Is my stack too much? Am I missing something?

[dervmai]

Currently I take- t3 (1 grain), progesterone, a trace minerals supplement, vit D, Vit k2, Vit E, high dose b1 (I had a b1 deficiency), Vit C (sodium ascorbate). I also take cascara sagrada for bowel movements and activated charcoal for endotoxins.

My issues that I'm trying to fix are dry skin, eczema, seb derm, constipation.

Need some input on my current stack

 

[Herbie]

I would look at the mgs of t3 your taking because a grain has different meanings, is there a reason to take t3 without t4? Sometimes t3 works when people are really hypothyroid but most people do well with t3/t4 together.

There can be a conflict with taking K2 and vitamin e at the same time. There are threads on here about it.

It's not recommend to take vitamin c supplements due to how they are produced, it's best to get it from food.

 

[shucknchuck]

You’re doing good. Just existing in the health sphere you’ll be tempted to grab more things, and more you might ought to take will come your way.

I definitely learned less is more, not in a sense of harming my health with supplements, but sticking to what I really needed for a long time, got the job done without trying everything that may very well work. Perhaps, a lot of redundancy in effort at the end of the day. For instance, before taking a lot of Aromatase inhibitors to heal the body, I’d work on digestive and metabolic stuff. An Aromatase inhibitor is certainly valid for symptom management however, so if you know you have terrible estrogen symptoms, it may be worth it.

One thing you may consider researching, is antibiotics. Check out microbiomeprescription.com, A free AI to plug a stool test into, to see what antibiotics are best for your particular gut flora, if you have any overgrowths. You likely have gut problems if you’re suffering from constipation, skin issues, and metabolic issues.
Bounce results off of the studies posted here or elsewhere to confirm what’s a safe antibiotic, of course.

Wish you the best.

THE LOADOUT IS NEVER DONE

View: https://youtu.be/jxzfqce0jqY

 

[dervmai]

I would look at the mgs of t3 your taking because a grain has different meanings, is there a reason to take t3 without t4? Sometimes t3 works when people are really hypothyroid but most people do well with t3/t4 together.

There can be a conflict with taking K2 and vitamin e at the same time. There are threads on here about it.

It's not recommend to take vitamin c supplements due to how they are produced, it's best to get it from food.

I take 25 mcg of t3. I don’t know why I don’t take t4 and t3. My freet4 was actually at the upper end of the range, like it literally was at the end of the range. While my t3 was below the range. I have this notion that t4 is more serious drug, while t3 is almost like a supplement.

 

[Herbie]

@derv

I think in that situation, your not converting t4 to t3 effienctly. Most people would look at liver function. The t3 should help and can know from your own experience if it helps feel better.

There are many reasons found and quoted by Ray for this which is pufa blocking the conversion, not enough protein in the diet as well as not enough energy. There are many ways to solve this issue which people have found and documneted on the forum.

 

[dervmai]

@derv

I think in that situation, your not converting t4 to t3 effienctly. Most people would look at liver function. The t3 should help and can know from your own experience if it helps feel better.

There are many reasons found and quoted by Ray for this which is pufa blocking the conversion, not enough protein in the diet as well as not enough energy. There are many ways to solve this issue which people have found and documented on the forum.

My liver enzymes aren’t elevated. They are on the lower end of the range. But I could still have a liver issue right? I would like to mention that my family has a history of thyroid issues. My mom is hypo, my grandmother, my uncle, my aunts are all hypo, and they are in their mid 30s and 40s besides my grandmother. My grandfather actually has a case of hyper though. I found that my results were indicating hypo based on my lab work. I'm not sure what is causing what, I'm trying to figure out the root cause of all my issues but health is complicated and I'm a beginner to all of this. Stress is the root cause of most of the issues though right? Both environmental and internal/mental stress. Fixing diet, and taking measures to address stress is addressing the root cause no? If my liver is sluggish, what's causing the sluggishness? Thyroid and low metabolism right, but then we have to ask what is causing the low thyroid function, and it can be traced back to a diet rich if pufas and processed foods and oxidative stress which slowly weaken my immune system and organs right?

So my thinking is that I need to break the loop. I need to fix the diet and eliminate pufas which will address the low thyroid and low energy state I am in currently, which will then fix the liver issues which then fix all the other issues I have been having. The thing is, why is it that other people who live my lifestyle aren't prone to the negatives of it. They carry on without health issues.... What sets them apart from me? When I try to figure out why, and I keep trying to get to the root of it all, it only gets more confusing.... is it stress, is it genetic dispositions... even my extensive research on Ray Peat hasn't answered these questions... Sure it has greatly improved my knowledge on health but I feel I've only taken a couple steps forward from where I started, and my goal of perfect health is still miles away.

 

[dervmai]

You’re doing good. Just existing in the health sphere you’ll be tempted to grab more things, and more you might ought to take will come your way.

I definitely learned less is more, not in a sense of harming my health with supplements, but sticking to what I really needed for a long time, got the job done without trying everything that may very well work. Perhaps, a lot of redundancy in effort at the end of the day. For instance, before taking a lot of Aromatase inhibitors to heal the body, I’d work on digestive and metabolic stuff. An Aromatase inhibitor is certainly valid for symptom management however, so if you know you have terrible estrogen symptoms, it may be worth it.

One thing you may consider researching, is antibiotics. Check out microbiomeprescription.com, A free AI to plug a stool test into, to see what antibiotics are best for your particular gut flora, if you have any overgrowths. You likely have gut problems if you’re suffering from constipation, skin issues, and metabolic issues.
Bounce results off of the studies posted here or elsewhere to confirm what’s a safe antibiotic, of course.

Wish you the best.

THE LOADOUT IS NEVER DONE

View: https://youtu.be/jxzfqce0jqY

I suspect I have some gut issues, maybe candida. I don't know if I have full on SIBO or something like that. I ate unhealthy as a kid and lived an unhealthy lifestyle... it's coming back to haunt me now. Isn't the approach to fixing gut issues this- Eliminate the bad bacteria by starving it and then repopulating the gut with healthy bacteria via probiotics and healthy fruits and veggies? Can't one just drastically change diet and then repopulate the gut and this be enough to solve candida? While also focusing on eliminating endotoxin reabsorption with activated charcoal and a carrot salad? I have a negative opinion on antibiotics, but I don't know if this stems from ignorance. From my understanding, aren't antibiotics bad? Like it eliminates too much of the helpful bacteria for it to be a viable option to fixing gut issues?

 

[Herbie]

@derv yeah exactly, the liver needs the thyroid to work so it can and thyroid needs liver to as well. If you supplement thyroid to help the thyroid that helps the liver recover. If you focus on both than you can get results. I don't think anyone knows which one is the root cause because they are so closely related and dependent on each other.

 

[youngsinatra]

Something as simple as a selenium deficiency could be the cause in your case, given a high fT4 and low fT3 and Se is needed to convert T4 into T3.

Do you eat selenium-rich foods like red meat, chicken, seafoods?

 

[peter88]

Something as simple as a selenium deficiency could be the cause in your case, given a high fT4 and low fT3 and Se is needed to convert T4 into T3.

Do you eat selenium-rich foods like red meat, chicken, seafoods?

I agree with selenium and or iodine. I always assumed I got enough selenium from beef and iodine from eggs/milk but I added seafood back into my diet and my temperature increased a whole degree.

Maybe the whole “soil is depleted” crowd is partially correct.

 

[dervmai]

Something as simple as a selenium deficiency could be the cause in your case, given a high fT4 and low fT3 and Se is needed to convert T4 into T3.

Do you eat selenium-rich foods like red meat, chicken, seafoods?

Yes I eat a lot of red meat, chicken and sea food. My current diet is this- red meat, chicken, salmon, organic russet potatoes, white rice, carrots, mushrooms, mangoes, butter. I also take a trace minerals which has selenium in it so I don’t suspect a selenium deficiency. I’m suspecting gut issues still.

I would like to mention I’m a recovering drug addict. It was mostly just marijuana but I was a chronic smoker since I was 14. I smoked a lot for about 4 years, I am now 19. My thoughts are along the lines of this- my genetic predisposition to thyroid issues+ my horrible diet as a child+ chronic smoking+ high neuroticism led me to having my health issues. I’ve quit smoking for about a year now. I had a b1 deficiency while being on carnivore which is apparently rare. Maybe some absorption issues? Due to gut issues.

 

[youngsinatra]

Yes I eat a lot of red meat, chicken and sea food. My current diet is this- red meat, chicken, salmon, organic russet potatoes, white rice, carrots, mushrooms, mangoes, butter. I also take a trace minerals which has selenium in it so I don’t suspect a selenium deficiency. I’m suspecting gut issues still.

I would like to mention I’m a recovering drug addict. It was mostly just marijuana but I was a chronic smoker since I was 14. I smoked a lot for about 4 years, I am now 19. My thoughts are along the lines of this- my genetic predisposition to thyroid issues+ my horrible diet as a child+ chronic smoking+ high neuroticism led me to having my health issues. I’ve quit smoking for about a year now. I had a b1 deficiency while being on carnivore which is apparently rare. Maybe some absorption issues? Due to gut issues.

I see!
Then, 25mcg of T3 is probably a good choice in your case. I‘d personally probably split dose it, 6.25mcg every 4 hours or so, or even 3 mcg every 2h, but I‘m unsure on how practical that is.

How are you currently taking it?

PS: I would also take it after a meal.

 

[dervmai]

I see!
Then, 25mcg of T3 is probably a good choice in your case. I‘d personally probably split dose it, 6.25mcg every 4 hours or so, or even 3 mcg every 2h, but I‘m unsure on how practical that is.

How are you currently taking it?

PS: I would also take it after a meal.

I am taking it orally. My temps aren’t going up much though, it’s going up still but just really slowly. I had high reverse t3 which I think I need to flush out. I take it in 3 doses every 4 hours with my meals. My heart rate has gone up though dramatically. Before I was in the low 60s but now I am in the 80s. People around me have told me my skin in general looks brighter, which I attribute to the t3 since I haven’t made any other changes like that.

 

[mostlylurking]

high dose b1 (I had a b1 deficiency),

How do you know you had a b1 deficiency? How do you know you don't still have one? Which type of b1 did you take? Are you still taking it?

My issues that I'm trying to fix are dry skin, eczema, seb derm, constipation.

Your supplement list does not include any magnesium. Supplementing thiamine uses up more magnesium. Magnesium is needed for gut health. Magnesium will help resolve constipation.

I take 25 mcg of t3. I don’t know why I don’t take t4 and t3. My freet4 was actually at the upper end of the range, like it literally was at the end of the range. While my t3 was below the range. I have this notion that t4 is more serious drug, while t3 is almost like a supplement.

The liver needs a little T3 to convert T4 into T3. The medical industry seems to use synthetic T4 as a drug and ignores the need for T3. Do you have an endocrinologist helping you? Sounds like a conversion problem which points to liver function. The liver needs thiamine to do its job. Likewise, the thyroid needs thiamine to do its job.

I found that my results were indicating hypo based on my lab work. I'm not sure what is causing what, I'm trying to figure out the root cause of all my issues

Thiamine deficiency can keep the thyroid and the liver from doing their jobs.

If my liver is sluggish, what's causing the sluggishness? Thyroid and low metabolism right, but then we have to ask what is causing the low thyroid function, and it can be traced back to a diet rich if pufas and processed foods and oxidative stress which slowly weaken my immune system and organs right?

Possible things that cause liver sluggishness: Thiamine deficiency? High estrogen? High toxin load? Inability to detox because of constipation?

I need to fix the diet and eliminate pufas which will address the low thyroid and low energy state I am in currently, which will then fix the liver issues which then fix all the other issues I have been having.

Eliminating pufas is a very good idea! This also includes sources of omega 3's (fish oil). Could the low energy state be caused by thiamine deficiency?

I suspect I have some gut issues, maybe candida. I don't know if I have full on SIBO or something like that. I ate unhealthy as a kid and lived an unhealthy lifestyle... it's coming back to haunt me now.

Do you have any idea what your toxin load is? Is it possible that you have some heavy metals you picked up as a child? Lived in any old houses? Do you have any amalgam fillings? Heavy metals will cause thiamine depletion.

Isn't the approach to fixing gut issues this- Eliminate the bad bacteria by starving it and then repopulating the gut with healthy bacteria via probiotics and healthy fruits and veggies? Can't one just drastically change diet and then repopulate the gut and this be enough to solve candida? While also focusing on eliminating endotoxin reabsorption with activated charcoal and a carrot salad?

I think the microbiome is very complicated. It would be very hard to kill off the bad bacteria without killing off the "good" bacteria too. When you nuke your gut you can run into some serious problems. My leaky gut/sibo problems resolved via high dose thiamine hcl and magnesium glycinate. I did not take probiotics.
suggested reading:

Dietary Vitamin B1 Intake Influences Gut Microbial Community and the Consequent Production of Short-Chain Fatty Acids

The gut microbiota is closely related to good health; thus, there have been extensive efforts dedicated to improving health by controlling the gut microbial environment. Probiotics and prebiotics are being developed to support a healthier intestinal environment. ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

SIBO, IBS, and Constipation: Unrecognized Thiamine Deficiency? - Hormones Matter

Is it possible that small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) is simply a symptom of an underlying vitamin B1 or thiamine deficiency?

www.hormonesmatter.com

Thiamine and the Microbiome - Hormones Matter

Health depends on the 70-100 trillion single-celled organisms that live in our intestines.

www.hormonesmatter.com

I have a negative opinion on antibiotics, but I don't know if this stems from ignorance. From my understanding, aren't antibiotics bad? Like it eliminates too much of the helpful bacteria for it to be a viable option to fixing gut issues?

I have a negative opinion of antibiotics too. The last time I had to take some, it nearly finished me off. It took months and months to recover. There are multiple antibiotics being prescribed that work by blocking thiamine function.

My current diet is this- red meat, chicken, salmon, organic russet potatoes, white rice, carrots, mushrooms, mangoes, butter.

Salmon = pufa. Are you consuming any dairy? Any eggs? Any gelatin? Looks like you are highly focused on muscle meat.

I’m suspecting gut issues still.

Please read the articles at the links I provided above.

My thoughts are along the lines of this- my genetic predisposition to thyroid issues+ my horrible diet as a child+ chronic smoking+ high neuroticism led me to having my health issues. I’ve quit smoking for about a year now.

I think it would be helpful to consider your environmental toxin exposures.

I had a b1 deficiency while being on carnivore which is apparently rare. Maybe some absorption issues? Due to gut issues.

Were you tested for a b1 deficiency? What did you do to correct the issue? Are you still supplementing b1? Which kind?

 

[dervmai]

How do you know you had a b1 deficiency? How do you know you don't still have one? Which type of b1 did you take? Are you still taking it?

Your supplement list does not include any magnesium. Supplementing thiamine uses up more magnesium. Magnesium is needed for gut health. Magnesium will help resolve constipation.

The liver needs a little T3 to convert T4 into T3. The medical industry seems to use synthetic T4 as a drug and ignores the need for T3. Do you have an endocrinologist helping you? Sounds like a conversion problem which points to liver function. The liver needs thiamine to do its job. Likewise, the thyroid needs thiamine to do its job.

Thiamine deficiency can keep the thyroid and the liver from doing their jobs.

Possible things that cause liver sluggishness: Thiamine deficiency? High estrogen? High toxin load? Inability to detox because of constipation?

Eliminating pufas is a very good idea! This also includes sources of omega 3's (fish oil). Could the low energy state be caused by thiamine deficiency?

Do you have any idea what your toxin load is? Is it possible that you have some heavy metals you picked up as a child? Lived in any old houses? Do you have any amalgam fillings? Heavy metals will cause thiamine depletion.

I think the microbiome is very complicated. It would be very hard to kill off the bad bacteria without killing off the "good" bacteria too. When you nuke your gut you can run into some serious problems. My leaky gut/sibo problems resolved via high dose thiamine hcl and magnesium glycinate. I did not take probiotics.
suggested reading:

Dietary Vitamin B1 Intake Influences Gut Microbial Community and the Consequent Production of Short-Chain Fatty Acids

The gut microbiota is closely related to good health; thus, there have been extensive efforts dedicated to improving health by controlling the gut microbial environment. Probiotics and prebiotics are being developed to support a healthier intestinal environment. ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

SIBO, IBS, and Constipation: Unrecognized Thiamine Deficiency? - Hormones Matter

Is it possible that small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) is simply a symptom of an underlying vitamin B1 or thiamine deficiency?

www.hormonesmatter.com

Thiamine and the Microbiome - Hormones Matter

Health depends on the 70-100 trillion single-celled organisms that live in our intestines.

www.hormonesmatter.com

I have a negative opinion of antibiotics too. The last time I had to take some, it nearly finished me off. It took months and months to recover. There are multiple antibiotics being prescribed that work by blocking thiamine function.

Salmon = pufa. Are you consuming any dairy? Any eggs? Any gelatin? Looks like you are highly focused on muscle meat.

Please read the articles at the links I provided above.

I think it would be helpful to consider your environmental toxin exposures.

Were you tested for a b1 deficiency? What did you do to correct the issue? Are you still supplementing b1? Which kind?

Hi, thanks for such a helpful reply. I had some of my b vitamins checked while I was trying to establish a baseline and my b1 levels were extremely low. The range was 8-30 and I was <6. I don't know how long I was b1 deficient. At the time of the lab work, I was eating carnivore. So mostly just red meat and chicken and fish and butter, and the occasional fruit. According to carnivore advocates, carnivore should be plentiful in the bs, so I was a bit concerned as to why I was b1 deficient. Previous to carnivore I ate a lot of carbs and sugar and processed foods which deplete b1, so I wonder if I was even more b1 deficient in the past. The b1 supplement I currently take is the NOW b1 supplement. The b1 is from Thiamine HCI. Wondering if there are better b1 supplements out there, any recommendations are appreciated.

In terms of magnesium and bowel movements, doesn't magnesium draw water into the bowels from the body to improve bowels? I thought this might have been a problem since I struggle with dry inflamed skin since the water that goes into the bowels could be used for the tissues and keeping the body hydrated... However this might be incorrect now that I think about it more, and even if it does, I think if I drink a lot of water, this wouldn't be an issue and the positives of magnesium would outweigh the negatives.

In terms of liver sluggishness and the causes you mention, I am trying to correct most of it. b1 supplementation, and a peaty lifestyle and diet to address estrogen.

Now toxin load is interesting, I do have 2 amalgam fillings and a root canal... Now it would be hilarious if these were the root causes of my issues... I've had them in for maybe a decade now. I have plans to remove them though, but money is tight right now as it's a weird transition for me as I'm 19 now and haven't fully established a sufficient source of income. I plan on removing the fillings and replacing it with composite fillings and replacing the root canal entirely with a zirconia implant, but this is costly. I don't think I will be able to remove the root canal for a couple years sadly, but I will try to remove the fillings as soon as possible.

I'm not sure if my improvements in pulse and temps are attributed to b1... I took b1 and thyroid around the same time... hard for me to pinpoint what is causing the improvement. I assume t3, but I wonder now if b1 was all I needed. I guess I won't ever know until my health improves and I can try removing things to see if I regress.

I avoid dairy right now, and also eggs and also gelatin. I'm convinced I'm having a histamine issue and so I am supplementing high dose copper and tmg for a month or two to see if it is caused by histamine intolerance. My hair mineral analysis showed I was low in copper as well as a bunch of other minerals- hence the need to take a trace mineral complex. Too many people have issues with dairy for me to be comfortable adding it to my diet since I am still trying to figure out my sensitivities, and eggs are inflammatory from what I read, and gelatin can cause histamine issues. After my copper supplementation is over, I'll reintro gelatin, then egg yolks only then dairy.

 

[mostlylurking]

Hi, thanks for such a helpful reply. I had some of my b vitamins checked while I was trying to establish a baseline and my b1 levels were extremely low. The range was 8-30 and I was <6. I don't know how long I was b1 deficient. At the time of the lab work, I was eating carnivore. So mostly just red meat and chicken and fish and butter, and the occasional fruit. According to carnivore advocates, carnivore should be plentiful in the bs, so I was a bit concerned as to why I was b1 deficient. Previous to carnivore I ate a lot of carbs and sugar and processed foods which deplete b1, so I wonder if I was even more b1 deficient in the past. The b1 supplement I currently take is the NOW b1 supplement. The b1 is from Thiamine HCI. Wondering if there are better b1 supplements out there, any recommendations are appreciated.

Look at the b1 bottle and find out the amount you are taking. Are you still taking it? I like thiamine hcl, it's what I take. But it has to be taken in high doses to do anything because it does not absorb well through the intestine. It should be taken with water only, never with anything sweet.

It is extremely difficult to ascertain your b1 status via blood testing. Here's an article about lab work:

Thiamine Deficiency Testing: Understanding the Labs - Hormones Matter

Understanding thiamine deficiency and the lab testing methods most appropriate for detecting abnormal thiamine chemistry.

www.hormonesmatter.com

Here's an article about the types of thiamine:

Navigating Thiamine Supplements- Hormones Matter

Understanding the different forms of vitamin B1.

www.hormonesmatter.com

A lot of processed foods are "enriched" with thiamine; some people discover their thiamine deficiency problem when they go carnivore because they cut out all those "enriched" refined carbs.

In terms of magnesium and bowel movements, doesn't magnesium draw water into the bowels from the body to improve bowels? I thought this might have been a problem since I struggle with dry inflamed skin since the water that goes into the bowels could be used for the tissues and keeping the body hydrated... However this might be incorrect now that I think about it more, and even if it does, I think if I drink a lot of water, this wouldn't be an issue and the positives of magnesium would outweigh the negatives.

Magnesium does a lot of important things for the body. One of them is to help repair the gut lining. Avoid magnesium citrate; I take magnesium glycinate. Supplementing with thiamine will increase tolerance to magnesium so that you can take a higher dose of it without getting diarhea. Hypothyroid people "have a hard time holding onto their magnesium".


View: https://youtu.be/vOvO_kH7lwQ?t=1078

Magnificent Magnesium

The importance of magnesium ions for all life itself, as well as for overall vibrant health, is hard to overstate. Every single cell in the human body demands adequate magnesium to function, or it will perish.

www.westonaprice.org

Inflammation, Magnesium and Nerves - #MagnesiumPower — Mercury Free Kids

#InflammationMagnesiumNerves Every single cell in the human body demands adequate magnesium to function, or it will perish. Strong bones and teeth, balanced hormones, a healthy nervous and cardiovascular system, well-functioning detoxification pathways and much more depend upon cellular magnesium

www.mercuryfreekids.org

In terms of liver sluggishness and the causes you mention, I am trying to correct most of it. b1 supplementation, and a peaty lifestyle and diet to address estrogen.

There are multiple things promoted here as "peaty lifestyle" that are problematic if you are thiamine deficient: high sugar consumption, coffee, over-enthusiasm for dosing thyroid supplements. Thiamine is required to convert sugar into ATP so lots of sugar will deplete your available thiamine; coffee blocks thiamine function; overdoing thyroid supplementation is a problem because hyperthyroidism blocks thiamine function. It happened to me; my endocrinologist caught it quickly and adjusted my dose of desiccated thyroid medication from 180mg down to 135mg.

Now toxin load is interesting, I do have 2 amalgam fillings and a root canal... Now it would be hilarious if these were the root causes of my issues... I've had them in for maybe a decade now. I have plans to remove them though, but money is tight right now as it's a weird transition for me as I'm 19 now and haven't fully established a sufficient source of income. I plan on removing the fillings and replacing it with composite fillings and replacing the root canal entirely with a zirconia implant, but this is costly. I don't think I will be able to remove the root canal for a couple years sadly, but I will try to remove the fillings as soon as possible.

Bingo. Mercury is unbelievably toxic. I had a lot of amalgam fillings that I had removed (the wrong way); I've been dealing with mercury poisoning for over 50 years. The best thing you can do for your health is to get all the mercury removed the safe way asap. Research first so you know what the correct way is to have it done.

The Safe Mercury Amalgam Removal Technique (SMART)

Utilizing the most up-to-date science, the IAOMT has developed extensive safety recommendations for the removal of existing dental mercury amalgam fillings.

iaomt.org

The mercury is probably why you have a thiamine deficiency.

The Mercury Hillbilly and the Sulfur Square Dance — Mercury Free Kids

#MercuryHillbilly #MercuryDance Mercury is incredibly heavy, about 1000 pounds for one cubic foot. A bowling ball made of mercury would weigh about 600lbs. Mercury easily makes and breaks bonds with other elements. In the ground mercury is naturally bound to sulfur.&a

www.mercuryfreekids.org

Thiamine Saves — Mercury Free Kids

#ThiamineSaves

www.mercuryfreekids.org

I have been able to recover from my heavy metal toxicity symptoms via high dose thiamine. I use thiamine hcl, 1 gram, 2Xday. I also have hypothyroidism; I rely on my 86 year old endocrinologist to keep my thyroid supplementation optimized; I get blood tested every 6 months.

I'm not sure if my improvements in pulse and temps are attributed to b1... I took b1 and thyroid around the same time... hard for me to pinpoint what is causing the improvement.

Supplementing high dose thiamine and thyroid medication is tricky. Both of these are required for oxidative metabolism so their deficiencies share many symptoms. The thyroid gland needs thiamine to function. Too much thyroid hormone (hyperthyroidism) blocks thiamine function. They need to be in balance.

I avoid dairy right now, and also eggs and also gelatin. I'm convinced I'm having a histamine issue and so I am supplementing high dose copper and tmg for a month or two to see if it is caused by histamine intolerance. My hair mineral analysis showed I was low in copper as well as a bunch of other minerals- hence the need to take a trace mineral complex. Too many people have issues with dairy for me to be comfortable adding it to my diet since I am still trying to figure out my sensitivities, and eggs are inflammatory from what I read, and gelatin can cause histamine issues. After my copper supplementation is over, I'll reintro gelatin, then egg yolks only then dairy.

According to Ray Peat (and I believe him) muscle meat has too much phosphate, there's something called a calcium/phosphate ratio. Milk has an ideal calcium/phosphate ratio. Muscle meat has tryptophan, gelatin does not. Tryptophan is problematic for adults as it is carcinogenic and it can be converted into serotonin (bad, inflammatory, etc) if things are not working perfectly. Muscle meat is inflammatory; gelatin is anti-inflammatory. Eggs are a nutrient rich food and very good for you.
suggested reading:

Meat physiology, stress, and degenerative physiology.

Considerable amounts of some chemicals, such as sodium citrate, are allowed to add to the weight of the meat. The use of ozone and hydrogen peroxide to deodorize meat causes instantaneous oxidative changes, including lipid peroxidation and protein carbonyl formation, as well as increasing water...

raypeat.com

Gelatin, stress, longevity

Ray Peat

raypeat.com

Tryptophan, serotonin, and aging

Beginning with the industrial production of glutamic acid (sold as MSG, monosodium glutamate), the public has been systematically misinformed about the effects of amino acids in the diet.

raypeat.com

Ray Peat warns against mineral supplements. Supplementing minerals is tricky and you can get yourself into trouble pretty easily. He advises eating shellfish (oysters, shrimp, crab, lobster) as a safe way to supplement minerals.

View: https://youtu.be/f06rVi8iXfI?t=4688


You mention histamine intolerance. Thiamine deficiency is tangled up with this issue. It's a complicated issue.

Reversing Mast Cell Activation and Histamine Intolerance Summit - Hormones Matter

Most people with MCAS see multiple specialists and feel like they’re the only ones dealing with this, but the truth is, 17% of the general population is dealing with MCAS.

www.hormonesmatter.com

How Can Something As Simple as Thiamine Cause So Many Problems? - Hormones Matter

Is thiamine deficiency too simple to explain the devastating nature of the systemic adverse reactions to some vaccines and medications?

www.hormonesmatter.com

I recovered from my histamine sensitivity problems via high dose thiamine hcl.

Here are a couple of handy Ray Peat search engines for you:
Bioenergetic Search searches the audio shows
PeatSearch: a Ray Peat-specific search engine - Toxinless use the cell that excludes the forum to search Ray Peat's articles.

 

[shucknchuck]

I suspect I have some gut issues, maybe candida. I don't know if I have full on SIBO or something like that. I ate unhealthy as a kid and lived an unhealthy lifestyle... it's coming back to haunt me now. Isn't the approach to fixing gut issues this- Eliminate the bad bacteria by starving it and then repopulating the gut with healthy bacteria via probiotics and healthy fruits and veggies? Can't one just drastically change diet and then repopulate the gut and this be enough to solve candida? While also focusing on eliminating endotoxin reabsorption with activated charcoal and a carrot salad? I have a negative opinion on antibiotics, but I don't know if this stems from ignorance. From my understanding, aren't antibiotics bad? Like it eliminates too much of the helpful bacteria for it to be a viable option to fixing gut issues?

Great questions and concerns by you as well as @mostlylurking , I used to completely dismiss all antibiotics before I was educated by Ray and Danny. So, I hope to mitigate with nuance:

Haidut and Ray have shared studies on how a perfectly clean gut will resolve SIBO or other autoimmune conditions.

Ray has been a proponent of the safe antibiotics for a while now.

The "right bacteria" is kindof a misnomer, because studies have shown, that even "beneficial" bacteria has been shown to produce endotoxin. A microbiome is only really healthy if it's roughly balanced, and stays in the colon, while the intestine is completely clean.

All gut bacteria is dangerous, their endotoxin drives liver cancer; antibiotics can cure. – To Extract Knowledge from Matter

This doesn't mean the bacteria producing K vitamins or butyrate aren't beneficial for the body, but that they take a big back seat. They will persist to be there even if you take an antibiotic intermittently as Ray suggests. IF nuking the gut actually happened when one took an antibiotic, there'd be fewer autoimmune diseases in the world, lol.
There are a lot of bacteria in the gut, and people could have many different overgrowths, and therefore have varying responses to one antibiotic. This is where "microbiome-prescription" shines.

Truthfully, even very powerful antibiotics like oregano oil or a powerful pharma antibiotic, don't destroy all bacteria with complete effectiveness. There are very few that do that, and they can sometimes set the stage for a fungal overgrowth - those are not suggested unless you're in a very bad way.

Candida is fungal. you will want to use an antifungal for it. Flowers of sulphur, metergoline, and aspirin work well.

Ray has described the tetracycline class as molecularly a super Kuinone (K vit). However, this is also one that depletes B1. I was desperate, and took way more than he suggested for about 3 strait weeks, and I did begin feeling some conditions that were very likely B1 deficiency. Within a few days they reversed with B1 supplementation from idealabs' Energin.

There are other actually dangerous antibiotics, as well as some brands including very toxic additives in even the good ones like penicillin.

below are short vids, one Ray and one Danny, on antibiotic experiences and their selective validity:


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NUyZ15qJa4



View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-p9ZRtOGpiQ


Here's a very important investigative video on dangerous vs safe antibiotics, as well as interview by a man who's compiled all studies he can find on which antibiotic or food works for which bacteria (the microbiome prescription shared above), by one of our own trusted forum members, @Tarmander


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mVQgE6PoR4&t=2505s



View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bxfh3730Jc4

 

[mostlylurking]

I suspect I have some gut issues, maybe candida.

Now toxin load is interesting, I do have 2 amalgam fillings and a root canal...

I think that it might be helpful to consider your dental history when deciding how to address your gut issues, candida.
food for thought:

Links Between Root Canals and Other Diseases — Mercury Free Kids

The Links between Root Canals and Other Diseases One of the most common questions we get is “why don’t you believe in root canals?” For years we have talked about the links between root canals and all kinds of systemic health problems (including certain cancers). To drive the point home further,

www.mercuryfreekids.org

Going Loopy With Toxins? — Mercury Free Kids

For mercury, the best detox system we have is to detox through the skin, and/or the intestines, depending upon where the mercury has been stored. However, most mercury toxic people will have some kind of intestinal problem, or skin problem, which means they are not able to detox mercury.&a

www.mercuryfreekids.org

"Candida, Pylori, and Lyme are anaerobic, facultative pathogesn that methylate mercury. They take mercury into their cells. Mercury is 500 times more dangerous than lead. The body doesn't want the mercury coming in contact with it's own cells, mercury destroys nerve and brain synapses on contact. Get rid of the mercury, and the bacteria and fungus go away, However, if you kill the pathogens, you get poisoned by mercury. The key is to get rid of the mercury, then the body can safely discharge the pathogens of their duty. The body is using these pathogens to protect you from mercury poisoning. Kill the pathogens and go back to MERCURY 911."

 

[dervmai]

I think that it might be helpful to consider your dental history when deciding how to address your gut issues, candida.
food for thought:

Links Between Root Canals and Other Diseases — Mercury Free Kids

The Links between Root Canals and Other Diseases One of the most common questions we get is “why don’t you believe in root canals?” For years we have talked about the links between root canals and all kinds of systemic health problems (including certain cancers). To drive the point home further,

www.mercuryfreekids.org

Going Loopy With Toxins? — Mercury Free Kids

For mercury, the best detox system we have is to detox through the skin, and/or the intestines, depending upon where the mercury has been stored. However, most mercury toxic people will have some kind of intestinal problem, or skin problem, which means they are not able to detox mercury.&a

www.mercuryfreekids.org

"Candida, Pylori, and Lyme are anaerobic, facultative pathogesn that methylate mercury. They take mercury into their cells. Mercury is 500 times more dangerous than lead. The body doesn't want the mercury coming in contact with it's own cells, mercury destroys nerve and brain synapses on contact. Get rid of the mercury, and the bacteria and fungus go away, However, if you kill the pathogens, you get poisoned by mercury. The key is to get rid of the mercury, then the body can safely discharge the pathogens of their duty. The body is using these pathogens to protect you from mercury poisoning. Kill the pathogens and go back to MERCURY 911."

Extremely insightful, thank you so much for the knowledge. I'll try to get my amalgam fillings out ASAP.

 

[dervmai]

Look at the b1 bottle and find out the amount you are taking. Are you still taking it? I like thiamine hcl, it's what I take. But it has to be taken in high doses to do anything because it does not absorb well through the intestine. It should be taken with water only, never with anything sweet.

I take 100mg of b1. It's 8333% of the daily recommended dose.

It is extremely difficult to ascertain your b1 status via blood testing. Here's an article about lab work:

Thiamine Deficiency Testing: Understanding the Labs - Hormones Matter

Understanding thiamine deficiency and the lab testing methods most appropriate for detecting abnormal thiamine chemistry.

www.hormonesmatter.com

Here's an article about the types of thiamine:

Navigating Thiamine Supplements- Hormones Matter

Understanding the different forms of vitamin B1.

www.hormonesmatter.com

A lot of processed foods are "enriched" with thiamine; some people discover their thiamine deficiency problem when they go carnivore because they cut out all those "enriched" refined carbs.

Magnesium does a lot of important things for the body. One of them is to help repair the gut lining. Avoid magnesium citrate; I take magnesium glycinate. Supplementing with thiamine will increase tolerance to magnesium so that you can take a higher dose of it without getting diarhea. Hypothyroid people "have a hard time holding onto their magnesium".


View: https://youtu.be/vOvO_kH7lwQ?t=1078

Magnificent Magnesium

The importance of magnesium ions for all life itself, as well as for overall vibrant health, is hard to overstate. Every single cell in the human body demands adequate magnesium to function, or it will perish.

www.westonaprice.org

Inflammation, Magnesium and Nerves - #MagnesiumPower — Mercury Free Kids

#InflammationMagnesiumNerves Every single cell in the human body demands adequate magnesium to function, or it will perish. Strong bones and teeth, balanced hormones, a healthy nervous and cardiovascular system, well-functioning detoxification pathways and much more depend upon cellular magnesium

www.mercuryfreekids.org

There are multiple things promoted here as "peaty lifestyle" that are problematic if you are thiamine deficient: high sugar consumption, coffee, over-enthusiasm for dosing thyroid supplements. Thiamine is required to convert sugar into ATP so lots of sugar will deplete your available thiamine; coffee blocks thiamine function; overdoing thyroid supplementation is a problem because hyperthyroidism blocks thiamine function. It happened to me; my endocrinologist caught it quickly and adjusted my dose of desiccated thyroid medication from 180mg down to 135mg.

How does one know if they are overdosing on t3? My insurance was cut recently so I don't have access to an endo. I am taking 25mcg per day though...is this high? My temps are still low but my heart rate has jumped to the 80s so I don't know if those can be used as markers for dosing.

Bingo. Mercury is unbelievably toxic. I had a lot of amalgam fillings that I had removed (the wrong way); I've been dealing with mercury poisoning for over 50 years. The best thing you can do for your health is to get all the mercury removed the safe way asap. Research first so you know what the correct way is to have it done.

The Safe Mercury Amalgam Removal Technique (SMART)

Utilizing the most up-to-date science, the IAOMT has developed extensive safety recommendations for the removal of existing dental mercury amalgam fillings.

iaomt.org

The mercury is probably why you have a thiamine deficiency.

The Mercury Hillbilly and the Sulfur Square Dance — Mercury Free Kids

#MercuryHillbilly #MercuryDance Mercury is incredibly heavy, about 1000 pounds for one cubic foot. A bowling ball made of mercury would weigh about 600lbs. Mercury easily makes and breaks bonds with other elements. In the ground mercury is naturally bound to sulfur.&a

www.mercuryfreekids.org

Thiamine Saves — Mercury Free Kids

#ThiamineSaves

www.mercuryfreekids.org

I have been able to recover from my heavy metal toxicity symptoms via high dose thiamine. I use thiamine hcl, 1 gram, 2Xday. I also have hypothyroidism; I rely on my 86 year old endocrinologist to keep my thyroid supplementation optimized; I get blood tested every 6 months.

Supplementing high dose thiamine and thyroid medication is tricky. Both of these are required for oxidative metabolism so their deficiencies share many symptoms. The thyroid gland needs thiamine to function. Too much thyroid hormone (hyperthyroidism) blocks thiamine function. They need to be in balance.

How can I avoid taking too much t3? 25 mcg is still low in terms of dosage isn't it? The Broda Barnes STTM protocol takes the dosage into the 50s and beyond. Is going to an endo the only way to assess proper dosage? Should I cut back on t3? I'm tolerating t3 currently pretty well I feel like.

Also can taking too much t3 cause a permanent switch to hyper from hypo? I know that t3 can cause hyper symptoms but can it change the thyroid function permanently even if t3 has been stopped?

According to Ray Peat (and I believe him) muscle meat has too much phosphate, there's something called a calcium/phosphate ratio. Milk has an ideal calcium/phosphate ratio. Muscle meat has tryptophan, gelatin does not. Tryptophan is problematic for adults as it is carcinogenic and it can be converted into serotonin (bad, inflammatory, etc) if things are not working perfectly. Muscle meat is inflammatory; gelatin is anti-inflammatory. Eggs are a nutrient rich food and very good for you.
suggested reading:

Meat physiology, stress, and degenerative physiology.

Considerable amounts of some chemicals, such as sodium citrate, are allowed to add to the weight of the meat. The use of ozone and hydrogen peroxide to deodorize meat causes instantaneous oxidative changes, including lipid peroxidation and protein carbonyl formation, as well as increasing water...

raypeat.com

Gelatin, stress, longevity

Ray Peat

raypeat.com

Tryptophan, serotonin, and aging

Beginning with the industrial production of glutamic acid (sold as MSG, monosodium glutamate), the public has been systematically misinformed about the effects of amino acids in the diet.

raypeat.com

Ray Peat warns against mineral supplements. Supplementing minerals is tricky and you can get yourself into trouble pretty easily. He advises eating shellfish (oysters, shrimp, crab, lobster) as a safe way to supplement minerals.

View: https://youtu.be/f06rVi8iXfI?t=4688


You mention histamine intolerance. Thiamine deficiency is tangled up with this issue. It's a complicated issue.

Reversing Mast Cell Activation and Histamine Intolerance Summit - Hormones Matter

Most people with MCAS see multiple specialists and feel like they’re the only ones dealing with this, but the truth is, 17% of the general population is dealing with MCAS.

www.hormonesmatter.com

How Can Something As Simple as Thiamine Cause So Many Problems? - Hormones Matter

Is thiamine deficiency too simple to explain the devastating nature of the systemic adverse reactions to some vaccines and medications?

www.hormonesmatter.com

I recovered from my histamine sensitivity problems via high dose thiamine hcl.

Here are a couple of handy Ray Peat search engines for you:
Bioenergetic Search searches the audio shows
PeatSearch: a Ray Peat-specific search engine - Toxinless use the cell that excludes the forum to search Ray Peat's articles.