My Ray Peat notes - A TLDR thread

If diet doesn't provide glucose and fructose. Then liver can't make thyroid(T4 to T3) as easily
and will down regulate thyroid. Sucrose and lactose are effective at maintaining production
of thyroid hormones. Calcium and sodium stimulates metabolic rate.
Diabetics survived and recovered when plain white sugar is added to diet.(Referring to study
on diabetics who were wasting away)
Male Pattern Baldness: No evidence that testosterone is responsible. Prolactin is increased in
balding men and women. Prolactin is also know as the molting hormone. Prolactin and
cortisol rise during stress.
Anti-aromatase foods are important. Orange juice, guava, and others contain similar
chemicals. Celery, parsley, and aspirin are anti-estrogenic. Milligram of Vitamin K for every
standard 325mg aspirin is recommended.
Niacin flushing isn't healthy becasue it releases serotonin, histamine, and toxic
prostaglandins. "No flush niacin" is no more healthy. Niacinimide is recommended.
Vitamin D is a regulatory material in bone and hair growth. Parathyroid hormones when
temporarily released helps bone and hair growth. Chronic elevation of parathyroid will
damage bones.
Daily carrot salad- Fiber in carrot isn't digestible and has slightly antimicrobial properties.
Liver releases bile with toxic chemicals and hormones to be excreted. These can be
reabsorbed in damaged small intestine. Carrot fiber helps remove those toxins from small
intestine
Juicy fruits should be eaten raw. Starchy fruits should be cooked. Undercooked starch
particles can enter bloodstream(starch persorbtion) and block capillaries killing cells and
organs. Also causing premature aging.
Potatoes when thoroughly cooked(more so when boiled in water) are good. Best when eaten
with butter or other saturated fat. (helps prevent persorbtion of starches) Also best served
warm to minimize amount of resistant starches which increase endotoxins.
Seafood and liver recommended weekly.
Milk, liver, cheese, eggs, meat, and seafood are good sources of B vitamins. Will help
neuromuscular and cognitive function. Vitamin B1 is especially helpful with memory and
recall.
In the 20s people lost weight on less than 1700 calories a day due to having faster
metabolisms. Poor diet and stress slows the metabolism and body begins to burn fat. Brain
and red blood cells need sugar and will convert muscle to sugar if necessary. (This deserves
on thread)
Sugar is muscle sparing and prevents catabolic breakdown. Muscles at rest will increase fat
metabolism. More muscle=more fat burning at rest. Active muscles prefer sugars. Too much
muscle stress will increase estrogen. Muscles produce testosterone.
Heart is one of the main receptors of testosterone.
Glucose in eggs/embryo stimulates brain growth. Removal of glucose in eggs/embryo
increases death of brain cells. Restricting sugar during pregnancy is generally not advised.
Gestational diabetes scare originated from glucose tolerance test in 60s.
Pregnant women normally have blood glucose levels of about 130(?). Progesterone also helps
with metabolism of glucose and helps prevent miscarriages. Low progesterone will cause low
blood sugar in pregnant women and potential miscarriage.
High estrogen increases chance of miscarriage.
Citric acid causes you to lose calcium in the urine. Calcium carbonate is safer calcium
supplement and stimulates born formation. Milk/dairy recommended as calcium sources, or
1/4 teaspoon of eggshells. Oyster shells are more toxic than eggshells. Bone meal contains
heavymetals
Cortisol causes catabolic effect on muscles. Carbohydrates in form of fructose can help spare
amino acid loss from cortisol. (Fructose periworkout to replinish muscle & liver glycogen so
metabolism stays high which helps to recover faster & prevent muscle wasting for glycogen)
Ray Peat when asked about his normal diet: milk, eggs, orange juice, oysters or liver weekly,
gelatinous food every day
(Your needs will obviously vary)
Fasting is catabolic and will consume healthy tissues to aquire glucose. Fasting increases
cortisol and metabolic rate higher for first few days until metabolism is downregulated due
to low amount of sugar and high amount of amino acids in blood. Hormonal glands
downregulated.
Brain acts as a detoxifying organ. Albumin and lipoproteins released into bloodstream when
liver is overburdened and helps detoxify blood. Albumin is bood measure of liver health.
Giver and fructose can help increase albumin by removing reabsorbtion of endotoxins. <4
unhealthy
Fruit juice has more minerals than refined carbs. Potassium found in most fruits acts as
insulin and helps lower glycemic load of carbohydrate(or insulin response from protein)
Milk slows absorption of lactose and calcium stimulates metabolism to increase use of
sugars. Milk drinkers are often thinner.
Liver spots are caused by PUFA and stresss
Increasing cholesterol via sugar can be therapeutic
Small amount of fat helps stimulate the intestines and absorb fat-soluble vitamins. Small
amount of PUFA fats in natural fat sources are stored gradually overtime as the body
preferably metabolizes saturated fat. This slow accumulation of PUFA in the body overtime
leads to aging
Under stress fat is released(PUFA) so stress becomes more harmful over time as we age since
more PUFAs have been accumulated and can be released.
Aspirin improves calcium retention in bones and is safe if taken along with vitamin K.
Vitamin K regulates calcium, protects arteries from calcification, and allows bones to use
CO2. Carboxalate(?) binds calcium to the bone. Liver and Kale with butter are food sources
T3 and caffeine have topical use to help hair regrowth. Possible hair regrowth oil: olive oil,
DHEA, natural progesterone.
Olive oil, 25mg of DHEA, 50 milligrams natural progeserone. Creates a week's worth
Coconut oil can have an antihistamine effect and can help moderate coffee's negative effects
along with sugar. All cells can produce histamine when adequately stressed.
Poorly digested or undigested starches(resistant starches) causes behavior changes, anxiety,
and aggression. Causes endotoxins via bacterial overgrowth that can inflame intestines and
liver.
Cooked starch is turned to glucose and causes insulin release. Excess glucose is stored as fat
quickly when you eat more than you need/can metabolize.
Eating too much pure protein/protein only meals causes a fall of blood sugar and increase of
cortisol which is catobolic to muscles and thymus. Will cause fat deposition around waist
similar to Cushing's syndrome.
Leaky gut may be caused by radiation, estrogen, PUFA, heavy metals, etc. Leaky gut is when
intestines become inflamed and leaky capillarries destroys the barrier between substances in
intestine and blood and affects other tissues and organs via the blood stream.
On treating diabetes:
Fructose is metabolized without needing insulin.
Experiments with people with diabetes: patients who were allowed to eat as much sucrose as
the wanted eventually recovered.
Type 1 diabetes may be a type of autoimmune disease. Inflamation reaction to
prostaglandins and PUFA. Saturated fat only diets didn't develop experimental diabetes in
studies.
Diabetes symptoms with normal blood sugar may be be caused by damaged/undigested
starches and PUFA.
Progesterone is highly concentrated in the brain. May oppose testosterone in excess. May
help with epilepsy or athiritus.
On yeast and fungal infections:
If yeast are starved of sugar, they will seek areas high in estrogen and release filaments
looking for sugars and invade tissues and become deadly. Low thyroid people often have high
estrogen and this favors yeast infection.
On yeast and fungal infections cont:
Flours or precipitates of sulphur will help kill fungus. Vinegar may also help.
(Vinegar+coconut oil+shredded carrot(?))
Vitamin E helps maintain fertility and prevent miscarriage. Needs increase with age and
PUFA intake. Quality supplemental vitamin E is extremely hard to find. (idealabs supposed
to have a good one)
On sugar and cancer:
Animals with tumor normally have stable blood sugar. Even when cutting supply off. Cancer
will send stress hormones to release sugar. Also cancer will consume surrounding tissue. In
studies cancer will consume high concentrations of sugar until it died.
On liver:
A damaged liver will ruin the whole organism. Is the chemist for the body. If the liver is not
getting enough protein or B vitamins it can lose its ability to detoxify. You may get horomone
imbalances. Tissues may become more fibrous and lungs will become inflamed
Endurance exercise causes heart atrophy, reduction of testosterone, reduction of fertility,
and lungs become inflamed.
How to reduce serotonin:
Reduce intestinal inflammation, avoid resistant starches, avoid salads, and avoid
undercooked vegetables.
Fasting releases PUFAS which oxidize. Destroys enzymes ability to produce energy. Failure
to produce energy causes a stress response. Depending on efficiency of liver, time without
food until stress response varies. In individuals with unhealthy liver, this can affect sleep.
Fructose and lactose are preferred forms of sugar. Usually absorbed within first foot or so of
the intestine. Lower insulin response to fructose, and lactose from milk is combined with fat
which slows its release and therefore the stress response. (milk before bed)
Vitamin B1 is correlated with short term memory and improves mood. Often lowered by
stress. Deficiency causes sluggishness, poor mood, psychosis, and hallucinations. Dose
recommended: 10mg up to 100mg for extremely stressful situations.
If you are healthy you can meet challenges without experiencing stress. Healthy people store
about 7-8 ounces of glucose in the form of glycogen in the liver, muscles, and brain. If
relaxed and not stressed you can go longer without experiencing stress.
Once glycogen stores becomes low, adrenaline begins to rise and once it reaches a certain
level cortisol is released. Cortisol can dissolve tissues like the thymus to get sugars when
blood sugars drop. Next, muscles will be broken down.
Heart, brain, and lungs contain a lot of testosterone which prevents their breakdown exept
under extremely stressful situations.
Candida thrives when you lack the membrane surface antibodies. The antibodies depend on
thyroid and progesterone. If you are low thyroid you will have problems regulating blood
sugar. If you starve candida of sugar it will attempt to invade via filaments int surrounding
cells.
200mg of sulphur 2 or 3 days in a row can help eliminate bacteria overgrowth
Stress- falling blood sugar and rising lactic acid is the universal feature of stress. Lactic acid
is the main source for producing endorphins or endogenous opiates. Endorphins are a sign
of stress.
IBS is an inflamed bowel. Gluten resembles a protein that tissues make under the influence
of estrogen or stress. Seeds contain toxins to protect against digestion.
Increasing CO2 by breathing into bag can lower lactic acid. Chronic elevated lactic acid is
correlated with cancer. Higher altitude also increases CO2.
People with alzheimers generally lack stimulation
You want sugars that don't strongly stimulate insulin which leads to storage as fat. Fructose
moderates production of fat, raises temperature, increases conversion of carbohydrates to
energy, and actives the thyroid better than glucose alone.
Fruit, honey, and white sugar are preferred sources of fructose.
Vitamin A activates enzymes that make steroids. Increases ability to make pregnenolone,
progesterone, and DHEA. Brain is a major steroid forming organ along with skin and
gonads.
Topically applied progesterone may help with skin discoloring. It can be absorbed through
skin.
Caffeine if taken on an empty stomach will drop blood sugar and stimulate stress. Best if
taken with food.
On light:
Red light therapy is good. Avoid intense midday sunlight to mitigate oxidative damage stress
which can affect pufa.(?) Damage is not localized to skin.

Darkness is cortisol producing.

Healthy liver should be able to store 8 hours of glycogen to get you through the night. If
thyroid is low or estrogen is high then liver may have difficulty storing glycogen. Adrenaline
is activated when glycogen is low to use remaining bit.
After liver glycogen is empty and can't respond to adrenaline, cortisol is released, and turns
protein and fat into glucose. This will dissolve they thymus over a few days. Then the muscles
will atrophy.
Fruit is the best food for not triggering a stress response. Potassium handles sugar in place of
insulin. Eating fruit produces less insulin and cortisol than other foods.
Salt consumption inversely correlated with blood pressure. Calcium deficiency is responsible
for high blood pressure. Calcium(& vit D) decreases parathyroid hormone. Parathyroid
causes aldosterone to increase. Aldosterone removes calcium from bones and moves it into
soft tissues.
Having more muscle mass is healthy and can help produce testosterone and lower cortisol.
Testosterone also can help heart and brain. Muscle also serves as energy reserve during
stressful catabolic events.
Vitamin K can reverse osteoporosis and remove calcium from the arteries. Works with
coenzymeQ10 to maintain oxidative metabolism in mitochondria. May prevent excess
clotting. Helps stabilize blood pressure.
Eating too many fermented food may cause stress due to lowering blood sugar via lactic acid.
Liver consumes glycogen to process lactic acid into glucose. Bacteria may produce lactic acid
and other endotoxin in the intestines. Esp when resistant starches give them food source.
The reason eggs have a bad reputation is that they are extremely concentrated protein and
the per person eats an eggs without carbohydrates their blood sugar is going to fall,
especially if their liver that doesn't have good glycogen stores the egg will drop their blood
sugar...
That will activate mast cells and you'll have allergic reactions. Protein without the
carbohydrate will increase inflammation. Sugar, progesterone, and aspirin are things that
will protect you for most surges of histamine, serotonin, etc
Low thyroid can cause SIBO which can be a root cause of leaky gut. Digestion slows down
when metabolic rate slows down from hypothyroid. Stomach becomes sluggish doesn't
secrete much, or move food fast enough.
Stomach, pancreas, and liver should wash your whole small intestine clean so that there no
bacteria can thrive when thyroid is functioning well.
Foamy urine is a sign of excess excretion of steroid hormone precursors and is a sign of
stress.
Darkness is stressful, cortisol is normally highest in morning after fasting and being in
darkness.
Saturated fats inhibit stress hormones by preventing release of PUFAs from storage.
Saturated fats help inhibit inflammation and act as liver protectors. PUFAs exacerbate liver
cirrhosis. Fibrotic, clotting, inflammatory, and tumor diseases are all closely associated with
PUFA
Excess carotene can down regulate the thyroid if not enough B12 and thyroid hormone is
produced. (Limit carrot and sweet potato frequency)
The more indigestible the food the more it supports bacterial growth.
Frequent eating is less stressful and less likely to cause diabetes and fat storage.
Greek yogurt is preferred over very acidic yogurts. Higher lactic acid in sour yogurts from
bacteria increases inflammation.
Temperature is a good gauge of metabolism. Estrogen lowers temperature. Thyroid,
progesterone, and DHEA help maintain a high metabolic rate, even at rest. Increasing
adrenaline can compensate for hypothroidism, in that case, morning temperature will be
higher than midday.
Hands and feet will be cold in the case of high adrenaline compensating for hypothyroidism.
Normally, you want body temperature to increase from morning to midday.
How estrogen is removed from body:
If liver is working, protein intake is adequate, and your thyroid is functioning, the liver will
send the estrogen to your kidneys after progesterone retrieves it from cells of the body and
brings it to the liver.
On alcoholic drinks
Estrogen from yeast will stimulate the adrenals to produce cortisol and estrogen. Cortisol
leading to beer belly and estrogen leading to man boobs(aka bitch tits).
Stress will make you lose copper from from your respiratory system(?)
Sugar helped prevent scarring when packed into wounds(was referring to 3rd world country
using resources they had available or something like that)
Antibiotics lower cortisol and estrogen and progesterone increased. Raw shredded carrot
salad caused similar changes. Endotoxins are estrogenic and lowers testosterone and
progesterone.
Inflammation of nose and throat often starts in the intestine. Close relationship between
respiratory system and digestive system.
Some fruit is good about 30 minutes before a high protein meal because the fruit replenishes
the liver with glycogen.
Eating big dose of protein without sugar you stimulate insulin which lowers circulating
glucose and turns it into fat. Lower blood glucose also releases cortisol
DHEA may reverse graying hair. Copper also plays a role. Shellfish are a good source of
copper without excess of iron.
Blue light in absence of red light damages mitochondria. Red light neutralizes harmful
effects of blue light
Beef and lamb are preferred over chicken, pork, and turkey due to ruminants having less
unsaturated fat due to nature of digestive system.
Swelling or inflammation of the nerve sheath can compress and damage nerves. Low thyroid
and high estrogen can exacerbate this. Darkness and copper deficiency can cause connective
tissue to swell and pinch nerves also.
Diabetics are deficient in fructose, they metabolize it the same or faster than healthy people.
Inflamed intestines may inflame the urinary system or prostate and cause frequent
urination.
T3 is the essential active hormone. Under stress T4 is converted to reverse T3. T4 and T3
alone can't be used to interpret thyroid function for this reason. You want good ration of
active T3 to reverse T3.
Any area or tissue with excess lactic acid, inflammation, or hypoxic conditions can locally
destroy active T3.
Glucose and cholesterol are protective against stress. Cholesterol rises during stress because
it is a precursor to steroidal anti-stress hormones. Statins increase mortality and lower sex
drive.
(Cholesterol is precursor to all steroidal hormones)
Beans and cabbage can damage thyroid. Low protein and iodine may also negatively affect
the thyroid.
Starvation for protein makes liver unable to dispose of estrogen. Protein deficiency also
slows down the thyroid. Estrogen blocks iodine to thyroid creating a vicious cycle.
Functioning kidneys aren't affected b a high protein diet. Potato juice can absorb ammonia
for those with failing livers.
Serotonin increases estrogen. Lowering serotonin can help with autism.

Endotoxin leads to inflamed intestines releases serotonin into bloodstream which can cross
the blood brain barrier and cause a stress response. This will release even more serotonin
causing vicous circle.
Titanium dioxide and silica dioxide are found in many food supplements and can cause
inflammation in the brain via small intestines.
Enemas and laxatives were one of the oldest treatments for cancer. PUFA originally became
viewed as healthy because in high doses it is a laxative.

PUFA has increased diabetes in general population.

Fruit and cheese are safe for diabetics because they don't trigger a large insulin response
from pancreas. White sugar, honey, milk also good. Avoid starches.
Coffee filters heavy metals from water when using the drip method.
Aspirin, coffee, and niacinimide can help with viruses.
Thiamine helps lower lactic acid and increase CO2
10% sulphur soap can help with athlete's foot.
Vitamin D reduced length of stay in hospitals by half.

Calcium and vitamin D helps with sick liver and kidneys.

Vitamin E and K are best taken at different times.

Both are protective of Coenzyme Q10

Recommended prolactin healthy levels have shifted for males from 4-7(?) to up to 20(?).
With new accepted range men often have breasts. 4-7(?) is best for fertility.
Hyperventilation releases a lot of CO2. CO2 is a nerve stabilizer. Retaining CO2 leads to
clearer thinking.
Men experience an increase in estrogen when in chronic stress or after a traumatic accident.
Monkeys produce cortisol when fruit is scarce. Sugar is protein sparing. Sugar inhibits
cortisol which turns protein into sugars. Sugar also aids in the digestion of protein. Sugar
inhibits the release of free fatty acids from storage.

Brain and red blood cells prefer sugar.

Serotonin is produced i the intestine. Is carried in bloodstream and detoxified in the lungs.
Overwork of the lungs can cause a dump of serotonin by blood platelets and increase
inflammation. Any systemic stress that causes loss of CO2 will increase this.
Diabetes is a failure to oxidize sugar properly and turning sugar into lactic acid. Lactic acid
displaces CO2. Loss of CO2 causes serotonin exposure.

CO2 from soda water may be slightly helpful.

Important to have more calcium than phosphate(high in muscle meats).

Gelatin is free from age inducing amino acids.

"Browning" sugar breaks it down and produces irritating possibly toxic materials.
Stress and aging can make it harder to retain sodium.

Loss of sodium releases aldosterone which causes magnesium loss. Sodium is magnesium
sparing.
Sugar and salt can help lower adrenaline. (Good before bed)
You will often become sleepy after lowering elevated adrenaline.
UV light primarily damages cells by oxidizing PUFA. Aspirin can help manage this. Best to
avoid harmful radiation and EMF.
Cold hands and feet, low blood, anxiety, fatigue, depression, edema, and frequent hunger are
signs of hypothyroidism.
PUFA is harmful for metabolism because it blocks thyroid secretion from the gland, blocks
transport in the bloodstream, and blocks in several places in the cell.
Blood type has little to no effect on dietary needs.

Diet needs are influenced by personal history, metabolic rate, activity level, lifestyle factors,
body size, etc