I am slowly tapering off thyroid medication, after more than 1 year being continuously on. High doses of T4, which I've used for the longest, give me the most improvements, on average. They make me function decently day to day, make me able to concentrate a fair amount of time at my job to get by. But the big downside is that it makes me very flat emotionally, very prone to serotonergic states, loneliness, introversion, it makes me not enjoy life at all. Eventually, the rT3 accumulates, and my temps drop. Since I am in the process of digestive treatments and will be taking a B vitamin complex for the next 6 months, figured now is the best time to slowly taper off. I just received 2 packs of DeusMed, Cytomed T3 today, will be use nibbles of it to ease the taper off. Till I eventually go off thyroid completely.

You are probably not from the United States but anyone from the US with meat issues: https://pasturetofork.com/blog/citric-acid-on-your-meat-anyone

Red light, when shined right on the thyroid gland, also seems to help lower thyroid antibodies in many subjects as well. So a hypothetical good protocol for this would be something like: Cynoplus + Aspirin to lower inflammation and TSH. Myo-inositol + selenium to lower thyroid antibodies Red light to augment the effects of all the above Avoid excessive iodine usage. It causes thyroid gland inflammation Watch for possible gut interactions. Don't eat foods that aren't digested well. You may need to eliminate shit like gluten & fodmaps.

@wester130 cabergoline is the cheapest, best value and most effective ergot derivative for lowering prolactin and cortisol - it is one of the main drugs used to treat cushings syndrome.

From ChatGPT: When eaten, extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) can improve facial skin appearance thanks to its nutrient-dense profile and anti-inflammatory effects. Here’s what makes it particularly beneficial for your skin from the inside out: ⸻ Key Skin-Enhancing Components in Olive Oil (When Eaten) Monounsaturated Fats (MUFA) – especially Oleic Acid • Oleic acid (~70-80% of olive oil) helps maintain skin hydration, elasticity, and softness. • Supports the integrity of cell membranes, which can improve skin tone and texture. • Reduces skin inflammation and irritation in acne-prone or sensitive individuals. Polyphenols (e.g., Hydroxytyrosol, Oleuropein) • These are powerful antioxidants that: • Fight oxidative stress (which accelerates aging and dulls the skin). • Protect collagen and elastin in the skin. • May reduce sun damage over time by neutralizing free radicals. Vitamin E (Tocopherols) • A fat-soluble antioxidant that: • Helps prevent skin aging by protecting skin lipids and cell membranes. • Improves skin barrier function, reducing dryness and flakiness. • Supports healing and scar reduction. Anti-Inflammatory Effects • Chronic low-grade inflammation shows up on the face as puffiness, redness, and breakouts. • EVOO reduces systemic inflammation, which often translates to a calmer, more even skin tone. Support for Hormonal Balance • Healthy fats like those in olive oil are essential for hormone production (including testosterone and DHEA), which indirectly supports skin quality, oil balance, and firmness.

@Zachs Yeah fully vegan is not for me and all the time I get into the subreddits of vegans I always start with a peace in mind to learn staff but when I show my ignorance they attack me back instead of explaining as the ray peat forum was back then. This made me realize that something is off with that diet. Egg yolks are delicious indeed but I have sensitivity to choline and acetylcholine. It disrupts sleep and gives me this fake energy and cognition. It's hard to compare it with a "sober" state. Maybe I'm 1 in 10 with this issue. In the end as you say balance is everything.

@Zachs [image: 7tmkkBWV]

Some updates: Clenbuterol (10–40 mcg) was unfortunately disappointing. It caused unpleasant heart palpitations even with minimal physical exertion. A further reduction in dosage and a different context might be necessary. . . . Initial experiments with 20 mg Bromantane: minimally stimulating (increased dark circles under the eyes and slight facial muscle tension), auditory enhancement (music experience felt more immersive), increased thought flow (more associations and memory retrieval), enhanced affectivity and mood improvement. Later on, strong fatigue occurred (though not sure due to bromantane, as I had little sleep the previous night), brain fog. . . . Upcoming experiments are planned with galantamine, TAK-653, sulbutiamine, and trans-Isrib. . . . Ongoing experiments also include a change in the roa for 2C-B from oral to intranasal. I hope for improved context-sensitive kinetics (faster onset/peak/offset), increased comfort, and reduced body load (maybe even s.c. or i.m., will see)

@adrn100k Maybe testing again would have a different reading of TSH. How’s the temp and pulse tho?

Main issues for a while have been feeling ill on a regular basis. It seems to be lodged close to my tonsils and think it's leading to fatigue and low mood. In the UK it's not common for the NHS to swab your throat and test it, they just love to prescribe antibiotics based on symptoms or tell you to rest if you have a virus. It's quite frustrating. I know Ray was quite an advocate for antibiotic use but I think the potential downsides are significant and feel like my immunity went downhill last year when I did two courses of antibiotics, having never done any my whole adult life. I did a blood test on Tuesday so should get results soon: https://lolahealth.co/products/ultimate?variant=45501879713944 I'll then be doing a consultation with a private doctor and want to discuss these issues as well as potentially having an intro to a TRT clinic. I did a mycotoxin test last year which came up high in ochratoxin so I've been trying to detox that via home farinfrared sauna and activated charcoal plus bentonite clay.

@RePeat said in Vanquishing reflux and depression: I wonder if there are natural sources of l. Reuteri. I've since learned that L. Reuteri must be present in some way in raw milk and saucisson (dried sausage that we have in France) but more importantly it is present in sourdough, what would be a very common source for most people at least here in Europe. I bought into a lot of peaty habits but it never felt right to completely exclude cereals from the diet-- I still consume bread regularly, mostly whole bread fermented with natural sourdough. This could help! On the topic of depression, there seems to be another of these "simple trick" that's easy to try and might help: chewing gum. I indeed found out that chewing gum was notably associated with mood uplifting and relieving symptoms of depression, and also with ADHD. At 2 weeks, the score of state anxiety was significantly lower in the intervention group than the control group. The intervention participants’ scores of depression-dejection, fatigue and confusion in POMS were better than the control group scores. Mental fatigue were also relieved after the intervention. At 4 weeks, there were no significant differences between both groups. --- PMID: 21866229 Logistic regression analyses showed that the effects of chewing gum on stress and health remained significant when [...] confounding factors were controlled for. These results suggest that chewing gum may be a simple way of preventing stress and the negative health outcomes that are often associated with it. --- https://doi.org/10.1002/smi.1272 The most beneficial effect of chewing gum was observed on the gastrointestinal symptoms, e.g. loss of appetite, and flatulence among others. These results indicate that chewing gum may not be directly effective on depressed mood; however, it may reduce the symptoms originating from depression. --- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2013.02.002 According to the preliminary results in the present study, intervention of gum chewing for patients with depression may be of some roles in maintaining their mental health. --- https://doi.org/10.2974/kmj.63.13 Other results are less optimistic but still significant: Perceived stress decreased as a function of the amount of gum chewed. The chewing gum condition was also associated with a decrease in not getting enough academic work done. There were no significant effects of chewing gum on mental health outcomes. --- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2012.02.054 Rate of chewing and subjective force of chewing did not alter mood but had some limited effects on attention. Chewing gum during the workday was associated with higher productivity and fewer cognitive problems, raised cortisol levels in the morning, and did not affect heart rate. The results emphasise that chewing gum can attenuate reductions in alertness, suggesting that chewing gum enhances worker performance. --- https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/654806 You might just try it out!

@idealabsrat i tried this last night and when i went to cook the rice after rinsing the water would not evaporate. my rice essentially turned into porridge slop. i boiled it for one hour, rinsed the rice in a strainer, then brought to a boil with a bit of water and cooked on low heat. not sure what i'm doing wrong or if this is the proper texture when cooking it this way

@Hearthfire Ya, that what I’m doing

@PrinceTrebata Transdermally 50mg most of the time because it is 1ml of my solution / a full dropper. I get effects from less than that but sub 5mg might be too little for topical.

I think haidut posted a study saying a single 40mg dose of propranolol before doing something you find fearful can help eliminate the fear response completely for the next time you have to do it, forever. found the post: https://lowtoxinforum.com/threads/blocking-stress-adrenaline-just-once-cures-ptsd-and-maybe-any-mental-disorder.28622/ 40mg propranolol 1 hour before the fearful event and then get a good nights sleep afterwards.

For the 2021-2023 NHANES data, in order to remove TRT users, I screened out those with testosterone over 600 who also had LH below reference range. Apparently TRT lowers LH and FSH to near zero. I also removed some data that was probably in error. So average testosterone in 2021-2023 was 451 ng/dl - no major difference from 2015-2016's average of 459 ng/dl. 2021-2023: 20-24: 536 25-29: 464 30-34: 476 35-39: 440 2015-2016: 20-24: 535 25-29: 556 30-34: 461 35-39: 466 2011-2012 20-24: 468 25-29: 438 30-34: 435 35-39: 392 2003-2004 20-24: 673 25-29: 537 30-34: 541 35-39: 589