Licorice Root - A Key Supplement In Hypothyroidism?

[koganmj]

Matt Stoney?

He recently referred to himself as "Stonan the Carbarian" in a newsletter email. Thought it was pretty clever.

 

[Such_Saturation]

This is Matt Stonie

 

[koganmj]

Did he died?

 

[Such_Saturation]

Did he died?

He's eating for heat

 

[aquaman]

So I ask you, sat at your computer discussing issues daily, whether you are using your time wisely enough to actually apply, experience, and evolve.

Very good point.

I assume many of you are here to improve your health, rather than to post on threads. This not anything against the point of forums, but my honest instinct says what I have outlined above is about all there is to know in this area, and the steps that will go most of the way to solving these issues do not come from particularly intelligent methods.

I'm not sure. A lot of people like the intellectual debate instead of doing and recording things.

 

[kineticz]

Nothing beats what I outlined in my earlier lengthy post. No supplement will compensate for a low active lifestyle, good sleep, diligent use of sugar, salt, and thyroid. Adrenal suppression, as I have been through, complete depersonalisation and zombification, is possible with excess pregnenolone, and this must be warned to new members should I leave soon.

...

A powerful ionizer, salt, lysine, vitamin E, licorice, sugar before bed and exercise, and increased cardio intensity at the gym have vastly improved my opportunities and outlook now, all thanks to Dr Ray Peat.

CARDIO? NO WAY BRO!

:)

Good to hear some rationality on this forum!

I read Diet Recovery 2 by Stoney recently. The chapter on exercise is fantastic. We know he is all for taking it easy and recovering, but he also says this which I loved:

Being physically fit and feeling strong are priceless attributes. Not only does most information out there validate that the net result of attaining and maintaining a good level of fitness and strength is fantastically healthy and beneficial to your overall quality of life as you age – metabolically and otherwise, but also there is something inherently exciting and inspiring about being in top form. These confident feelings are worth their weight in gold in terms of how they translate to the total life experience. We all want to be there. We are all inspired by feats of human strength and athleticism. I think it’s a beautiful thing to take action and perform at your best by getting fit and strong. At the very least I know it wounds you on a deep level every time you have difficulty climbing a flight of stairs or standing up when you’re not at your fittest.

And

So if you are going to do something, whatever it is,
you’ll probably get better results from doing it vigorously. How vigorously? Well, depends on
how healthy you are. The more solid your metabolism, the better your sleep and lower your
stress, and the younger you are – generally the more intensely you can exercise without any ill
effects. If you are in shambles and haven’t exercised in ages, just start out nice and easy and
slow and build intensity over time.

and

I hope you are getting the basic concept here. I want you to heal your metabolism AND get in
great physical shape. I don’t think the two goals are mutually exclusive.

The benefits
of exercise do not come from burning calories. The benefits of exercise come from the hormonal
adaptations the body makes to better handle the demands being placed upon it. And these
adaptations come from doing very hard work – not very long work.

Totally agree with all this.

 

[kineticz]

I would like to add that my latest theory on the adverse reactions to oral pregnenolone is...

Methylation

The liver gets very little attention on this forum and Peat's work in general, other than glycogen.

Oral pregnenolone appears like a benzodiazapine when broken down in the liver.

This, along with potential adrenal suffocation of fatty acids/reduced flow of chol - preg - steroids, is the best theory I can come up with for those who get zombification with standard oral preg.

Sublingual pregnenolone has over the last few weeks been a remarkable part of my recovery.

When adrenaline is high, and dopamine is low, blood supply to the adrenals is restricted, hence the need to get preg directly into the blood rather than skin, digestion, liver.

With undermethylation, reducing serotonin is not advisable. All members need to be aware that the liver is more important than Peat's ideas on mitochondrial respiration in the first instance.

For two months a daily dose of
Methylcobalamin 1 mg sublingually
Methyltetrahydrofolate 800mcg (ActiFolate)
Pyridoxal-5-phosphate 100mgs (50mgs twice daily)
Glutathione 250mgs daily
Phosphatidyl Serine 200mgs (100mgs twice daily)

Is a good starting point.

 

[Suikerbuik]

Luckily you say it is your latest theory :). Expression of enzymes, function of enzymes, co-factor, etc. It is all affected by mitochondrial health and liver cells have one of the highest mitochondrial density. With the emphasis on protein intake, animal foods such as liver and emphasis on coffee (methyl donor) I think Peat is spot on.

Telling people about a good starting point is useless, without people knowing how their current biochemistry is working.. Supplements can also be though for liver function. P5P 50mgs is not nothing.

Anecdotally the man with theories about glutathione and methylation in CFS - Rich van Konynenburg, died relatively young at the age of 70, co-incidence or not.. There is a reason why methylation isn't functioning properly. And although reduced intake of methyl donors can be a reason for some and supplemention might mask issues. There's something else going on in most these people..

And as a sidenote, although different enzymes are involved and it is not really a comparable situation. I'd like to understate that we cannot readily talk about general hypomethylation or hypermethylation. Both hypermethylation and hypomethylation are seen in cancers contribuiting to the hallmarks (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22120008). If I dare to enter quicksand, but argue that cancer is a metabolic disease, methylation is probably regulated by the cell's metabolism.

 

[Such_Saturation]

Oral pregnenolone appears like a benzodiazapine when broken down in the liver.

What does it look like?

get preg directly into the blood rather than skin, digestion, liver.

I hear cannabis can do that.

 

[tara]

Luckily you say it is your latest theory :). Expression of enzymes, function of enzymes, co-factor, etc. It is all affected by mitochondrial health and liver cells have one of the highest mitochondrial density. With the emphasis on protein intake, animal foods such as liver and emphasis on coffee (methyl donor) I think Peat is spot on.

Yes. Not to mention his emphasis on reducing excessive endotoxin and estrogen burden, both of which can make it hard for the liver to get on with its other jobs. And supplying sugar so the liver can create T3 from T4.

I wonder if there is anything Peat talks about that does not fairly directly influence liver health?

 

[kineticz]

Didn't mean to sound harsh before Tara, things are calm for me now.

 

[Sol Invictus]

I have been using licorice root the last couple of weeks because of over using progesterone, and its definitely been helpful. I do intend to use it short term. I had experimented with progesterone for too long and it caused some interference with my normal function of aldosterone and maybe also cortisol. It is relieving dehydration (dry skin and vertical nail ridges), high adrenaline, cold hands and feet, and intolerance to thyroid, all caused by progesterone.

 

[InChristAlone]

I have been using licorice root the last couple of weeks because of over using progesterone, and its definitely been helpful. I do intend to use it short term. I had experimented with progesterone for too long and it caused some interference with my normal function of aldosterone and maybe also cortisol. It is relieving dehydration (dry skin and vertical nail ridges), high adrenaline, cold hands and feet, and intolerance to thyroid, all caused by progesterone.

What are signs of aldosterone dysfunction? Just dehydration? I've been getting some funky symptoms 2nd half of my cycle as well but I only use a few drops a day. I think it requires more fuel/nutrition for sure.

 

[Sol Invictus]

What are signs of aldosterone dysfunction? Just dehydration? I've been getting some funky symptoms 2nd half of my cycle as well but I only use a few drops a day. I think it requires more fuel/nutrition for sure.

I found this site: RT3-Adrenals aldosterone

 

[energyandstruct]

it seems like licorice is possibly dangerous long term. Peat told me that, yes it does help raise cortisol but there are far safer ways. I think the problem is that it's very non-linear because it strongly inhibits an enzyme that turns cortisol into something else. have read a few papers on this and although the effects are reversible, it actually takes awhile for them to wear off if u took it for awhile

 

[SOMO]

it seems like licorice is possibly dangerous long term. Peat told me that, yes it does help raise cortisol but there are far safer ways. I think the problem is that it's very non-linear because it strongly inhibits an enzyme that turns cortisol into something else. have read a few papers on this and although the effects are reversible, it actually takes awhile for them to wear off if u took it for awhile

Licorice gave me Hyper-cortisolism (the actual term is hypermineralocorticoidism.)

I took 100% concentrated Licorice candy/pellets before bed. I woke up and there was CLUMPS OF HAIR on my pillow. I freaked out, I had never seen so much hair shedding on one pillow.
Interestingly, some people actually recommend Licorice for hair loss. Maybe in very small doses it has the opposite effect.


There's a medical drama show on TV and in one episode a woman on a diet has her tongue swell up and gets blood pressure issues because the only thing she had to eat was a large quantity of licorice candy. She ended up in the ER, so I'm not the only one who reacted negatively to it.

Licorice seems like a gentle, harmless herb but it's a powerful medication.

 

[Lokzo]

Licorice root is known to raise it

And here's me desperately trying to find a way to raise aldosterone/blood pressure, without having to resort to licorice.

 

[sweetpeat]

And here's me desperately trying to find a way to raise aldosterone/blood pressure, without having to resort to licorice.

I'm sorry I don't know your back story and health issues. Pregnenolone and/or progesterone can sometimes help with that. Though these might be difficult to get in Melbourne. That's assuming your thyroid is fine.

It's also very common for people with energy issues to simply not be eating enough. For males, around 3500 calories if you are under 25, 3000 calories if over 25. And even more if very active.

 

[Lokzo]

I'm sorry I don't know your back story and health issues. Pregnenolone and/or progesterone can sometimes help with that. Though these might be difficult to get in Melbourne. That's assuming your thyroid is fine.

It's also very common for people with energy issues to simply not be eating enough. For males, around 3500 calories if you are under 25, 3000 calories if over 25. And even more if very active.

I am 23 years old, bordering HYPER thyroid, lift weights 5 days a week, and have very LOW cortisol/aldosterone.

I am trying to find ways to mimic what CYPRO does to me on the withdrawal. 3 days after a single 1mg of cypro and I feel amazing.

 

[Lokzo]

licorice prolongs cortisol's effects in the blood, and allows thyroid hormone to exert effects

I have never quite understood this... How does cortisol make thyroid 'work' - can someone show me a research study to support this physiological action?

@Hans