Can't Get Out Of A Hypometabolic State

[ATP]

Maybe you need to stick it out for longer. 1000-1300 is simply not enough to support a healthy metabolism for someone your size.

Have you used any drugs like accutane or finastride in the past? Do you have a history of low carb/cal dieting? Are you taking any supplements or foods that may suppress metabolism?

I found that no matter how good my diet, i didnt properly heal until i reduced stress in other areas of my life. The mentality that you're sick/unhealthy with hypo metabolism is probably a stress in itself.

I completely agree that long term caloric restriction is not ideal. I have not used Accutane or Finastride. No foods or supplements that could suppress a metabolism.

 

[raypeatclips]

I seem to have the most energy around this level of calories for some reason. I remember reading a quote from Peat a while back stating that for some people, calorie restricted diets preserves their metabolism. I think this is what I experience because when I increase my caloric intake I feel worse. Maybe this is all I am capable of digesting and utilizing at the moment.

You are probably running on stress hormones i.e why you feel most energy at this level of calories. Increasing calories probably reduces your stress hormones which you were running off which makes you feel "worse" in comparison.

 

[ATP]

You are probably running on stress hormones i.e why you feel most energy at this level of calories. Increasing calories probably reduces your stress hormones which you were running off which makes you feel "worse" in comparison.

Yeah I guess that is the general theory right, with lower calories stress hormones compensate to keep the metabolism going. Which is why I've tried all different varying caloric diets and macro nutrient ratios whilst trying to reduce external stress as much as possible, whilst supplementing with thyroid as well. Yet, still no improvement.

I am perplexed how I can maintain weight.

 

[Richiebogie]

What is your body composition like on that diet? Also I noticed you're from Australia, as am I. Are you currently eating that much fruit at the moment since it is winter here?

I am pretty lean and my waist has shrunk back to where it was in my 20's.

I am eating lots of fruit now as per summer.

Mandarins are in season in Australia at the moment. I get imported frozen mango which is $4 for 500g. Dates, prunes and dried figs are cheap year round. Only bananas are more expensive than in summer but I have found a grocer in Prahran that has them for $2.30 per kg!

There is a guy on youtube who ate nothing but grapes for 40 days! He had pretty good muscle tone at the end of it! I still find that surprising!

Anyway your body might thrive on something similar:

 

[Diokine]

Do you still have any issues with your ears or neck? Chronic fatigue can be persistent viral activity from EBV, CMV, etc.

How is your smell? Do you get enough zinc?

 

[ATP]

Do you still have any issues with your ears or neck? Chronic fatigue can be persistent viral activity from EBV, CMV, etc.

How is your smell? Do you get enough zinc?

No the tinnitus I was experiencing was from taking pregnenolone is gone now.
I have been tested for viral activity. My smell is good.

 

[James IV]

At the moment something along the lines of milk, oj, cheese, gelatin, potatoes mushrooms, well cooked vegetables, lamb. If I force myself to eat I feel worse and bloat.

I meant more along the lines of calories/macros?

 

[wintagal]

I have struggled with rT3 and hypo metabolism. T3 and T4 did not work for me until I started taking replacement cortisol. I can't post the link, but Dr H Lindner's website, hormonerestoration dot com, has the best description I've ever found of cortisol and how it works, and why it is never diagnosed.
Do your labs show low salt and high potassium, low neutrophils, low fasting glucose? Those would support a diagnosis of low cortisol. Have you tried using hydrocortisone 1% cream (the standard OTC stuff)? If it raises your temps and pulse, that would be evidence that you need cortisol. Or you could order prednisone or cortef (if you can get it) from Mexico. A week of prednisone would probably tell you a lot, and not be dangerous.
My family has two genetic mutations that cause low cortisol. Mine is pituitary. But other members lack an enzyme that converts the precoursers into cortisol. So Cortef (bioidentical) works for them but cortisone acetate, which must be converted, does not. You may have one of many genetic conditions that limit cortisol production. At least that it what your information seems like to me.
PS I have also maintained weight on 900 calories per day, had the exercise-induced fatigue (cold and utterly crushed for 2 days), and muscle pain.

 

[Amber]

Low zinc, low magnesium, low sodium.. High aromatase which is probably why eating more makes you bloat and feel worse. Eating more means higher insulin and insulin increases aromatase. Magnesium, zinc, salt all help lower aromatase so less testosterone gets converted into estrogen. Also eating more after undereating will feel uncomfortable for a bit. Get more sodium, potassium and magnesium.

Low testosterone. Im 99% sure you're magnesium and zinc deficient. These two minerals are extremely important for testosterone production and to control estrogen levels.

Btw, do not take progesterone. This will only lower your androgens.

 

[ATP]

I have struggled with rT3 and hypo metabolism. T3 and T4 did not work for me until I started taking replacement cortisol. I can't post the link, but Dr H Lindner's website, hormonerestoration dot com, has the best description I've ever found of cortisol and how it works, and why it is never diagnosed.
Do your labs show low salt and high potassium, low neutrophils, low fasting glucose? Those would support a diagnosis of low cortisol. Have you tried using hydrocortisone 1% cream (the standard OTC stuff)? If it raises your temps and pulse, that would be evidence that you need cortisol. Or you could order prednisone or cortef (if you can get it) from Mexico. A week of prednisone would probably tell you a lot, and not be dangerous.
My family has two genetic mutations that cause low cortisol. Mine is pituitary. But other members lack an enzyme that converts the precoursers into cortisol. So Cortef (bioidentical) works for them but cortisone acetate, which must be converted, does not. You may have one of many genetic conditions that limit cortisol production. At least that it what your information seems like to me.
PS I have also maintained weight on 900 calories per day, had the exercise-induced fatigue (cold and utterly crushed for 2 days), and muscle pain.

The labs showed normal salt, potassium, neutrophils and fasting glucose. I also had a AM cortisol test and it was within normal range but at the upper limit. Can one still need hydrocortisone without low AM cortisol?

What are those mutation or other ones to look out for because I have had genetic testing done?

 

[ATP]

Low zinc, low magnesium, low sodium.. High aromatase which is probably why eating more makes you bloat and feel worse. Eating more means higher insulin and insulin increases aromatase. Magnesium, zinc, salt all help lower aromatase so less testosterone gets converted into estrogen. Also eating more after undereating will feel uncomfortable for a bit. Get more sodium, potassium and magnesium.

Low testosterone. Im 99% sure you're magnesium and zinc deficient. These two minerals are extremely important for testosterone production and to control estrogen levels.

Btw, do not take progesterone. This will only lower your androgens.

I had zinc, magnesium tested. All was normal. I also supplement daily transdermal magnesium and drink coconut water for extra potassium.

I have all the basics of nutrition covered. I've also experimented with megadose vitamin and mineral supplementation previously.

 

[Amber]

What test did you get for magnesium/zinc? Bloodtests are useless.

 

[ATP]

What test did you get for magnesium/zinc? Bloodtests are useless.

Hair.

 

[Amber]

Hair.

Ever done rbc zinc and magnesium? If not i would get those.

 

[ATP]

Ever done rbc zinc and magnesium? If not i would get those.

Say someone tests low, they would still need to supplement with zinc and magnesium?

 

[Amber]

Say someone tests low, they would still need to supplement with zinc and magnesium?

Definitely

 

[ATP]

Definitely

Which is what I have been doing.

 

[Amber]

Which is what I have been doing.

What have you been taking? Dose/what kind.

If you eat dairy and high calcium (say 1gr+/day) zinc and magnesium supplements are useless. Calcium will block almost all the zinc and magnesium you take.

In a poor metabolic state (even in a good one) calcium is pretty irrelevant. But when metabolism is low its even worse since low metabolism almost always means low magnesium and possibly zinc and high copper/estrogen.

 

[raypeatclips]

You can take whatever supplements you want but if you are eating 1000 calories a day at 6 foot tall you will never improve.

 

[yerrag]

Have you tried bag breathing? I don't know how long would help, but you could do 4 15-minutes stretches with a 10 minute rest in between. Maybe another 4 if that isn't enough.

Since you are hypothyroid, you may be low on serum CO2. You end up with little oxygen, as with too little serum CO2 your blood resleases little oxygen to the tissues. Bag breathing will increase blood CO2 levels and you will get more oxygen delivered to your body tissues. If you're getting enough sugar to your cells, and you have enough oxygen, your cells can produce more energy. This increased metabolism can be felt by higher body temperature. If your electrolytes are sufficient (sodium, calcium, magnesium, potassium), your circulatory system will also be helped. Your heart will have better pumping efficiency, with the electrolytes in their right places (magnesium and potassium inside the cell, and sodium and calcium outside the cell), as this allows the heart to have enough strength in the repolarization phase. Your heart will not waste effort pumping, and a very high heart rate would not be needed (>100 bpm).

If you are able to keep this state, your body will become more active and your caloric requirements will increase. Otherwise, your body will be down-regulated and that is why your caloric requirement are little. With a more active metabolism, you will naturally have a better appetite as you are expending more energy. Your brain is a very strong user of energy as well, so a higher metabolism also gives you a better mood as the brain gets more active.

If bag breathing helps, then your next step is to address your hypothyroid condition. I'm not sure exactly how you will do it, but I would consider using Idealabs' Tyromix (T4/T3), Stressnon (Pregnenolone), and Progestene (Progesterone) topically. Use 1 drop each together for the first day, together, and see how that works out. Anyway, that is what I'm planning to do on my mom. These products are very strong so you need to do it with small increments. Don't hurry up with the dosage. Ray discussed using the 3 together (thyroid, pregnenolone, and progesterone) in his book Generative Energy. I made the mistake of using just the Progestene on my mom, and it just made her so much worse off. I think it's because the Progestene increased her metabolism so much, that she ended up using too much oxygen that the blood had a hard time releasing enough oxygen to the tissues, because she got low on blood CO2. Having Tyromix on hand then would have given the support needed here, so that would have made conditions more favorable for oxidative metabolism, and the blood would be adequately supplied with CO2, and oxygen supply to the tissues would not be running into a deficit. Pregnenolone would help also as it is the precursor for supportive hormones that if deficient, would be available by conversion from pregnenolone.