Ray Peat on the Thyroid Gland

The costly adaptations of serotonin production

"Stress of various kinds increases the production of serotonin and various pituitary hormones, leading to adaptive changes in the organism, but at the cost of inflammation and degeneration. Studies on several pituitary hormones have shown aging-accelerating effects that lead to edema, inflammation, fibrosis, and reduced lifespan. W. D. Denckla's experiments, which show the strong life-extending effect of removing the pituitary gland – while supplementing thyroid and glucocorticoid hormones – suggest possibilities for finding ways to prevent the overproduction of serotonin as well as the associated hormones and cytokines."

September 2019 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

The connection between hypothyroidism and atherosclerosis

"Several people demonstrated in the 1930s and *40s that hypothyroidism causes atherosclerosis and that thyroid supplementation corrects this. In people whose thyroid was removed, serum cholesterol increased while their metabolic rate slowed; and when they received dried thyroid to normalize their metabolic rate, their serum cholesterol normalized immediately accordingly."

September 2018 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Milk components support efficient energy use

"Milk provides lactose, which is quickly metabolized into glucose, as well as small amounts of other substances, including progesterone and thyroid hormone, which promote their efficient use."

September 2017 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

The role of liver function in converting to active thyroid hormone

"The liver provides about 70% of our active thyroid hormone by converting thyroxine into T3; however, it can only supply this active hormone if it has enough glucose. Frequent snacks – for example, drinking a few ounces of orange juice every hour – keep T3 levels high by supplying glucose to the liver."

Nutrition For Women

Increase in estrogen due to stress and its effects on male behavior

"Stress leads to an increase in estrogen and a loss of anti-estrogens such as thyroid hormone, progesterone, and (in men) testosterone. Male monkeys that are bullied have reduced testosterone levels, and this effect persists long after their environment has improved. The stress of submission seems to lead to an adaptation to passivity. This passivity prevents further injury, but we do not know how stressful their continued subordination is."

Nutrition For Women

Metabolic inefficiency in the estrogen-dominated state compared to the oxidative state

"Energetically, the estrogen-dominated metabolic state is less efficient than the oxidative state dominated by thyroid and progesterone (or testosterone). The estrogen state is – similar to the state of learned helplessness in rats – parasympathetic, in that many chemical balances have shifted away from the mobilized sympathetic or adrenergic state. For example, the estrogen state lowers blood sugar, while the mobilized state conserves glucose by oxidizing fat."

Nutrition For Women

Personal and observational reports on the influence of thyroid and progesterone on mood

"When I first took enough dried thyroid that my heart noticeably beat faster, a feeling of joy rose from my belly through my chest, making me want to smile and laugh. When I observed suicidal women using thyroid or progesterone, there was a transformation (with progesterone within less than an hour, with thyroid within a few hours or longer) from crying to smiling and laughing; they speak of unbearable pain being replaced by joy."

Nutrition For Women

Hormonal support for the health of mother and fetus in nutrition-related stressed situations

"Furthermore: If the mother's overall health is so poor that nutrition during pregnancy alone cannot compensate for lifelong deprivation, the use of hormones could keep the mother healthy during pregnancy and act as a buffer between the fetus and the mother's metabolic instability. In some regions, thyroid hormone would be crucial. In all regions, progesterone can improve pregnancy in a large percentage of women."

Nutrition For Women

Thyroid hormone and vitamin A against the effects of estrogen

"Thyroid hormone and vitamin A promote protein metabolism and counteract some effects of estrogen. In fact, it is known that hyperthyroidism can lower estrogen levels below the normal range."

Nutrition For Women

Endocrine interactions and thyroid-related compensation of estrogen

"The idea of physiological compensation is sometimes overlooked in the interpretation of endocrine interactions—with confusing results. The brain-pituitary system (not just the hypothalamus, since the entire brain and sensory system are involved as reflex setters) is probably the most important regulatory or compensatory system. When estrogen is injected into an animal, the level of thyroid-stimulating hormone rises (Brown-Grant, J. Endocr. 35, 263, 1966). This should be understood as an indication that the peripheral effect of estrogen can be compensated by thyroxine. If thyroid function is borderline, it also suggests that increased estrogen might remain uncompensated peripherally. There are many known examples of a metabolic or functional opposition between estrogen and thyroid."

Nutrition For Women

The essential role of thyroid hormone for cellular respiration and biological functions

"Thyroid hormone is necessary for cellular respiration and enables all higher biological functions. Without the metabolic efficiency promoted by thyroid hormone, life would hardly progress beyond the unicellular stage. Without sufficient thyroid function, we become lethargic, clumsy, cold, anemic, and susceptible to infections, heart disease, headaches, cancer, and many other illnesses, and appear prematurely aged because none of our tissues can function normally."

Nutrition For Women

The influence of cysteine on thyroid function during stress and hunger

"Cysteine, an amino acid abundant in muscle and liver, apparently blocks the synthesis of thyroid hormone. When we are starving or under stress, cortisone ensures that these protein-rich tissues are broken down. If metabolism continued at a normal pace, stress or hunger would quickly destroy us. However, the cysteine released from muscle inhibits the thyroid, so metabolism slows down."

Nutrition For Women

Adaptive hypothyroidism triggered by stress and intense training

"Cortisone also inhibits the thyroid. Any stress, including intense physical exertion, causes this protective slowing of metabolism. The slow heartbeat of runners is largely the result of this adaptive hypothyroidism."

Nutrition For Women

Nutritional influence on thyroid function and comparison of foods

"When we eat large amounts of muscle meat or liver, the high concentration of cysteine suppresses the thyroid. Heart, eggs, skin (gelatin), and milk are more favorable for the thyroid. Other thyroid-inhibiting foods include peanuts, soybeans, raw cabbage, radishes, broccoli, cauliflower, unsaturated oils (such as safflower, corn, cottonseed, and soybean oil), as well as an excess of iodine."

Nutrition For Women

The Conversion of Thyroid Hormones Under Stress and Aging

“When a baby is born or when someone experiences other stress, such as an infection, or when someone ages, the best-known thyroid hormone, thyroxine, is not converted normally into the more active form T3 (triiodothyronine). Under these emergency conditions, reduced oxygen consumption is a useful adaptation.”

Nutrition For Women

The Effectiveness of Natural Thyroid Under Stress Conditions

“Many people whose thyroid is suppressed by stress may not respond to synthetic thyroxine, T4, because the same stress can block its conversion to T3. Natural thyroid (USP) is generally the most effective.”

Nutrition For Women

Recovery and Function of the Thyroid After Supplementation

“Contrary to common beliefs about the thyroid, the gland resumes its function after stopping a supplement, even if it was suppressed; and sometimes taking thyroid increases gland function up to the normal range. Taking thyroid can help some thin people gain weight by improving protein metabolism, and it often helps to sleep more calmly.”

Nutrition For Women

Modulation of the Dopamine-Serotonin Balance by Progesterone, Thyroid, and Other Factors

“The dopamine-serotonin balance (e.g., in controlling prolactin secretion) can be altered by progesterone, thyroid, and other factors.”

Nutrition For Women

Biochemical Overlaps Between Lithium and Progesterone Regarding Thyroid Function

“Much of the known biochemistry of lithium coincidentally overlaps with the effects of progesterone, e.g., aldosterone antagonism. However, while lithium has a thyroid-inhibiting effect, progesterone supports the release of thyroxine and apparently inhibits the formation of reverse T3 – the substance that blocks the action of thyroid hormone.”

Nutrition For Women

The Complex Role of the Estrogen/Progesterone Ratio for Health

“An elevated estrogen/progesterone ratio is generally more involved than either a simple excess of estrogen or a deficiency of progesterone; yet even this ratio is influenced by other factors, including age, nutrition, other steroids, thyroid, and other hormones.”

Nutrition For Women

Nutritional and Hormonal Influences on Cellular Respiration

"Various nutritional, hormonal, or toxic conditions disrupt respiration in different ways: For example, vitamin E deficiency, estrogen excess, a toxic thyroid state, and DNP (the formerly widespread, carcinogenic 'reducing agent') cause oxygen to be consumed without producing the normal amount of usable energy. A deficiency of vitamin B2 or copper can prevent oxygen consumption. Cancer (contrary to a persistent establishment doctrine) involves a defect in respiration and causes a tendency toward hypoglycemia, often compensated by converting protein into sugar, leading to the terminal wasting condition (cachexia)."

Nutrition For Women

Stress effects on thyroid and hormones

"Stress inhibits the thyroid and can lower progesterone (and/or testosterone) while increasing estrogen. Recent work by Siiteri and his group shows hormonal involvement in various autoimmune diseases. Women are significantly more susceptible to these diseases than men."

Nutrition For Women

Menopausal symptoms and progesterone deficiency

"Strickler found that only 10% of his patients with menopausal symptoms like hot flashes actually felt and benefited from estrogen when it was given alternately with a placebo. These studies—and several dozen others—have convinced me that menopausal symptoms mainly result from a progesterone deficiency relative to estrogens. The 10% who truly feel better from estrogen may have an estrogen deficiency, but this was not established, and several other factors could explain the boost they feel; for example, a healthy thyroid responds to increased estrogen with enhanced thyroxine release, which would at least cause the person to feel different and possibly raise blood sugar, increase alertness, etc."

Nutrition For Women

Nutritional needs for regulating estrogen and thyroid function

"In addition to the nutrients needed to regulate estrogen levels (protein and B vitamins) and the nutrients the thyroid requires (e.g., iodine, manganese, and cobalt), special attention should be given to the anti-stress vitamins involved in progesterone synthesis (vitamin A, pantothenic acid, vitamin C, vitamin E), as well as the nutrients that are demonstrably consumed in greater amounts during estrogen excess: especially folic acid, zinc, and vitamin B6."

Nutrition For Women

Connection between high cholesterol, hypothyroidism, and heart attacks

"High cholesterol usually indicates low thyroid function. When the thyroid is low, cholesterol is not efficiently converted into progesterone. The actual cause of heart attacks appears to be hypothyroidism and its consequences, including a loss of magnesium."

Nutrition For Women

Dietary Practices to Promote Progesterone Formation and Thyroid Health

"There are several dietary practices that promote the formation of progesterone, but the most effective is to eat liver once a week, use eggs daily, and avoid foods that inhibit the thyroid, such as raw cabbage and broccoli. Butter contains some progesterone."

Nutrition For Women

Thyroid Intake Through Consuming the Whole Animal

"Meat eaters would normally ingest 1/4 to 1/2 grain of thyroid daily through their food if the whole animal were used."

Nutrition For Women

The Role of Diet and Thyroid in Stress-Related Diseases

"A diet high in animal protein and other nutrients – including an appropriate amount of dried thyroid when refined proteins are used – can cause an immediate improvement in many diseases specifically caused by stress."

Nutrition For Women

The Interaction of Iodine, Unsaturated Fats, and Thyroid Function

"An excess of iodine from bread or kelp disrupts the thyroid much more if the diet contains large amounts of unsaturated fats, such as safflower or soybean oil, because these combine with iodine and form substances that inhibit the thyroid."

Nutrition For Women

Similarity of Hypothyroidism to Neurological Disorders

"Hypothyroidism can mimic the neurological problems of MS, but neurologists are generally willing to diagnose a condition as MS without performing thyroid tests."

Nutrition For Women

Normalization of the Immune System by Steroids and Thyroid Hormones

"Polyunsaturated oils suppress the immune system and therefore probably suppress symptoms. Steroids (e.g., progesterone) and thyroid hormones normalize the immune system when present in normal amounts."

Nutrition For Women

Effects of Unsaturated Fatty Acids on Immune and Thyroid Functions

"Unsaturated fatty acids inhibit some immune functions, also inhibit the thyroid, and furthermore directly inhibit cellular respiration."

Nutrition For Women

Thyroid Therapy as Supportive Cancer Treatment

"Thyroid therapy would be desirable in cancer, especially when cachexia is present. Gerson2 and Tallberg3 reported good results when the thyroid was used as part of supportive therapy."

Nutrition For Women

Effects of Thyroid and Progesterone on Protein Synthesis and Lactate Oxidation

"The relevant effects of the thyroid (especially together with progesterone, to promote the tissue response to the thyroid and block cortisone production) are, however, the stimulation of protein synthesis and the prevention of lactate formation – or the promotion of its oxidation, either by the tumor itself or by other tissues – to prevent its entry into the Cori cycle for gluconeogenesis."

Nutrition For Women

The Role of the Thyroid in Warburg's Cancer Theory

"If we accept Warburg's thesis that impaired respiration is the main cause of cancer, the therapeutic use of thyroid in cancer appears obvious."

Nutrition For Women

Nutritional Therapy and Hormonal Support for Abnormal Pap Smears

"Many women with abnormal Pap smears—even with a biopsy showing so-called carcinoma in situ—became normal again in just two months with a diet that included: 90 grams of protein, 500 mg magnesium as chloride, 100,000 units of vitamin A, 400 units of vitamin E, 5 mg folic acid, 100 mg pantothenic acid, 100 mg B6, 100 mg niacinamide, and 500 mg vitamin C, plus thyroid and progesterone as needed. Liver should be eaten twice a week. Some of the women apply vitamin A directly to the cervix."

Nutrition For Women

Mitigating Prolactin Excess with B6, Thyroid, and Progesterone

"All effects of prolactin excess (including amenorrhea), which respond to an increase in the DOPA/serotonin ratio, can to some extent also be achieved by other, more readily available means. Vitamin B6, thyroid, and progesterone all have this effect."

Nutrition For Women

The Connection Between Tryptophan, Serotonin, Prolactin, and Acne

"Since tryptophan promotes the formation of serotonin, which stimulates the release of prolactin, and prolactin activates the production of sebum (oil) by the skin, large amounts of milk could promote a tendency to acne if there is a deficiency of B6, thyroid, progesterone, etc."

Nutrition For Women

Fasting, Stress, and the Recovery of Thyroid Function

"Fasting and stress inhibit the thyroid and can worsen many symptoms. Thyroid function is not always restored when fasting ends."

Nutrition For Women

The Effect of Caffeine on Thyroid Stimulation

"Caffeine stimulates the thyroid."

Nutrition For Women

Bloating and the Digestive Effects of Hypothyroidism

"If bloating is a problem, even when a dietary change is not responsible, thyroid deficiency should be considered. A lack of stomach acid is typical in hypothyroidism but is only one aspect of a general digestive slowdown."

Nutrition For Women

Athletic Training, Stress Hormones, and Thyroid Function

"Athletic training is known to slow the pulse. Cortisone, produced by stress, inhibits the thyroid. (When the thyroid is low, less oxygen is needed; this is therefore a useful adaptation to increase endurance.) These hormonal changes are now known to cause infertility in both men and women."

Nutrition For Women

The Influence of Thyroid Hormone on Metabolic Rate and Body Temperature

"In the 1930s, it was known that thyroid hormone increases metabolic rate and raises body temperature. Since serum cholesterol decreased proportionally to the metabolic rate increased by thyroid supplementation, it was proposed to use cholesterol measurement to diagnose hypothyroidism."

November 2020 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Misconceptions about thyroxine and thyroid hormone treatments

"When the pure substance thyroxine became available and replaced the use of powdered thyroid to treat hypothyroidism, it led to two very important misconceptions that were deeply adopted into medical practice. It was decided that no more than 5% of the population had a thyroid hormone deficiency, and experiments were cited to argue that thermogenesis as well as an increased metabolic rate and oxygen consumption were not important effects of the hormone – because the liver was the only organ whose oxygen consumption increased when thyroxine was added, and because additional thyroxine lowered the brain’s oxygen consumption. The error was defining thyroxine as the thyroid hormone. The liver is the main organ that converts thyroxine into the active thyroid hormone triiodothyronine (T3); therefore, it could metabolically respond to thyroxine."

November 2020 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Controversy over temperature in the diagnosis of hypothyroidism

"The counter-reaction to Broda Barnes’ use of temperature to diagnose hypothyroidism was partly motivated by the belief that a below-average temperature was protective. This deeply rooted belief likely contributed to the official preference for the relatively inactive thyroxine over the thermogenically active natural thyroid (USP) and T3 – as well as the lack of interest in the connection between hypothermia and chronic infections, cardiovascular problems, kidney diseases, chronic inflammatory diseases, and other issues that increase with aging."

November 2020 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Connection between high metabolic rate and longevity at high altitude

"In a study (Alhazmi et al., 2018), T3 was four and a half times higher in people living at high altitude, T4 about three times higher, and TSH (a promoter of inflammation) was reduced by more than 25%. The high-altitude studies very convincingly show that a high metabolic rate is strongly associated with greater longevity and better health."

November 2020 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

The impact of menopause on respiratory and circulatory health

"Respiratory and circulatory problems increase with menopause, corresponding to a rise in inflammatory cytokines and cortisol as well as a decline in progesterone and thyroid hormone. Both thyroid and progesterone have thermogenic effects and lower estrogen levels."

November 2020 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Standard treatment of atrial fibrillation compared to thermogenic agents

"The standard treatment for atrial fibrillation is the destruction of part of the heart's conduction system, called ablation, which costs more than $25,000 in the USA and leads to heart failure in a very high percentage of cases. Correcting the problematic prolonged QT interval with thermogenic agents such as progesterone, thyroid, and aspirin (Korkmaz-Icéz et al., 2016) is of no interest to the profession."

November 2020 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

The role of aspirin in mitochondrial oxygen consumption and fever

"Probably due to aspirin's fever-reducing effect, medical culture tends to consider it antithermogenic – despite its known stimulation of mitochondrial oxygen consumption. Like thyroid hormone, aspirin prevents the stress-related loss of sodium, which is an important part of our system for regulating temperature and energy."

November 2020 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Dietary thermogenesis and the body's energy regulation

"Dietary thermogenic factors include sodium, calcium, vitamin D, carbohydrates – especially sugar – and protein, which interact with our body's own energy regulation factors, particularly thyroid and progesterone."

November 2020 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Minimizing stressors and maximizing protective factors

"It is important to minimize low-grade stressors and injuries and to optimize protective factors such as light, carbohydrates, thyroid hormone, carbon dioxide, and a sense of meaningful future."

November 2017 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Low T3 increases stress susceptibility

"When the body's anabolic hormones, especially the thyroid hormone T3, are reduced, more events are experienced as stressful."

November 2016 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Thymus atrophy: causes and supportive factors for restoration

"Factors causing thymus gland atrophy include cortisol and other glucocorticoid hormones, estrogen, prostaglandins, polyunsaturated fatty acids, lipid peroxidation, nitric oxide, endotoxin, hypoglycemia, and ionizing radiation. Progesterone and thyroid hormone support the restoration of the thymus gland by providing protection against all these atrophy triggers. Increasing sugar in the diet can correct some of the metabolic changes of aging."

November 2016 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

The effects of thyroid deficiency on memory and hyperactivity

"Memory and attention are already impaired by a mild thyroid deficiency. The Russian paradigm, with its emphasis on energy and inhibition, suggests that thyroid function should be carefully examined in cases of hyperactivity."

Mind And Tissue Russian Research Perspectives on the Human Brain

The connection between altitude therapy and antioxidant activity

"The changes observed by Meerson's group during altitude therapy resemble the changes that occur during supplementation with thyroid and antioxidants. The lower oxygen concentration in tissues at high altitude would increase the body's antioxidant reserves and make it more resistant to stress. Similarly, reducing the intake of unsaturated fats in the diet protects against oxidative stress."

Mind And Tissue Russian Research Perspectives on the Human Brain

Historical use of gland extracts in neurological treatments

"Extracts from glands and other tissues have been used for generations to treat nervous disorders (e.g., Filatov, 1945). Thyroid – with or without gonadal extracts – was widely used to treat nervous and mental disorders."

Mind And Tissue Russian Research Perspectives on the Human Brain

Factors for healthier pregnancies and the postpartum period

"The most important factors that can be optimized with available resources. Healthier pregnancies lead to a healthier and happier life after birth. These factors include sunlight, vitamin D, milk, cheese, eggs, fruit, and well-cooked vegetables, fiber-rich foods, as well as optimizing thyroid function and pregnenolone and progesterone (which support mitochondrial function and protect against aldosterone, parathyroid hormone, excess serotonin, CRK, and cortisol, and also increase allopregnanolone), and – if necessary – the safest anti-inflammatory and anti-serotonergic medications like aspirin and cyproheptadine."

May 2019 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Anti-excitotoxic substances and the importance of the CO2/lactate ratio

"Anti-excitotoxic substances include progesterone, memantine, minocycline, and agmatine. A high ratio of CO2 to lactate, which lowers intracellular pH, is important to prevent excessive excitability. Thyroid hormone increases – besides directly boosting energy and the CO2/lactate ratio – the brain's temperature and raises the ratio of progesterone to estrogen."

May 2018 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

The influence of various factors on mitochondrial oxygen consumption

"When cells breathe strongly, all the oxygen reaching the mitochondria is immediately consumed, so the oxygen concentration near the respiratory enzymes is close to zero. If something disrupts mitochondrial oxygen consumption (for example, a deficiency of thyroid hormone or the presence of too much polyunsaturated fat or nitric oxide or carbon monoxide), the local oxygen concentration rises because it is not consumed."

March 2021 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Oxidative processes and factors of enzyme regulation

“The oxidative processes that support targeted, creative functioning of the organism optimize CO2 by inhibiting carbonic anhydrase; this enzyme is inhibited by the thyroid hormone T3, progesterone, urea, caffeine, antipsychotic drugs, and aspirin. Agents that tend to cause a return to primitive anaerobic energy production activate the enzyme – for example serotonin, tryptophan, cysteine, histamine, estrogen, aldosterone, HIF, SSRIs, angiotensin, and parathyroid hormone.”

March 2020 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Health effects of titanium dioxide in supplements

“Medications and supplements often contain microparticulate titanium dioxide (classified by IARC as a Group 2 carcinogen) and silica to make appealing tablets. These substances are sometimes even used in encapsulated vitamins and powdered thyroid to speed up filling and reduce static electrical charges.”

March 2019 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

The impact of hypothyroidism on sleep and cell activity

“Since thyroid hormone is needed throughout the body for oxidative metabolism, a deficiency causes brain cells to relax slowly, delaying sleep onset and even preventing the deepest, most restorative sleep. Because all cells are regulated by excitatory and inhibitory processes, hypothyroidism can create a tendency toward excitatory states, which can lead, for example, to abnormal secretion and proliferation.”

March 2018 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

The crucial role of thyroid hormone in maintaining deep sleep

“Thyroid hormone – by promoting the oxidation of glucose and increasing ATP – is extremely important for the ability to achieve and maintain the necessary deep sleep.”

March 2018 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

The effect of T3 on sleep and thyroid-stimulating hormone

“Thyroxine, T4, helps lower the nighttime level of the proinflammatory thyroid-stimulating hormone TSH, but 5 or 10 mcg of the immediately active T3 before bedtime usually leads to falling asleep within minutes.”

March 2018 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

List of various medications and supplements

“Acetazolamide, Agmatine, Amantadine, Aminoguanidine, Antibiotics (Minocycline, Tetracycline, etc.), Antihistamines, Aspirin, Bromocriptine, DCA, Emodin, Glucagon, Glucose, Memantine, Methylene Blue, Niacinamide, T3 (Triiodothyronine), Vitamin D, Vitamin E.”

March 2016 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Connection between diabetes and hypothyroidism

"Diabetes and hypothyroidism are very closely linked because the activation of thyroid hormone requires the use of glucose – and thyroid hormone, in turn, is necessary for the efficient use of glucose."

July 2017 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

The influence of stress hormones on the thyroid under extreme stress

"When the demands on a healthy organism are very intense or prolonged, stress hormones block thyroid function, causing this reductive shift and activating fundamental survival processes such as cell renewal or reproduction."

July 2017 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Enzymatic breakdown of active hormones

"The active thyroid hormone T3 is locally broken down by a specific deiodinase, prostaglandins are formed by cyclooxygenase, estrogen by aromatase, and nitric oxide by its synthase. These enzymes are activated by chemical reduction of their disulfide groups, converting them into thiols."

July 2016 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Nutritional strategies to maintain energy efficiency

"Maintaining high energy efficiency while reducing wasteful overexcitations has a long tradition in health optimization. Avoiding excessive polyunsaturated fats and phosphate in the diet and regularly consuming the essential nutrients needed to maintain the production of thyroid and progesterone is simple. Choosing foods that contain substances protecting against the many known proinflammatory, aging-accelerating processes is relatively easy – citrus fruits, for example, contain a wide variety of substances related to nobiletin, naringin, fisetin, and quercetin."

January 2021 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Thyroid and estrogen: rapid cellular effects

"It has been observed that the active thyroid hormone almost immediately increases the oxygen consumption of cells, and that estrogen equally quickly enhances the uptake of sugar and water by the cells. These changes are far too rapid to be the result of communication with the cell nucleus leading to the synthesis of new proteins."

January 2019 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

The role of the reductive balance as a cell-organizing factor

"The reductive balance is an important cell-organizing factor that, for example, controls the conversion of the relatively inactive estrone into the potent estradiol. (This is often where a vicious cycle of excitation, exhaustion, and degeneration begins, requiring the intervention of stabilizing substances such as carbon dioxide, thyroid hormone, sugar, and progesterone.)"

January 2019 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Thyroid hormone balances metabolism

“Since the metabolic rate must be balanced with fuel availability, thyroid hormone, which directly activates respiratory enzymes, is especially important. Just as an animal could not hibernate in a hyperthyroid state, a fundamental mechanism in dealing with stress in non-hibernators is to lower thyroid hormone production. Nitric oxide blocks thyroid hormone formation in response to thyroid-stimulating hormone.”

January 2016 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Conversion of animal cholesterol into steroids and the role of the thyroid

“In animals, cholesterol is the fundamental sterol molecule that is extensively converted into other substances, including steroid hormones. Thyroid hormone and vitamin A are required for this conversion.”

Generative Energy Restoring The Wholeness Of Life

Progesterone strengthens thyroid function against estrogen

“Progesterone also enables the thyroid to secrete its hormones – especially when thyroid function has been inhibited by estrogen.”

Generative Energy Restoring The Wholeness Of Life

The inadequacy of blood tests to determine thyroid hormone levels

“Measuring the amount of thyroid hormone in the blood is not a good way to assess the adequacy of thyroid function because the tissue response to the hormone can be inhibited (for example, by unsaturated fats).”

Generative Energy Restoring The Wholeness Of Life

Thyroid secretion ratio and the liver’s role in conversion

“The thyroid secretes about three parts thyroxine to one part triiodothyronine, which allows the liver to regulate thyroid function by converting more T4 into the active T3 when energy is abundant. Glucose is essential for this conversion.”

Generative Energy Restoring The Wholeness Of Life

Cytomel use to approximate the physiological T3 production rate

“When Cytomel is used, it makes sense to approximate the physiological rate of T3 production by nibbling on one tablet (10 or 25 mcg) during the day.”

Generative Energy Restoring The Wholeness Of Life

The 1930s understanding of hormones and organism resilience

“Until the 1930s, it was well established that the organism's resilience depended on the energy produced by respiration under the influence of the thyroid gland as well as on adrenal hormones – and that pregnancy hormones (especially progesterone) could replace the adrenal hormones.”

Generative Energy Restoring The Wholeness Of Life

Thyroid hormone as a fundamental anti-stress factor

"In a way, thyroid hormone is the fundamental anti-stress hormone because it is required for the production of adrenal and pregnancy hormones."

Generative Energy Restoring The Wholeness Of Life

The influence of stress on hormone production and deficiency states

"Stress that can cause cortisone deficiency is even more likely to disrupt the production of progesterone and thyroid hormone; therefore, the fact that cortisone can relieve symptoms does not mean it has fixed the problem."

Generative Energy Restoring The Wholeness Of Life

The limits of cortisone without addressing the causes

"Although cortisone supplementation can help with a wide variety of stress-related diseases, no cure will occur as long as the underlying cause is not found. Besides the thyroid, the other class of adaptive hormones that often becomes imbalanced in stress diseases is the group of hormones mainly produced by the gonads: the reproductive hormones."

Generative Energy Restoring The Wholeness Of Life

The importance of thyroid, pregnenolone, and vitamin E for fertility

"Thyroid, pregnenolone, and vitamin E are as important for male fertility as thyroid, progesterone, and vitamin E are for female fertility. (For example, additional thyroid and pregnenolone can increase a man's sperm count by overcoming the effects of stress.)"

Generative Energy Restoring The Wholeness Of Life

Historical evidence of thyroid deficiency in the USA

"Many researchers (before the late 1940s) found that about 40% of people in the USA showed signs of insufficient thyroid function (low oxygen consumption and high serum cholesterol) and benefited from taking a thyroid preparation."

Generative Energy Restoring The Wholeness Of Life

Denckla's theory of a pituitary "death hormone" in aging

"W. Donner Denckla suggested that there is a death hormone in the pituitary gland that appears during puberty and initiates the aging process by suppressing oxygen utilization. He believed that simply administering a thyroid preparation would not protect against it and that it was an independent hormone, even though it tended to appear in tissue extracts in connection with prolactin and growth hormone. Although I think there is still much to learn about pituitary hormones, I do not believe Denckla discovered anything – except puberty."

Generative Energy Restoring The Wholeness Of Life

Classification of the unphysiological dosage of the T3 hormone

"Since the body normally produces about 4 mcg of T3 per hour, taking 10 or 20 mcg at once is unphysiological."

Email reply from Ray Peat

The role of the thyroid in cholesterol conversion

"Thyroid tends to lower cholesterol by converting it into pregnenolone and other steroids."

Email reply from Ray Peat

Thyroid as the primary regulator of respiratory adaptation

"The thyroid is the most important regulating and adaptive substance for respiration."

Email reply from Ray Peat

Personal experience: influence of progesterone and DHEA on melanomas

"Years ago I had some probable melanomas, and I found that progesterone and DHEA as well as increased thyroid function caused them to disappear quickly."

Email reply from Ray Peat

The influence of the thyroid on calorie needs and glucose regulation

"In my teenage years and twenties, when I was physically active, I needed about 8000 calories per day, about 4000 to 5000 when living sedentary; but after taking thyroid, I only needed about half as many calories. The thyroid is the fundamental regulator of blood sugar, and it ensures that it is fully oxidized for energy production, so ATP is produced efficiently – with relatively few calories."

Email reply from Ray Peat

Estrogen levels and antiestrogenic factors in reproduction

"The actual estrogen level rises throughout the reproductive years, and in menopause the decrease of antiestrogenic factors such as progesterone, thyroid, and DHEA leads to increased estrogen effects."

February 2001

Natural antagonists in the treatment of degenerative brain diseases

"Antiendorphin, anti-excitotoxic, anticholinergic, antiserotonergic, antiprostaglandin, and antiglucocorticoid drugs have been used with good effect in various degenerative nervous diseases, but all so-called anti-drugs are imprecise antagonists and have many side effects. Natural antagonists and nutrients are usually helpful. Protein, sodium, magnesium, carbon dioxide/bicarbonate, progesterone, thyroid, vitamins, etc. can have healing effects in many brain diseases."

February 2001

Different reactions of antiestrogenic systems in the organism

"There are many antiestrogenic systems (thyroid, progesterone, testosterone, sulfation, methylation, glucuronidation, anti-inflammatory factors, etc.), and the diverse, specific way the organism responds to stimulation is probably enough to explain the different outcomes, such as masculinity or femininity, swelling or growth, alertness or mania."

March 2000

Thyroid hormone and fatty acids in the activation of respiratory enzymes

"Thyroid hormone, palmitic acid, and light activate a crucial respiratory enzyme and thereby suppress the formation of lactic acid. Palmitic acid is found in coconut oil and is naturally produced in animal tissues. Unsaturated oils have the opposite effect."

July 2000

Treatment of lactic acid excess by inhibition of glycolysis

"Heart failure, shock, and other problems involving excessive lactic acid production can be successfully treated by poisoning glycolysis with dichloroacetic acid: this reduces lactic acid production, increases glucose oxidation, and raises cellular ATP concentration. Thyroid, vitamin B1, biotin, etc. achieve the same."

July 2000

Non-toxic therapies for treating lactic acidosis

"Therapeutically, even strong poisons that block glycolytic enzymes can improve functions in a variety of organic disorders associated with excessive lactic acid production (or caused by it). Unfortunately, the poison that has become the standard treatment for lactic acidosis – dichloroacetic acid – is carcinogenic and eventually causes liver damage and acidosis. But several non-toxic therapies can achieve the same effect: for example palmitate (which is formed from sugar under the influence of thyroid hormone and is found in coconut oil), vitamin B1, biotin, lipoic acid, carbon dioxide, thyroid, naloxone, acetazolamide."

July 2000

The role of the thyroid in sleep and energy production

"Since I became a good sleeper as soon as I started taking thyroid, and had seen that thyroid alone would cure most people's insomnia (sometimes – as a doctor described his experience – better than morphine), I began to understand that the adrenaline disturbing sleep was a sign of faulty energy production, and that the things restoring sleep – for example thyroid, salt, sugar, protein, and progesterone – acted directly on the cells' energy production."

January 2000 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

The effect of salt and thyroid on blood pressure and sleep

"Since increased adrenaline tends to raise blood pressure, I began explaining to friends over 80 the effects of salt and thyroid. They found that they slept better, had more regular heartbeats, and did not suffer from swollen feet when they ate a normal amount of salt. It did not raise their blood pressure."

January 2000 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Sodium retention and carbon dioxide in hypothyroidism

"A low thyroid function is associated with reduced carbon dioxide production, and body fluids do not retain as much sodium as in normal individuals. Both urine and sweat tend to contain an abnormally high sodium concentration in hypothyroidism. Since CO2 is central to pH regulation and the excretion of hydrogen ions (acidic urine) is a mechanism involved in sodium retention, the CO2 deficiency in hypothyroidism is likely closely related to the inability to retain sufficient sodium."

1998 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Binding of carbon dioxide to insulin and effects of thyroid hormone

"Although carbon dioxide probably binds with most amino groups in the body, few of these reactions have been studied. For example, it is known to bind to insulin and influence its conformation. I think this likely explains some of the effects of thyroid hormone in diabetes, since the thyroid increases carbon dioxide production."

1998 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Effects of thyroid and pituitary removal on nearsightedness

"When rats have their thyroid removed, they become nearsighted; however, if the pituitary gland is also removed at the same time, they do not develop myopia. Hypothyroidism is classically associated with myxedema, where tissues become overloaded with glycoproteins or mucins. Several pituitary hormones are known to stimulate the overproduction of mucins."

1998 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Thyroid hormone as a promoter of carbon dioxide production

"Thyroid hormone is the most important promoter of carbon dioxide production."

1998 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Supportive measures for fundamental organizational fields

"The safest and most effective measures are those that support our fundamental organizational fields (for example sodium, carbon dioxide, balanced proteins, fruit, thyroid, pregnenolone) and do not introduce distortions – as some medications, foods, hormones, and supplements do."

1998 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Estrogen production in fat and age-related increase

"Estrogen is produced in fat (Stiterti and MacDonald, 1973; Vermeulen, 1976), which tends to increase with age when thyroid and progesterone are deficient."

May 1998 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Decrease of thyroid hormone T3 and effects of aging

"The active thyroid hormone T3 decreases with age, which inevitably lowers the production of pregnenolone and progesterone."

May 1998 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Hormonal changes in men at 50 and prostate enlargement

"At 50, men often show an excess of both prolactin and estrogen as well as a deficiency in thyroid and testosterone. At this age, prostate enlargement often becomes noticeable."

May 1998 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Estrogen effects beyond receptors in the cancer development process

"Many of the key effects of estrogen do not involve the receptors. A direct stimulating effect on prostate cells as well as indirect effects via the pituitary gland, pancreas, thyroid, adrenal glands, fatty acids, prostaglandins, histamine, and the circulatory system are likely essential components of the cancer development process."

May 1998 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Nutritional and endocrine support for prostate health

"Thyroid supplementation, adequate animal protein, trace elements, and vitamin A are the first things to consider in preventing prostate hypertrophy and cancer. Nutritional and endocrine support can be combined with rational cancer treatments, as there is really no sharp boundary between different approaches aimed at achieving an endocrine and immunological balance without harming anything."

May 1998 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Treatment of scleroderma with thyroid, magnesium, and progesterone

"Men diagnosed with scleroderma have reported to me that their symptoms have regressed through the use of thyroid and magnesium supplements, Epsom salt baths, as well as topical progesterone and vitamin E. I suspect that the carbon dioxide produced in the mitochondria is the most important factor in removing calcium from them."

1997 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Thyroid and magnesium in normalizing mitochondria

Thyroid and magnesium are often the factors needed to normalize mitochondria and prevent calcification. In general, tired cells take up calcium and lose magnesium.

1997 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Normalizing pituitary function with progesterone and thyroid

Progesterone, thyroid, bromocriptine, and other things are available to normalize the pituitary gland when it is not functioning properly.

1997 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

The calming effect of thyroid hormone on hypermetabolism

Although I was rather hypermetabolic and had puzzled for years over the simultaneous occurrence of signs of both hyper- and hypothyroidism, I finally tried taking thyroid. Immediately, I was able to sleep lightly and deeply, and my need for food decreased. It was obvious that thyroid had a calming effect on my entire metabolism. I slept more efficiently, woke up refreshed, had plenty of energy during the day, and started looking for household tasks for fun. Before taking thyroid, the first thing I did every morning was drink two or three cups of coffee. But a few days after starting, I noticed I no longer thought about coffee as often, and I drank about 90% less without any withdrawal symptoms.

April 1994 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

The importance of thyroid hormones for sustained brain energy

Thyroid hormones are crucial for providing the energy that keeps the brain at a high energy level at all times. When these hormones are lacking, our nerves need stimulants to function normally, and our body usually produces large amounts of adrenaline to keep us going. The result is that we feel both tired and tense at the same time.

April 1994 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

The influence of carbohydrates and salt on brain energy and relaxation

The brain is like a muscle: it needs to restore its energy to be able to relax. Many people have noticed that they become sleepy when they eat a lot of carbohydrates and/or salt. Both salt and carbohydrates tend to lower adrenaline, and carbohydrates can also increase thyroid hormone activity while restoring energy in the tissues.

April 1994 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

The influence of diet and thyroid supplements on insomnia

In the last 20 years, I have observed that insomnia disappeared in almost all people when they corrected their hypothyroidism – sometimes just through dietary changes, but more often through a thyroid supplement. People have often told me that they fall asleep within minutes when they take a minimal dose of thyroid before bedtime. By increasing the rate of energy production,

April 1994 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

The energy demand for the cellular resting state

When cells don’t have enough energy – whether due to insufficient fuel, overload, lack of oxygen, or poisoning – they absorb water. Too much water tends to excite the cells and can even stimulate cell division. The hyperactive state of a muscle cell, that is, a cramp, causes energy to be consumed. What is often overlooked: the cell needs even more energy to return to its resting state, and for that, an excess of glucose or other fuel, oxygen, and thyroid hormone are necessary so the cell can produce energy quickly enough to become calm and relaxed.

April 1994 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

The calming effect of thyroid hormone on hyperactivity

For many years, a few doctors have known about the calming effect of thyroid and have prescribed it to both hyperactive children and lethargic children – as well as otherwise healthy children with growing pains.

April 1994 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

How unsaturated oils impair thyroid function

The more unsaturated an oil is, the more it impairs thyroid secretion, the transport of thyroid hormone in the blood, and the response of thyroid receptors in the tissue.

April 1994 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Counterproductive effects of thyroxine on thyroid function

Thyroxine alone can be counterproductive because it competes with the respiration-promoting triiodothyronine and because it suppresses TSH release, even when T3 is deficient. Likewise, a normal or high thyroxine level in the blood does not mean a person is not hypothyroid, since T3 is the active hormone. Most of our T3 is produced in the liver.)

April 1994 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Adrenaline release as a compensatory reaction in hypothyroidism

People with low thyroid function compensate for the lack of energy and glucose (and for similar reasons also oxygen) by releasing an excess of adrenaline. Their 24-hour urine metabolites of adrenaline are sometimes 30 to 40 times above normal levels.

June 1992 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Systems that counteract the toxic effects of adrenaline

There are several systems that counteract the toxic effects of adrenaline. GABA, dopamine, and adenosine have diverse anti-adrenergic effects. In many situations, the parasympathetic system acts protectively against adrenaline. Protective steroids also intervene on many levels. Magnesium, which is maintained in the cell especially under the influence of ATP and thyroid, is our fundamental calcium blocker or calcium antagonist. GABA and dopamine inhibit the ACTH-glucocorticoid system and shift the steroid balance toward protective anti-glucocorticoids: progesterone, testosterone, pregnenolone, and DHEA.

June 1992 - Ray Peat's Newslettersss

Comprehensive list of protective dietary substances

A complete list of protective dietary chemicals as well as natural "medications" or analogs of our endogenous protective factors would be very long, but some deserve special attention: including succinic acid, which stimulates respiration and the synthesis of protective steroids; thyroid and vitamin E, which promote normal oxidation while preventing abnormal oxidation; magnesium; sodium and lithium, which help store magnesium; tropical fruits containing GHB; coconut oil, which protects against heart necrosis, lipid peroxidation, hypothyroidism, hypoglycemia, and histamine damage; Valium agonists, natural antihistamines; adenosine and uridine. Stays at higher altitudes as well as exposure to bright, long-wavelength light can prompt the body to optimize its own anti-stress chemistry. Avoiding the feeling of being trapped is a high-ranking adaptation factor.

June 1992 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Autoimmune antibodies as indicators of organ stress

Antibodies against certain tissues are likely part of a normal process to eliminate damaged cells. For example, a piece of cartilage becomes antigenic simply by twisting. After speaking with many people who had anti-thyroid antibodies that disappeared shortly after their thyroids returned to normal through physiological therapies, I concluded that autoimmune antibodies are useful to indicate which organ is under stress but should not be understood as a sign of an immunological disease.

December 1992 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Thyroid hormone and body temperature in white blood cell function

The energy available to white blood cells and the condition of various tissue cells determine the processes of phagocytosis, healing, and tissue remodeling. Thyroid hormone and body temperature are important factors controlling white blood cell activity.

August/September 1992 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Effects of thyroid and temperature on phagocytic activity

The conditions controlling the resorption of the tadpole tail are probably relevant to how white blood cells function in mammals. Both cold and hypothyroidism tend to suppress or delay phagocytic activity in the tadpole tail. At sufficient temperature and enough thyroid hormone, the cells selectively remove the oldest cells first – suggesting they recognize the age of cells.

August/September 1992 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Misunderstandings about dependence on hormones and supplements

Wishes reflect needs, though rarely in a fully rational way. That something makes you feel better, and that you feel worse when you stop using it, should not be taken as proof of addiction potential – yet many people experience this with thyroid hormone, coffee, vitamins, and even ordinary foods.

June 1991 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

The effect of thyroid hormone on sleep, cramps, and anxiety

While many people consider thyroid as a kind of stimulant because it can reverse coma or lethargy in myxedema, this is a very misleading idea. In hypothyroidism, the brain-stimulating hormones adrenaline, estrogen, and cortisol are usually elevated, and the nerve-muscle relaxant magnesium is low. Normal, deep sleep is rare in a hypothyroid person. The correct dose of triiodothyronine (the active thyroid hormone) together with magnesium is a reliable treatment for insomnia, cramps, and anxiety – regardless of whether these symptoms are caused by exhaustion, aging, or alcohol withdrawal.

June 1991 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Treatment of stimulant withdrawal with certain medications

Camphor, adamantane amine (Amantadine, Symmetrel), and systemically administered local anesthetics can help with stimulant withdrawal. The usual (200 mg) dose of camphor and adamantane amine should not be exceeded. (The hormones thyroid, progesterone, and pregnenolone alone are sometimes sufficient.)

June 1991 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Promotion of protective hormones with succinic acid and atropine

The protective hormones can be used directly, or their synthesis can be promoted by using succinic acid, thyroid, vitamin A, and atropine-like drugs while maintaining an adequate cholesterol level.

January 1991 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Positive feedback systems with progesterone and thyroid hormones

The existence of some positive feedback systems (self-stimulation) shows, however, that our basic structure tends toward an expansive, upward direction. Progesterone (and its precursors pregnenolone and cholesterol) as well as thyroid hormones are involved in some important positive feedback systems that affect energy production, stress resistance, and brain growth.

October 1990 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

The positive effects of caffeine on thyroid and inflammation

I think some of the positive effects of caffeine come from stimulation of the thyroid and normal respiration. While it stimulates normal respiration, it acts anti-inflammatory – which is probably related both to the regulation of prostaglandins and to an antioxidant effect. Chemically, it is very similar to our natural antioxidant, uric acid, and it raises uric acid levels in the blood.

May 1990 - - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Rapid recovery of normal thyroid function after suppressive treatment

In normal people, a fully suppressed thyroid function only takes two or three days to return to normal after the suppressive treatment is stopped.

August/September 1990 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

The potential of thyroid supplements to restore normal thyroid function

In a small percentage of hypothyroid individuals, short-term treatment with a thyroid supplement can trigger the recovery of normal thyroid function by activating the brain-pituitary system, raising blood sugar (which activates the liver enzyme system that produces T3), and lowering thyroid-inhibiting stress hormones.

August/September 1990 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Estrogen-related thyroid problems and compensatory hormonal adjustments

Estrogen-induced hypothyroidism can be compensated to some extent by various hormonal adjustments; increased release of adrenaline and cortisol is common in this process. When this compensation is insufficient, hypoglycemia often occurs along with a tendency to produce too much histamine. Too much adrenaline leads to cold hands and feet, too little causes orthostatic hypotension (blackouts when standing up too quickly) and intestinal cramps,

August/September 1990 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Vitamins and thyroid extract in the treatment of allergies and more serious conditions

They achieved good results with their allergy patients when they gave them supplements of vitamin A, pantothenic acid, and vitamin C. Later, thyroid extract or triiodothyronine as well as magnesium were added to the other supplements – for patients who had problems more serious than ordinary allergies.

November 1989 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Thyroid and vitamin A deficiency in various infections

We found that many people with acne, bladder or kidney infections, periodontitis, and sinusitis apparently had deficiencies in both thyroid and vitamin A – even when they took supplements.

November 1989 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Inefficient steroid formation due to an imbalance of thyroid and vitamin A

If the thyroid and vitamin A cannot be efficiently used for steroid formation, a steroid imbalance is likely.

November 1989 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Reducing the risk of vitamin A toxicity through thyroid hormones

The risk of vitamin A toxicity is reduced by the use of thyroid hormones and vitamin E.

November 1989 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Hormonal antagonism against the immunosuppressive effects of estrogen

Vitamin A, thyroid, progesterone, and the related steroid dehydroepiandrosterone all counteract estrogen, which has several immunosuppressive effects – including cortisol-like thymus atrophy, reduced T-cell activity, decreased production of gamma interferon and interleukin-2, reduced natural killer cell activity – and it likely plays a role in the development of some autoimmune diseases.

November 1989 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Recovery from allergies and hormone deficiency through diet

Two young women, who had been diagnosed with allergies and supposedly autoimmune-related pituitary hormone deficiency and each weighed about 70 pounds and were considered incurable (although both ate normal amounts), recovered quickly with a thyroid supplement and a diet emphasizing eggs and fruit.

November 1989 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

The essential role of the thyroid for protein synthesis and energy

Thyroid function is crucial for all cellular processes, including protein uptake and synthesis, growth hormone formation, etc. Without thyroid hormone maintaining respiration, inefficient glycolysis wastes energy; non-oxidized lactate triggers the breakdown of liver protein. Hypoglycemia stimulates the release of glucocorticoids, which maintain blood sugar at the expense of rapid protein breakdown.

November 1989 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

The role of triiodothyronine in reversing cachectic conditions

Triiodothyronine is often the decisive factor in reversing a cachectic state. Although optimal thyroid function can increase the metabolic rate, it is not catabolic because it maximizes bioenergetic efficiency.

November 1989 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Refutation of misinformation about flaxseed oil in medical diets

An acquaintance who recently died after eating large amounts of flaxseed oil for several months told me it had been used by both W. F. Koch, M.D., and Max Gerson, M.D. I knew that was not true: Gerson’s program, for example, evolved from a diet against migraine and tuberculosis to a cancer therapy and included the use of thyroid extract, liver, fresh juices, and a little butter – but he repeatedly stated explicitly: absolutely no oil.

February/March 1989 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Toxic effects of unsaturated oils on health and metabolism

Research showing the toxic effects of unsaturated oils goes back more than 60 years. An article from 1985, published in my newsletter, names some of the most important sources. These substances inhibit many enzymes (e.g., in digestion, the immune system, clot breakdown, thyroid function), disrupt mitochondrial energy production, and impair communication between cells. Very little is heard about these toxic effects, and not much funding is available for further research in these areas.

February/March 1989 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

The role of thyroid hormone in estrogen elimination and progesterone production

While thyroid hormone promotes the elimination of estrogen, it is also crucial for the production of progesterone. Vitamin A (together with cholesterol) is consumed at a high rate by the corpus luteum when sufficient thyroid hormone is present.

January 1988 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Balancing vitamin A and thyroid function

Both vitamin A and carotene tend – like any unsaturated oil – to inhibit the thyroid. Therefore, it is important to balance supplements of vitamin A and thyroid: A sluggish thyroid is more easily suppressed by high doses of vitamin A, but a high level of thyroid activity causes vitamin A to be used up faster. An interesting expression of this biological relationship is that a blood protein transports both vitamin A and thyroid hormone.

January 1988 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Epilepsy and insomnia as low-energy states in brain cells

Epilepsy is an example of a very low-energy state of brain cells. Insomnia is a low-energy state and is usually cured by the right dose of thyroid hormone – along with sufficient glucose and other nutrients.

February 1986
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Supplements according to Ray Peat

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