body.

:)

 

[Blossom]

post 115012 I'm going to drop the aspirin completely for now. Really disappointing but something wasn't right so I'll listen to my body

I think that's a good idea! Honestly I'm not sure how much of an impact the aspirin in your breast milk might have on your child but that is probably worth looking into before experimenting further. :)

 

[Blossom]

post 114887 apparently I eat more in the evening than I realized. I ate 4400 calories today,

post 114887 I don't track my weight but my clothes don't feel any different so if there's been weight gain it hasn't been significant (good, I'm 5' 4" and 260 already).

The calories might not really be that high considering you are breastfeeding. This isn't from Peat but I used an energy expenditure calculator based on your sex, height and weight and with no activity included it estimates you need about 3,000 calories. If you factor in anything other than sleeping and sitting all day that number would increase. Plus you would need to add some extra for breastfeeding. Here is the calculator I used :

http://www.health-calc.com/diet/energy- ... e-advanced
Of course no one other than you can really determine how much you need to eat to function well and breastfeed but usually appetite is a good guide.

 

[Peata]

Aspirin comparable to DNP as mitochondrial uncoupler
Literally The Best Idea I've Ever Had

Clicking on those two threads should land on the spot where you can start reading about the effects of "too much" aspirin.

 

[DaveFoster]

@ErinElizabeth

@Blossom

Just shy of 2 tablets of aspirin (600 mg) will lead to 13 mg per liter of your breast milk. If you took 6 grams per day, you'd have about 130 mg aspirin per liter of your breast milk.

SOURCE: A study of salicylate and caffeine excretion in the breast milk of two nursing mothers. - PubMed - NCBI