Intro and Thyroid Glandular Supplementation Q's

[lollipop]

Hello everyone!

I found Ray Peat 2.5 months ago coming from a paleo/vlc sugar free diet for two years. I had begun to gain weight, losing energy, and sex drive - now understanding it slowed my metabolism. I listened to over 50 hrs for 1st month to wrap my head around the ideas which were completely opposite what I had studied or been told.

*I started the diet 1.5 months ago while simultaneously taking temp and pulse, and noticed a big difference in energy. AND my temps and pulse remained low.

*One month ago started on progest-e for days 14-28.

*Two weeks ago started on pregnenolone 25mgs,

*A couple of weeks ago started on Nutra Pak thyroid - 1 for 3 days, then 2 for 10 days - didn't see much temp change and found myself a bit hypo just before bed - low temp, low pulse. Then moved to 3: morn, lunch, mid afternoon and finally saw my temps and pulse better in am and pm for past 3 days.

*Question 1 - how long will I need to supplement thyroid for? Until my temps and pulse maintain a steady consistency over time?

*Question 2 - Is it necessary to wean off the thyroid glandular or simply stop in one day?

*Question 3 - Is there any danger of my own thyroid losing functionality by supplementing with raw thyroid glandular over long periods? What is a safe time frame?

 

[Mittir]

You need to have a good level of total cholesterol ( at least 160, preferably 200)
before you start supplementing with thyroid. It is also important to have the ability to
store glycogen to support increased metabolism. I do not know if Nutra Pak has real
hormone in it. Some glandular thyroid products are required to remove T4 from their
preparation. I think measuring TSH, total T3 and T4 is important before starting
thyroid supplement. If thyroid is healthy then there is no dependency on supplement.
Body will take over once we stop supplementing, but it is good to taper off the dose.
I think it is better to fix the diet before trying thyroid supplement.

 

[lollipop]

Thank you Mittr! I greatly appreciate your advice. I will take my test this week and check also for cholesterol. My thought was to use temperature and pulse but you're right, it's better to have the whole picture

Supposedly Nutra Pak has T1, T2, T3, T4, and calcitonin. The diet has made a world of difference in my energy and bowel health! I am amazed by the results I have received from being pretty strict on the diet...

 

[Mittir]

T4 has a half life of 5 to 10 days depending on metabolism, it may take 2-3 weeks to
reach saturation. It is usually advised to increase T4 dose after 2-3 weeks.
It may take some time to figure out the right dose.

Excess Estrogen is the main cause of hypothyroidism in most female.
Just fixing gut and liver can resolve the issue for some people.
Gut health is very important for healthy thyroid function.
Lack of adequate balanced protein can cause
hypothyroidism in some . Are you getting gelatine?
Nutritional deficiency of selenium can lower thyroid function.
Have you added light therapy or bag breathing?
Progesterone directly Knocks out estrogen. If estrogen was the root cause
then progesterone can restore that.

Edit: Low carbohydrate intake quickly lowers conversion of T4 to active hormone T3.
I remember reading a study that found it took at least 125 grams of carb to keep
T3 level steady. RP recommends about 33 to 50 % carb. It can be bit tricky to suddenly
increase carb intake without having ability to burn it quickly.

 

[lollipop]

Hi Mittir! WoW AWESOME help! I definitely think estrogen dominance had occurred. I have started Gelatin last week. I do bag breathing most days at least once for the last month. I am recording my food intake on MyFitnessPal to see amounts of protein, sugar, etc. most days I am between 50-75 gms of protein and ranging between 125-150gms sugar and between 1500 and 1900 overall calories. After switching to this diet, I did notice some initial weight gain - but that seems to have leveled off...

My diet consists of milk, cheese, fruits (tropical, melons etc) pastured eggs, pastured ground beef and lamb, honey, potatoes, orange juice, sparkling water, occasional roasted asparagus, occasional sautéed greens, only saturated fats - occasional olive oil with roasted potatoes, raw carrot daily, crystalized ginger, raw chocolate with no additives, occasional ice cream with NO additives, occasional organic potato chips cooked in coconut oil, recently added gelatin, coffee, herb tea and that is about it.

Supplementing: B-6, BND, Selenium, niacinimde, pregnenolone, progest-e (days 14-28). My plan is to take the thyroid glandular for three months and jump start it. Then taper off and continue with progest-e and pregnenolone. I do think the glandular is helping based on pulse and temp which are finally up and steady AND my cold feet and hands are gone, internal stress MUCH lower than before.

I am sooooo thankful to have discovered you guys and got off the paleo/vlc nonsense. It really messed me up. But recovering fast...

Again much gratitude to you Mittir for your sweet and caring follow through. I will update along the way and let you know. Hope to get tests soon and will let you know...

 

[Mittir]

If someone was in relatively good health before going low carb then
it is easier to restore health just by increasing carb and other nutrients.
It is also easier for young people and people who does not have much storage PUFA.
If you avoided PUFA during paleo that can help a lot with PUFA ratio.
RP recommends low dose B6 5-10 mg. I do not know what is BND.

I think a lot of people do not do well when they start peating because
they add a ton of new foods and do not know which food is causing problems.
Pectin in under ripe orange juice and exdotoxin or histamine in commercial gelatin
can be problematic for some. If cow eats allergenic food that can cause problems.
I think eating easily digestible foods that does not irritate gut is the most important part
of estrogen and thyroid related problem. I have noticed huge benefit in thyroid function
when i simply took 50 mg of Tetracycline for few days. It made me realize
how bad endotoxin is. I am not suggesting you take antibiotics, for most people
carrot salad do the same thing.

 

[tara]

lisaferraro

Mittir's advice looks good to me.

 

[lollipop]

Thank you Mittir! The best thing of the Paleo was the saturated fat, no grains and fresh food cooking at home. I only use organic, grass fed, pastured etc. And am trying to remember about ripe fruits. Thanks for the reminder, it can fly under my radar I am using the gelatin Ray Peat recommended and pretty much only have fresh foods nothing processed...

You have been awesome Mittir!! Tara, I agree, his advice has been super helpful and amazing