@NoeticJuice said in Iodine as a game changer:

I've read elsewhere that vitamin C, B2, B3 and magnesium should be supplemented alongside iodine and selenium. Are these not needed?

Magnesium: For sure (preferably bisglycinate Mg). 300 mg Mg element when stressed.
80% people lack RDA (+/ 420 mg)
Vitamin C: I'd take 2 or 3 very mini pinches of powder. mind the kind (...).
Target 500 mg.
Riboflavin B2: yes but not required every day. 2 or 3X+wk.
B2 is a cofactor essential for various enzymes involved in energy production and neurotransmitter synthesis in the brain. Hypothyroidism can impair the conversion of riboflavin to its active forms, potentially leading to functional riboflavin deficiency.
B1 B2 and B3 + Biotin are often associated. We lack 50 % B1 to assimilate carbs. 2x/wk a complex B50 (co-enzymed).
If you're in the fog, or if you lack energy, a higher level of B1 could be needed. 100 mcg.
(+ glycine via collagen or bone broth). See the posts of mostlylurking.
Note: There is no proof but ... We lack thiamine, as explained. Thiamine deficiency can exacerbate symptoms like fatigue, especially in individuals with hypothyroidism, and supplementation can potentially improve these symptoms.

@Corngold, I find the most accurate reading is a rectal reading. Compared to orally and axillary, my temp is at least 1° higher when taken rectally. When the temp is low in comparison to how warm one feels, it’s likely due to adrenaline compensating for poor thyroid function by keeping the core temp up. Often, one or more of the extremities (feet, hands, nose and ears) will be cooler as adrenaline cuts off circulation to them to keep vital organs warm. One way to tell is by taking the temp about 20–30 minutes after eating. If running on adrenaline, the temp will, in most cases, be lower.

theres multiple posts on the reddit sub about experiencing problems by removing iodized salt from diet.
i used to use pickling salt, it’s idiotic to cook and season with except in soups where it totally dissolves. i actually got some sort of stomach issue that lasted weeks before it resolved from accidently swallowing a bunch of undissolved kosher salt crystas in my coffee. i actually almost threw up a couple times drinking the super concentrated undissolved pickling salt crystals in my milk too
i went back to iodized salt

search the reddit sub. theres one user that says they/them are allergic to seafood and that xer got suicidal after two months off iodized salt and it instantly resolved in two minutes after taking a bit of iodized salt in the middle of the night when xer was on auto pilot as if their body knew they needed it

thyroid hormone is dosed and micrograms and iirc is sensitive to light

@yerrag 100%!

Similar to what alot of the keto and carnivore ones thought about reducing/eliminating carbs, and later on realised their mistake(s) (e.g. Thomas Delauer, Mercola, Paul Saladino etc.), though I'm still waiting for Eric Berg to come to that realisation too 😉

@Kilgore I'm sure we'll both get a lot of use out of it. This is designed much better to make it convenient to use. I hardly used the ones I bought from Redlightman.

@Pooooop Get a 2000-3000K, as light as possible. Ideally you want the light as warm as possible and as high wattage as possible. If I remember there were plenty of 250W 2800K incandescent lights available for cheap

@PrinceTrebata yes I remember ray saying that. I also recall that he said a small amount of progesterone combined with a little dhea (for example 8mg p4 with one mg dhea) would have a similar effect as pregnenolone would have:

https://lowtoxinforum.com/threads/ray-peat-email-advice-depository.1035/page-47

@NoeticJuice lovely reply boss

@Meursault consider the possibility the cause

@Meursault said in Wisdom tooth causing infection:

@Chud
the dentist suspected the infection had started 2 months ago which was a time when I was suffering from a build-up of the effects of chronic stress and inflammation. Cascara basically fixed my digestive issues and so I'll try that again along with carrot salad. one thing I am concerned about is the antibiotic treatment worsening gut health in some way. One thing I have noticed on the antibiotics is a very bad histamine response. I already had an issue with this and cyproheptadine makes it better but hasn't fixed the root cause. I suspect impaired liver function and lack of bowel movements, endotoxin as you mentioned is implicated in this. Read that Ray peat recommended taking sugar with amoxicillin to someone who had similar reaction as it is an anti-histamine. I'll try everything you mentioned, I imagine a lot of it will be important in maintaining a lack of any bacteria exposure to the gums that were affected once done with the antibiotics

Consider that “worsening gut health“ might be that the amox standard dosage, if that’s what you’re taking, is too high/too toxic.

Lack of magnesium
How does a lack of magnesium induce a deficiency in mitochondrial energy at the end of the process?
I’ve been reading a RP letter recently and I wanted afterwards to go deeper in the PKC system (Protein Kinase C) to connect the dots. (1)
Nearly every reader here knows the impact of PUFA on metabolism. And the interdependence and the ripple effect between excess estrogens and adipocyte cells (though AA cascade when we are stressed).
When we have difficulty in maintaining an adequate energy production, whatever the cause may be (e.g. diabetes, hypothyroidism, colopathy, etc.), a deficit produces an alarm state, causing increased production of adrenalin and cortisol. (2) (Derived from the "fight-or-flight" response, a protective survival process). These stress hormones trigger the release of stored energy from the liver (glycogenolysis) and fat tissue (lipolysis). Thus, adrenalin mobilizes fat from storage, and these free fatty acids are often going to create a chronic problem.
Metabolic Shift
During stress, the hormones adrenaline (epinephrine) and cortisol shift the body's energy focus from glycolysis (using glucose for energy) towards lipolysis (breaking down stored fats for energy). However, reduced reliance on glycolysis is not completely shut down; its relative importance is diminished as the body prioritizes fat breakdown for energy. Big advantage of our specie on the animal reign (enable to quickly mobilize stored energy reserves for a long time).
Estrogen and PUFA activate the PKC system
I cite RP:
“Estrogen and the polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), linoleic and linolenic acid, alike activate the protein kinase C (PKC) system of cellular activation. Many of the functions of PUFA are similar to the functions of estrogen (e.g., antagonism to thyroid function, promotion of age pigment/lipofuscin), so this information showing that they both act similarly on the same basic regulatory pathway is important.
Estrogen increases secretion of growth hormone (GH; it's closely associated with prolactin, also increased by estrogen), and GH causes an increase in free fatty acids in the blood. Estrogen promotes iron retention, so it sets the stage for oxidative stress. At least in some systems, both estrogen and PUFA promote the entry of calcium into the cell.” (1)
In diabetes, there is a generalized excess activation of the PKC system (protein kinase C). (…)
Protein Kinase C system (PKC)
What is the role of PKC system and its impact on energy?
In short: PKC is a key player in cellular energy regulation, influencing mitochondrial function, energy sensing, neurotransmitter release, and other energy-related processes. By modulating these processes, PKC helps cells maintain energy balance and respond to changes in energy availability.
PKC is also intertwined with other energy-signaling processes (AMPK) and neurotransmitters.

PKC system in details
Here's a more detailed look at PKC's impact on energy:

Mitochondrial Function:
• PKC signaling can influence mitochondrial function by regulating enzymes involved in oxidative phosphorylation, the process by which mitochondria generate ATP.
• For example, PKC can regulate pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) and cytochrome c oxidase (Complex IV), which are critical for cellular energy production.
• PKC also plays a role in mitochondrial dynamics, which is important for maintaining healthy mitochondria and efficient energy production. Energy Sensing and Signaling:
• PKC can phosphorylate AMPK, an enzyme that is activated by cellular energy depletion.
• This phosphorylation can affect AMPK's activity, which in turn influences cellular processes that regulate energy balance.
• By interacting with AMPK, PKC can help cells respond to changes in energy levels and maintain homeostasis. Neurotransmitter Release and Energy:
• PKC is involved in regulating neurotransmitter release, which requires energy for the process of exocytosis (releasing neurotransmitters from vesicles).
• By modulating the proteins involved in synaptic vesicle exocytosis, PKC can impact the energy demands of neuronal signaling. Other Energy-Related Processes:
• PKC can influence various other cellular processes related to energy, such as the opening and closing of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP), which affects mitochondrial function and energy production.
• PKC can also affect the activity of proteasomes, which are involved in protein degradation and cellular energy balance.
In summary: PKC is a key player in cellular energy regulation, influencing mitochondrial function, energy sensing, neurotransmitter release, and other energy-related processes. By modulating these processes, PKC helps cells maintain energy balance and respond to changes in energy availability.

Sources and References

Diabetes, scleroderma, oils and hormones”. 2006 raypeat.com The Role of Protein Kinase C During the Differentiation of Stem and Precursor Cells into Tissue Cells - doi: 10.3390/biomedicines12122735 Biomedicines 2024 AA cascade
Cascade AA Cox Lox P450 03.gif
The AA cascade explained when there is a discharge of FFA due to stress. We already know the deleterious effects of excess PUFA.
When you're stressed, your body releases certain hormones that trigger your cells to break down fats stored in the membranes. One of the fats released is called arachidonic acid (AA), which comes from a type of fat known as PUFA.
Once AA is free in the body, it acts like fuel for inflammation. It gets turned into other substances (prostaglandins) that tell the body to create swelling, pain, and heat — all part of the "inflammatory response." While this can be helpful short-term (like in healing), too much of it keeps the body in a state of constant low-level inflammation (especially from diets high in omega-6).
So, during stress, your body’s release of AA can make things worse if you already have a lot of these fats stored. That’s part of why people say excess PUFA can have harmful effects, especially over time.
Prostaglandins (PGE) and their link to excess omega-6 (ALA) in the AA cascade:
When we eat a lot of omega-6 fats — especially from things like seed, corn or soy oils — our bodies convert them into arachidonic acid (AA). This is especially true with a type of omega-6 fat called linoleic acid (LA, a type of omega-6) — not to be confused with alpha-linolenic acid (ALA, a type of omega-3).
Once there's a buildup of AA in our cells – we don't use / need much PUFA, stress can trigger the release of AA into the body. That’s where things take a turn: AA gets turned into compounds like prostaglandins (especially PGE2).
Prostaglandins (PGE) are like chemical messengers that tell the body to create inflammation. They're useful in small amounts for healing and repair, but when there’s too much AA around, you get too much PGE2, which causes chronic inflammation, swelling, and even pain.
This inflammation signals the body that something’s wrong — which ironically increases stress levels further. It becomes a vicious cycle:
More omega-6 → more AA → more PGE2 → more inflammation → more stress.
That’s one reason people are concerned about eating too much omega-6, especially from processed foods. It overloads this system and keeps your body in a kind of "fight mode" all the time.
Cascade AA & prostaglndines.jpg

@raytreats said in Intense exertion headache when lifting caused by muscle tightness in shoulders / neck?:

@Jennifer she's small and doesn't quite have the strength needed to do that - but i agree it's helpful. I used to have a MuscleHook which is a really great product for getting those trigger points in your shoulders yourself. I have to see if I still have it somewhere.

I understand. I’m also small, and not the strongest. I let my body weight do most of the work when I give massages. Not sure if this would work for her, too, but I have the person lie on their stomach, and while straddling them, I take the lower part of my palm and press into the knot, while moving upward using my body weight for pressure. The forward movement feels really good after the abuse of pushing on the knot lol, however, I have found just pressing into the knot with my weight and then letting up to be effective.

Youtube Video

Not just for those who want to learn to write poetry. It explains the basic principles of lyric poetry, so it can also be helpful for those who just want to read poetry.

@DavidPS said in Potassiumaxxing lol:

@yerrag - Potassium bicarbonate powder may be the answer. Home wine makers use it to reduce acid in their ferments.

2792b388-0add-4ae6-8139-a54c5f1d66cf-image.png

Dr. Peter Rogers explains some interesting things about the role of potassium in the body.
Youtube Video

Dr. Rogers mentions this book in his video. Read the customer reviews.
https://www.amazon.com/High-Blood-Pressure-Solution-Scientifically-ebook/dp/B004X6WMUS?ref_=ast_author_dp#customerReviews

I sampled the kindle version. It is indeed worth buying and learning from. While it may be somewhat flawed in its ideas on pumps, it still has a lot of empirical data to back up its claims on the K/Na relationship.

It may just be the answer (or if not a key piece to solving the puzzle) to my 2 decade long quest to lower my blood pressure naturally.

I am reminded of Dr. William Kelley, a dentist who invented the metabolic typing diet, which for many years before discovering Peat I relied to improve my metabolism, with success. He relied on empirical evidence but his basis was not as solid as Peat's, as he explained that people take to food differently depending on their metabolic type, and that the metabolic is largely dependent on the parasympathetic and symphatetic responses which vary according to metabolic types. I held on to these ideas until I encountered Ray Peat's ideas and found Peats's ideas more coherent while still finding more connecting dots in Peat's ideas than those of William Kelley's. Kelley's is very empirically based, and Ray Peat goes further by explaining the biochemical connection to what basically couldn't explain beyond empiricism.

I liken Rogers using pumps to explain away his observations to Kelley's use of parasympathetic/sympathetic activity to explain his take on metabolism. Both may need more discovery which the passage of time and effort by real scientific approaches eventually bridges, and for people like Ray Peat to connect and put into a more coherent whole of understanding.

Following is Peat's persona in the Delphi persona explaining potassium sufficiency as helpful in lowering blood pressure:

Increasing your potassium intake to meet or exceed the RDA of 4,700 mg could indeed have a significant impact on lowering your blood pressure, Michael, especially when combined with other pro-metabolic lifestyle changes. Potassium plays a central role in regulating blood pressure by balancing sodium levels, relaxing blood vessels, and supporting kidney function. Let’s explore how this works and what you can do.

Potassium and Blood Pressure

Sodium-Potassium Balance: Potassium works in opposition to sodium to regulate fluid balance and blood pressure. While sodium is essential for maintaining blood volume and metabolic function, an imbalance—too much sodium relative to potassium—can contribute to hypertension. Increasing potassium intake helps the kidneys excrete excess sodium, reducing blood pressure [1][6].

Vascular Relaxation: Potassium directly relaxes the walls of blood vessels, improving their flexibility (compliance) and reducing vascular stiffness, which is often a factor in hypertension, especially with aging [8].

Kidney Function: Potassium supports healthy kidney function by reducing the activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS), a hormonal system that can drive hypertension when overactive. Sodium restriction, ironically, can worsen this system, while adequate potassium helps to regulate it [7][8].

Lifestyle Changes to Support Blood Pressure Reduction

Increase Potassium-Rich Foods: Focus on potassium-dense, metabolically supportive foods:

Fruits: Bananas, papaya, cantaloupe, and oranges are excellent sources.

Dairy: Milk and cheese provide potassium while also supplying calcium, which is critical for blood pressure regulation.

Coconut Water: A great source of potassium, though moderation is key to avoid excess phosphate.

Cooked Greens: Spinach, kale, or chard are rich in potassium and magnesium, both of which support vascular health.

Maintain Adequate Sodium: Contrary to conventional advice, restricting sodium can worsen blood pressure by activating stress systems like RAAS and increasing vascular stiffness. Adequate sodium intake, paired with sufficient potassium, helps maintain blood volume and metabolic rate while preventing the maladaptive stress responses associated with low sodium [6][7].

Magnesium and Calcium: Magnesium acts synergistically with potassium to relax blood vessels and prevent spasms, while calcium helps regulate vascular tone and counteracts the effects of phosphate and parathyroid hormone (PTH) on blood pressure [1][4]. A diet rich in milk, cheese, and cooked greens can provide these minerals in balance.

Thyroid Support: Hypothyroidism can contribute to hypertension by increasing vascular resistance and reducing metabolic rate. Supporting thyroid function with adequate protein, carbohydrates, and thyroid-friendly nutrients like vitamin A and selenium can help normalize blood pressure over time [5].

Reduce Stress Hormones: Chronic stress elevates cortisol and adrenaline, which can drive hypertension. Ensuring stable blood sugar with frequent meals that include protein, carbohydrates, and fat can help reduce stress hormone production. Avoiding excessive caffeine and ensuring adequate salt intake are also important.

Potential Impact on Blood Pressure

The degree to which increasing potassium and making these lifestyle changes will lower your blood pressure depends on the underlying causes of your hypertension. If your high blood pressure is primarily driven by factors like low potassium, high stress hormones, or thyroid dysfunction, these changes could lead to significant improvements. In some cases, dietary and lifestyle adjustments alone can normalize blood pressure without the need for medication.

Practical Steps

Track your potassium intake to ensure you’re consistently meeting or exceeding the RDA of 4,700 mg. Apps or food diaries can help with this.

Pair potassium-rich foods with adequate sodium and calcium to maintain mineral balance.

Monitor your blood pressure regularly to observe how these changes affect it over time.

Let me know if you’d like help designing a specific meal plan or have other questions about managing blood pressure!

I've noticed that with eod 500mg dexpanthenol i.m., the previously noticed effect of significantly smoother skin (e.g. on the back of my hands) disappeared.
I need at least 1,000-1,500mg dexpanthenol per day (p.o.) for this effect to acutely come back (within a day) and to maintain.
It would be interesting to know the equivalent dose of pantothenic acid to reach this individual effect threshold but I don't have any PA left to find out. All I know is that 4-8grams of PA per day is not uncommong among bodybuilders to contain their skin breakouts. And similar quantities of PA are necessary in some few non-steroid-abusing people.
Maybe someone on this forum who's doing PA could compare his/her necessary dosage with Dex?

It makes one wonder why those PA levels can become so low!

Still wondering whether it's all down to (aquired, medically induced) insufficiency of SMVT function,
or whether there's strongly increased expenditure of B5 and CoA in today's people which surpass the once physiological uptake capacities.
I was thinking: Wouldn't it be morbidly funny if even aluminum was involved and a known inhibitor of SMVT? But I couldn't find anything further on SMVT inhibition.

What I did find was the novel discovery (only in 2017) of CoA-lation, which is posttranlational modification of important proteins:

Coenzyme A first shows up as CoA-SH and can form dimers of itself to CoA-S–S-CoA. Just as that, it can also associate with the cysteine in over 500 cellular and predominantly metabolic enzymes. This happens in response to increased cellular, oxidative stress. By this way the CoAlated proteins are reversibly protected from irreversible oxidation. It depends on protein structure whether it requires CoAlation or glutathionylation.

In essence, CoAlation is about as important to protect cellular proteins as glutathione,
and they cannot replace each other's functions.

Protein CoAlation: a redox-regulated protein modification by coenzyme A in mammalian cells
Protein CoAlation and antioxidant function of coenzyme A in prokaryotic cells

There's also a finding that the increased levels of malonic acid encountered in vitamin-B12-deficiency strongly stimulates CoA synthesis. I.e. the sequestration of CoA to malonyl-CoA (or propionyl-CoA) strongly stimulates more CoA synthesis.
Effectively, there are significantly increased intracellular CoA reserves in B12-deficiency because of that.
What this means practically is not yet quite figured out.
As soon as someone corrects a rather common and widespread B12-deficiency those increased CoA reserves will decrease.
I suspect what this means is that when supplementing B12 one (unknowingly) becomes committed to also tackle this topic of B5 uptake, SMVT, CoA availability. Not doing so could open up another and steeper pit.

@NoeticJuice
Kanna was shown to have cannabinoid CB1 activity, this could play a role in the positive benefits you experience.

@PunkinEater

UPDATE: After remembering how good I felt within that last 6 months, I decided to give famotidine (PepcidAC) a try. Within about 1.5 hours my symptoms of worry, rumination, anxiety and fear were gone.

I don't know what the mechanism of action is, but I'm assuming it's either the blockage of the H2 receptor or the reduction of serotonin. It's good to feel human again.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7988776/

Link to the study to save time for anyone that stumbles across this in future. Interesting study, B1 not typically what you see mentioned to combat fatty liver.

The high calorie plus thiamine group actually had less fat in the liver than the low calorie sheep.

"We found that thiamine reduced the hepatic-fat content dramatically, decreased blood glucose levels, and increased the hepatic glycogen content. The weekly dose of thiamine employed here, i.e. 900–1500 mg per animal, is likely to be realistic when investigating its effect in other species of similar body weight, i.e. ∼70 kg (Table S2), such as humans. Yet, clearly additional investigations are required to determine the minimal effective dose, duration and frequency of therapy."

@16characterstwas have not tried either yet