T3 to help metabolism and lower adrenaline/cortisol

Starcrossed

I think I am in need of T3 but I'm afraid that if I start it, I would be on it for life! If there were adverse effects, could I just stop it and it would leave the body and go back to baseline? How is it used to lower adrenaline or cortisol. I'm on high dose progesterone at the moment for female issue but still dealing with the adrenaline, fight or flight situation. My body was damaged through medical practice. My body moves very slowly yet I always feel I'm on edge. I have no energy for anything yet it's all spent on this fight or flight feeling. Oh and I have brain fog and thyroid antibodies which I assume the high progesterone is helping. Thanks everyone.

wrl

Hi @Starcrossed,
So I'd recommend caution with trying T3 without first ensuring all other basic building blocks are in place, aka nutritional status and coherent digestive function (eg stomach acid, bile flow, pancreatic enzymes).

Nutrition wise: adequate intake of B vitamins, zinc, choline and electrolytes (calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium) to support metabolic function, especially with thyroid / coffee.

Starcrossed

@wrl What do you think about starting low and and slow. Like 1mcg once a day?

wrl

@Starcrossed
Based on what you've described as your current body state, I'd tread very cautiously with introducing thyroid hormone. Used without sufficient nutrient stores or with unacknowledged body chemistry dynamics (eg over/under methylation etc etc), it has the potential to aggravate things.

There are various alternative approaches to boosting thyroid function that can be attempted.
The most basic is ensuring a strong nutritional (not just vitamins & minerals, also protein, carbs) foundation, key because everything relies on this. Taking T3 with insufficient nutrition will most likely aggravate the overall situation.

You can read more about this on the old RP forum, using this google search. (try different keywords)

site:raypeatforum.com boost thyroid function

Kvirion

@wrl said in T3 to help metabolism and lower adrenaline/cortisol:

Based on what you've described as your current body state, I'd tread very cautiously with introducing thyroid hormone. Used without sufficient nutrient stores or with unacknowledged body chemistry dynamics (eg over/under methylation etc etc), it has the potential to aggravate things.

I can't agree more with the statement above.

I spent about six months fixing my nutrition and lifestyle before I tried thyroid supplementation...

BTW Some recommended useful resources:
https://x.com/celestialbe1ng/status/1802008577130770472
https://twitter.com/natelawrence_/status/1766186130985107582

Starcrossed

@wrl

thank you for this. I will read up on it. But a part of me feels....what if it's the boost my body might needs? Some even imply thyroid does nothing for them making it seem innocent. I suppose that depends on the under/over methylation. I was told by a naturopath I was an under methylator.

Starcrossed

@Kvirion
Great! I myself have also spent many months working on my nutrition and lifestyle. I'm just not there yet. But the high progesterone was a big game changer. I was sitting in bed one day and all of a sudden some of my brain injury symptoms disappeared. It may not have completely stopped my constant female bleeding yet (sorry I don't think i mentioned this initially as the reason for the high progesterone use. It's healing slowly) but somehow it is healing my brain simultaneously.

Kvirion

@Starcrossed said in T3 to help metabolism and lower adrenaline/cortisol:

But the high progesterone was a big game changer. I was sitting in bed one day and all of a sudden some of my brain injury symptoms disappeared.

Interesting, great to hear.

I was told by a naturopath I was an under methylator.

Yeah, I'm an under-methylator too.

However, it's hard for me to get consistent results from methylated B vitamins... Thyroid supplementation works for me much much better.
Ray Peat warned about too much methylation...

Starcrossed

@Kvirion Yes! I read the same too about methylation from another forum and that if one was to start B vitamins, they would need to start low and slow also. But high doses are advertised everywhere.