Thyroid Needed?

[Atlas72]

I need some assistance concerning my lab results. I have been losing my hair, my eyebrows have thinned, I'm gaining weight, my temps rarely exceed 97.6 and my libidos is low. I used to eat low carb and intermittent fast. I have given up both since reading Danny Roddy, Ray Peat and Haidut.
I decided to get tests done to see what was happening. So...
Testosterone: 338ng/dl. (Only 10% above the low end)
Prolactin: 5.85ng/ml. Ref. 4.6-21.4
FSH: 1.4mlU/ml. Ref. 1.5-12.4
T3:124.3 Ref. 80-200 (37.5% above the low end)
T4: 1.3. Ref. .93-1.7 (at 50% above low end)
TSH: 3.64. Ref. .27-4.2

The testosterone level is obviously low. The thyroid levels seem low even though they are within the acceptable range. TSH is high if I go by RP's comment regarding TSH shouldn't be over 2.

I have been eating more Peat like for months. I now include sugar in my diet and look to avoid PUFA when possible. The only thing I'm supplementing with now is MitoLipin, coffee and aspirin. The coffee and aspirin are the only things that will raise my temps and make me sweat a little (thanks Haidut!).

I want to avoid TRT if possible. Will thyroid help with my issues to include testosterone? Will pregnenlone work or is it better to go straight to thyroid? I though that my prolactin test would be a smoking gun but it is relatively low. I'm not sure what is blocking the production of thyroid and testosterone.

Any help would be appreciated!

 

[tara]

I'm not an expert, but my hunch would be that there may be a case for experimenting cautiously with thyroid supplementation, but I'd favour checking that nutrition is solid for a time first, in case that's enough to resolve issues, and also because you need good nutrition to have thyroid supps be helpful rather than just stressful.

Wanna post what (and how much) you are eating?

If/when you do try thyroid, Peat has been known to suggest getting some T3 as well as T4, dosing T3 at physiological amounts (eg 1-2 mcg) multiple times in day as needed, starting with a low dose of T4 or T3+T4 combo and only incrementing as required after at least 2 wks. T4 has long half-life, so it takes a while to build up to a stable blood level at constant dosing. Anfd keep monitoring temps and heart-rate while adjusting dose.

Are you getting regular sunlight?

 

[Atlas72]

I am not getting regular sunlight due to shift work with my job. I do take vitamin d. This was an issue I discovered about a year and a half ago.
My breakfast is usually 2 cups of coffee with half and half and sugar. A glass of orange juice and maybe a couple of eggs or a protein shake.
Lunch is normally cafeteria food. Meat, veggies, small salad and water.
Dinner varies. Some kind of meat. Maybe some veggies. Cheese. Fruit. Sorbetto or ice cream. Another glass of orange juice. More coffee.
Since I try to avoid PUFA. I don't eat much that comes in a box. I don't mind liver but I have not eaten it consistently every week.

 

[tara]

I am not getting regular sunlight due to shift work with my job.

Shift-work might be messing with you. We get more than just vit-D from sunlight. The red-near infrared is also important for restoring the cytochrome oxidase enzyme, which is involved in mitochondrial oxidation. It runs down in the dark of night, and UV lights like the common fluorescents are much more blue light than red. If there is a way you can get a bit of daylight regularly that might make a difference. Reversing the usual day/night rythm can be hard on people too.