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Dr. Ray Peat and Progesterone Therapy

by Autumn
(KC, Missouri)

First off I would just like to applaud the wonderful things that you are doing, and helping so many people to find and use progesterone therapy. You seem very informed on the subject and I think that is wonderful. I do however want to share some information that could help you with your mission and it is regarding diet and cellular metabolism. I am not sure if you have read any Articles by Doctor Ray Peat but, he very much condones progesterone therapy but also sugar and no polyunsaturated fats. I really feel like you could benefit from reading his articles especially about progesterone because it could only help you on your mission. I cannot agree with telling women that want to get pregnant or anyone for that matter that they shouldn't be eating sugar and or carbohydrates. I know Joy has that sugar is poison all over the facebook page for NatPro. I am not talking about candy bars and HFCS but fruit sugar and glucose specifically that are actually very beneficial. If you take just a little time to read his articles it will make a lot of sense and you will be truly amazed at the real research behind it all. The science behind his food recommendations among many other things will only help you to enhance the effects of progesterone and let it work better for all of the women that use it. It all focuses on cellular metabolism, the things suppressing it (polyunsaturates, low progesterone, estrogen dominance etc)and why progesterone is so important. If more of the world knew his research it would be a completely different place! If you would like any help wading through articles or where to start please email me. As soon as NatPro is in stock I will be ordering some ASAP.
Thank you! www.RayPeat.com/articles and www.RayPeatForums.com

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Sep 07, 2014
 Dr. Ray Peat and Progesterone Therapy
by: Wray

Hi Autumn Thanks for the kind words. I do know Ray Peat's work and often give links to his site. It was through Ray Peat that Dr Lee learnt about the benefits of progesterone. I appreciate your concern, but I do agree with Joy about saying sugar and/or glucose is poison. We are also talking about candy bars and HFCS. But excess sweet, starchy carbs will also convert to excess glucose which we don't need. We actually only need 10% of our energy from glucose, the body operates better when using ketones. And that 10% can be converted via gluconeogenesis from amino acids if necessary. You might like to read what Prof D'Agostino has to say about ketones. Or this site on Solve Your Health Issues with a Ketogenic Diet. It gives a list of the health benefits of reducing sugar/glucose in the diet, and increasing saturated fat. She also gives a Low Carb Food List. Ray Peat does seem to be pro sugar, giving research to back up his arguments. But Prof D'Agostino and Prof Seyfried argue against it. It's good to read both sides of the story and make up our own minds. It is a mine field, and can be very confusing. For instance Ray Peat condemns avocados, which are top of the list in most peoples 'good' food! "….avocados, for example, contain so much unsaturated fat that they can be carcinogenic and hepatotoxic", see here. Take care Wray
Sep 07, 2014
 all very confusing
by: Letitia

Very interesting post I will follow to see what else is said by other people, everything I have read on many levels says get sugar out of your diet for health reasons
Sep 07, 2014
 Thanks!
by: Autumn Smith

Thank you Wray for your response. I do appreciate being part of a forum where one is free to express their opinions and get a respectable response. Keep up the good work!
Sep 07, 2014
 Dr. Ray Peat and Progesterone Therapy
by: RJ

Hello Autumn!
Wray has directed me a few times to Ray's site for information in the past. But I disagree with him on a few issues. Sugars a big no-no for anyone with cancer...my mother case in point...diabetics like my father and myself severely overweight. An alkaline state is good for the body...we all are so very acidic with all the junk we consume. Acidic bodies have fungus and it thrives on sugars making us even more acidic and then the cancer revs up and all the other bad things diseases that thrive off the fungus. A couple months back I weighed 300 pounds and with the elimination of sugar, most carbs...I do eat oatmeal in the morning and the increase of iodine and PUFA's I have dropped 30 pounds. I do not crave the sugar and carbs anymore and just stay away from them. And if by chance I do have them...get the recliner ready cause I'm taking a nap. I also disagree with him on the iodine. We need it and are deficient in it. Ray says don't supplement, get it from your foods. Well, his latest articles on it are almost ten years old and things have changed so very much. How many nuclear plants have had explosions within the last years, contaminating so many things we drink and ingest. Iodine cannot come from a food source that is grown in stagnant soil...or what if you don't eat sea by-products? How are you to get your source of iodine. A box of iodized salt, once opened, loses all the iodine value within three weeks and it takes me a month or two to use it. Then he is against PUFA's. Well, I can understand the theory he states, but I believe in my heart that the pro's outweigh the con's that he lists. There have been numerous studies on flaxseed...proven research and he advises us to stay away from it. As for the progesterone well that has proven to be a miracle for me. He needed to be in my body three years ago when it was the only thing to help/cure my problems. Yes, long term changes in our diets and environments needs to be done to help with our hormonal imbalances but when you are bleeding none stop, cannot get off the toilet because of it and clots are so big they fall out of your pants legs long term solutions are not what you are looking for to solve an immediate and dire situation. I thank the Lord everyday for progesterone and for Wray's site...otherwise I would have been just another statistic for the medical community and still be suffering from hormonal imbalances on a far greater scale. Also about progesterone, just recently Sayer Ji from GreenMed, did an article on the ALS ice bucket challenge and the criminal way these raised funds are being spent...only 7% is spent on the actual research portion. Well anyway research has proven that progesterone is a natural prevention for ALS. How can he (Ray) justify to not take it and to this day I have yet to find any truthful and verifiable research that says progesterone is not good for us. Unless he has new research out there and I am just missing it these are just my thoughts on those three things.

Wray!!! It is so good to hear from you. Hope all is going well. Last we all heard you were working on your thyroid...hope you found a solution....I'm tired of cold feet! Have wanted to talk with you about so many things of late and have so missed your input. Joy has helped me out with some of it, but just this past week we have learned that my husband could possibly have pulmonary fibrosis. How about taking a bat to my head and hitting it from here to timbucktwo. We were devastated. But we will wait for the CT scan and continue praying that it is a misdiagnosis from the rural hospital. You only have three articles on the site that speak of it and they were brief and just a few months back a NIH funded research concluded that NAC does not work for any type lung disease. However, what I found was they were only giving 1,800 mg a day to the patients. So I tried to research higher dosages and the effects and could find nothing other than when taking over 1,500 mg a day of NAC that you must take three times more vitamin c and be sure to supplement with zinc, copper and magnesium and/or trace minerals because the long period usage of NAC detoxs the body of all those minerals. Have you had this problem with your long term usage of NAC? Gosh you told me to take 2,000 mg a day from day one and they were only giving 1,800 a day. My thoughts were they should have made that dosage way higher than that for such a deadly disease. Any thoughts on pulmonary fibrosis? The other thing I was curious about was iodine. Years ago when we did not have drugs it was used for patients with asthma and pneumonia. Any thoughts on that? Right now I have him on 6,000 mg of vitamin c and 1,000 mg of lysine...Linus Paulings therapy....along with everything else. I am slowly trying to get him up to 10,000 mg of C. I think I'm going to increase the progesterone in him also. Do you think 150 mg will help or go higher? I rub it on his chest and helps with his sleep. The cough has subsided, which makes me hopeful it's not PF as the cough never goes away when it is PF and it's a dry hacking cough with PF...his is very phlegmy and lemon/green in color when he's able to spit it out. He always has a coughing spasm in the morning and we're good most of the day. We have put it in the Lord's Hands...but I stay busy on the side lines trying to help Him out. Take care of yourself and again so good to hear from you! God Bless! RJ
Sep 09, 2014
 Dr. Ray Peat and Progesterone Therapy
by: Wray

Hi RJ You are so quick! You must spend a great deal of time looking through the site. Your support over the past few months has been wonderful, particularly when we have had so little stock, if any. Cash flow problems hit us, but we are out of it now. I learnt that the first stock to get into the fulfilment house was cleared out within 53 minutes! We are making another double batch this month too, so hopefully it will all resolve very soon. As for my thyroid, I have been seeing a remarkable kinesiologist who said I needed iodine. But not as drops and not the small amount you get via the skin patch. But large amounts! She made me cover my whole tummy area with Lugol's solution. Well by morning it was gone, not a trace left. I did this for a week until my tummy began peeling! So moved to my thighs for a week, then to my calves. It still fades over night so I'm going to have to cover my arms now. I'm so sorry to hear about the pulmonary fibrosis, let's hope it is a misdiagnosis. I take it you've checked through all the possible causes, particularly air pollutants? Vitamin D could be a possible help, see here. NAC certainly helps loosen any mucus which in turn would help breathing. It's also a powerful antioxidant. These are a few papers here, here, here, here, here and here. PubMed had 29 papers, I've given you the first few. There's no doubt taking it is of benefit. I've not found any problems from the amount or duration I've been taking it. There is a novel antifibrotic drug you might consider, but read this first. One of the problems is getting in enough air, or oxygen to be more precise. Progesterone is needed, not only does it help lung inflammation, relax the alveoli etc, but it increases lung volume and erythrypotein. Continued below
Sep 09, 2014
 Dr. Ray Peat and Progesterone Therapy Part 2
by: Wray

Hi RJ See here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here. But they've found oestrogen affects ventilation adversely…..well how amazing is that!? See here. When will the world wake up to the fact progesterone has some beneficial effects! Try the 150mg and see if it helps, if not increase it. Don't be afraid to do so, remember very high amounts have been used on men with Traumatic Brain Injury. Vitamin C is good, but consider taking it in liposomal form. New research has found it gets absorbed better, plus it doesn't cause a runny tummy, so you can take more. One final thing, have you checked a fungal infection? This can cause excess lung mucus. A friend of mine's father was given antibiotic after antibiotic to clear a 'bacterial' infection. As soon as he went on the anti-candida diet and took the supplements which kill it, he began healing. Let me know how he gets on. Take care Wray
Sep 09, 2014
 Dr. Ray Peat and Progesterone Therapy
by: RJ

Oh Wray it is so good to hear your words! We're scared terribly, but we believe in the Lord and also my ability to understand how the body works. Understanding the disease we suspect it's being in the automotive repair industry for over 30 years. Although asthma runs heavy on his side of the family and our daughter is severely asthmatic also. We can live with an asthma diagnosis. We are on the same page for protocols. Yes, he has fungus and I started him some time ago on the same alkaline diet I put myself on. We have used fulvic acid for a long time now which also helps alkalize the body. I have been researching oregano oil also. Right now the doctor has him on Advair which has helped...I guess since I have him on so many other things that may be helping also. His nose is so plugged up and he has been given a nasal steriod also. I am going with serrapetase and nattokanise as we have always been on the digestive enzymes which also help. Adding aloe vera juice too. The vitamin c we take as sodium absorbate as the liposomal is expensive. Any of us can make lipsomal C but haven't pursued that yet because I need to buy a jewelry cleaner. So up I go on the progesterone with him...he's gonna have a bit of morning sickness lol but he'll adapt. I pray that it gets rid of the fibrosis if it is in there. I will read all of these papers that you send me and hope something is in there also to help. Now for your iodine. I put myself on 50mg a day...20 drops of the 2% Lugols. I felt great. Then searching the internet I found an interview done some time ago with Ray Peat and he scared me into using that much saying it will deactivate the thyroid and make you more hypo. So I backed off and only take 5 drops a day now, which I have my husband on too. My thoughts were if the Japanese can eat 13 mg of iodine a day and not have troubles so can we. The weight literally started coming off...a pound a day. But it looks as though you are taking way more than 20 drops a day and you're doing fine. We also take a bit of dissected thyroid in a product called Metobolic Advantage from Enzymatic Therapy. You will find the balance. And for that cashflow issue...oh boy do I know about that and most who are not in business for themselves just don't understand how it can creep up out of nowhere. Thank you again Wray and I am hopeful to find something in all these papers. God Bless you Wray! RJ
Sep 09, 2014
 Dr. Ray Peat and Progesterone Therapy
by: RJ

Wray, these articles are unbelievable! I mean we can go back to 1967 and find that progesterone is used to help people who could not breath from different causes of the lungs. What I find so interesting is that women with cycles and post women have breathing troubles. Then when they added the men into the studies you find that they are older or "aged" as it says. Now what do we all have lots of these days....estrogen! We eat it, breath it, lather it on and then our bodies like to make it too! Now add all the stress...gosh I'm surprised lung diseases aren't higher. And did you read that one article about not giving testosterone which increases breathing troubles and woman make way more than men during their cycles. Pirfenidone looks very promising. However, we here in the states find that it's not too very important as we do not allow the sale of it. I guess we will have to go to a foreign country that prescribes it. How stupid and far behind we are. Gosh Japan was administering it back in 2008 and Canada just approved it in 2013. But we here have to wait for the FDA to see that it's an important drug, which in July 2014 they did and now have it expedited. We could get on a plane and go to Mexico...they administer it there too. Wray, thank you, thank you! Without these papers, which I have no idea where you get them, we would still believe there is no hope in all of this and this drug looks very hopeful as this month is Pulmonary Fibrosis awareness. What my hope is reading through all of these is that the progesterone will help heal the scar tissue and rebuild the interstitium...although the medical community says no...I will pray for otherwise. It sure helped the fibroids in me...which is similar to the fibrosis. I will keep you posted. His CT Scan is next Wednesday then we wait for the doctor's results. God Bless! RJ
Sep 10, 2014
 Dr. Ray Peat and Progesterone Therapy
by: Wray

Hi RJ Bless you too for reading the papers I gave you, not many people do. But it's so important to make up our own minds, and having the papers helps. If you have asthma in the family, I take it you have checked vitamin D levels? Silly to ask you of all people this, but it is so important for lung health, see here, here, here and here. Progesterone is also important, see here, here, here, here, here. How interesting you know how to make the liposomal vitamin C! My brother bought a jewellery cleaner and so now all of us take it, can't say I like the taste! As we've both found, there is so much contradictory info out there, which do you accept as the truth. Only by experimenting can we find out. And using only natural substances, the experimenting can't go too wrong. Except I must tell you a funny story. MCT oil is a potent anti-fungal, and the kinesiologist found I had some candida, not sure how though. Anyway I upped the amount of MCT oil I normally take to 25ml, just under 1/4 cup. Well about 4 hours later I was on the loo, and spent the next 3 hours every half hour on it, until I was completely drained! I have reduced the amount I use back to the 5-10ml I always use on my food. I think I should increase the coconut oil, as that's also a potent anti-fungal. Do you want papers?! I'm not sure if you've seen our Candida page? Let me know how you get on. Take care Wray
Sep 10, 2014
 Dr. Ray Peat and Progesterone Therapy
by: RJ

LOL...funny my husband will always say you slipped me a mickey what did you put in my drink and I tell him nothing it's still the same because the NAC causes him trouble as it does me. He and the toilet are good friends here of late. Now for the vitamin D...nope haven't had one done...I know. But in order to do this CT scan they have to have a creatine draw to see if the kidneys are functioning so I told them to put a D draw also on there so I can see where he is. He has only been on 5,000 a day but I upped it to 10,000 two days ago. Now learning all of this I should have just kept him on 10,000 forever. Explain to me about the coconut oil because now reading what you have said I think I'm confused. We both take a tablespoon of unrefined coconut oil from Tropical Traditions every day, along with one tablespoon of high lignan flaxseed oil a day. Isn't the unrefined coconut oil better than the MCT oil that has gone through some processing? So you take MCT oil now and you also are going to introduce coconut oil? Let me know if I should get that also. I keep thinking vitamin E also, we take 400 units a day. If E helps with our veins, arteries and the like making them for a better word, supple, would that help the lining of the lungs to make them supple and eliminate the scar tissue? What needs to be done is take a hard tissue and make it soft. It's fibrin buildup and I have read much on the plant enzymes and/or systematic enzymes eliminating the fibrin buildup from the fibroblasts that occur in the body and which do not die off like they are suppose to. That's why I went with the aloe vera gel and the coconut oil we've always have been on. Last night I increased to the 150mg of progesterone, he slept well, but had a coughing fit again this morning which produced all kinds of stuff and now he's quiet again but his chest is really tight and he keeps saying his heart but I am thinking anxiety because when he drinks three beers all the tightness is gone and he can breath deeply. We asked his doctor why this happens and he just looked at us and gave no reply. I told him last night you cannot keep drinking three or four beers a day to help you breath and eliminate your tightness cause your liver is going to give out. So, I know the progesterone will help the anxiety I just have to find the level that is going to help him out. Let me know about those anti-fungal articles. Do you use oregano oil. I have read that when put on the feet it not only helps the fungus there but works better in the total body than ingesting it. God Bless! RJ
Sep 11, 2014
 Dr. Ray Peat and Progesterone Therapy
by: Wray

Hi RJ I didn't mean to confuse you re the MCT and coconut oil. The MCT is a fraction of coconut oil, which actually comprises 9 different oils. So yes the MCT oil has gone through a process. I use it as I have it, it's the oil we use in the Natpro as it's so light, and being saturated is very stable. The coconut oil is of course very good, and anti-fungal too. So keep on using it, no need to change. I thought I should as I need more oil, my skin tends to be dry, and coconut oil is not as laxative! Vitamin E is very good, but I'm not sure about scar tissue in the lungs. Once scar tissue is formed I don't think it will be of help. The enzymes are meant to be effective, but I don't know enough about it to advise you. The alcohol in the beer is obviously relaxing him! But he'll put on weight at that rate. Pity he reacts to the NAC as that does loosen up mucus very effectively. I haven't used oregano oil, although I know others who do and find it effective. The one thing about the MCT oil is it not only kills the fungi in the gut, but it enters the blood stream and is effective against them once there. Take care Wray
Sep 14, 2014
 In response to RJ and Progest E
by: Anonymous

RJ- I'm not sure where you are getting that Ray Peat is anti progesterone or that he would recommend not taking it but, that is completely false... IF there is ONE THING that he proposes you do for optimal health other than avoiding PUFAS , (which you really seem to not grasp after reading your post) it is supplementing with progesterone. If you didn't realize he has his very own USP "bioidentical" Supplement called Progest E..Which is progesterone in vitamin E for optimal absorption. If someone didn't believe in a theory I don't know why they would made it available to everyone to use. - I think that you could take a little more time to read his articles so that you understand his studies and theories better before you post something like that on a forum where hundreds of people will be reading false data.

I'd also like to point out that just because you lose weight on a specific diet does not by any means prove that it is healthy for you and will produce a maximal lifespan, or heal you in any way. Being lean does not necessarily mean that you have a healthy thyroid, correct hormone responses or healthy cells. I don't understand why everyone just assumes that because you are thin you are the epitome of health.

Thank you
Sep 16, 2014
 Dr. Ray Peat and Progesterone Therapy
by: RJ

Hello Anon!
I will apologize for the progesterone comment as I thought the original posters stated Ray "condemns" it. I have read none of his research other than the links Wray has sent me and the articles I found on thyroid issues through a google search. However, everything else I said about him I will stand by. Nuts, black seeds, sesame seeds, flaxseed, etc. have been proven to heal. He is against all PUFA's. He recommends high amounts of milk each day. Most people cannot get and/or afford raw milk and store bought milk is atrocious. Only vitamin E every now and then is his recommendation. How old is this man? Does he not realize how dead the soils of this planet have become. We are growing our food sources in nothing. Where are the nutrients going to come from...the minerals, vitamins and such? Cows of today's society are injected with tons of things we haven't been told about. We better start supplementing. Chronic disease starts with inflammation and almost 90% of today's diseases can be helped with high anti-oxidants and vitamin D...he doesn't recommend any of them. And what is his food source...no red meat and no chicken and only certain types of fish...his protein source is gelatin...gelatin?...really....yuck. What about those who eat kosher? And who is to say that because I have lost weight that I am doing it in an unhealthy manner. You have no idea what I am doing other than cutting out sugars and carbs. Fruit every now and then is okay for me. As much as I love cheeses, I'm beginning to think they are causing me issues too. But I buy Kraft cheese and they have dumped millions into the pro-gluten/GMO funds....maybe that's my issue. But for you to suggest that sugars are good for a person who has cancer when that is what cancer thrives on is something I just will have to be in disagreement on. Carbs in the form of grains do not digest in our bodies, thus wreaking havoc. I bet if you ate a grain meal, went camping and had to dig a hole to eliminate your meal if you came back in a month that grain would probably be sprouting LOL. They just are terribly hard on the body and only if you grow your own would you be certain you would be growing true whole grains. Nowadays even things labeled organic you cannot trust. And I'm italian and so love my breads and pastas. You know Type 2 diabetes is reversible and curable...cut out carbs and sugars. Diabetes is rising at alarming rates even amongst people who eat healthy....why? What are they consuming to cause this....sugar, in any form and carbs. I believe you are expressing that I am ignorant in healing ones' body and you would be very, very incorrect. Just because I do not agree with a man whom you feel has all the correct formulas for a healthy self does not mean that I am ignorant of creating good health minus his research....has he done any new studies of late...have they been backed and/or funded by legit organizations? As Wray stated there is a wealth of information out there in the internet skies and we all have the right to choose which works best for each of us. Are you aware the majority of heart attack, bypass patients are thin as are people with thyroid cancer. I did not in any form or manner state that just because you are thin, you are healthy. I have traveled a very long road with my family and those diseases. My mom went through life with low progesterone and readings of 17 for vitamin D. Had she supplemented with those, along with all the other things I have learned about back in the day I think she could have avoided all of her diseases. Next week she goes in for open heart surgery. And just to note most of her life she never ate nuts or seeds said they bothered her gallbladder, which was removed some years back, and she never took supplements...all things Ray recommends should be avoided. But she loved her raw milk, fruits and whole grains....all things Ray recommends ingesting. Now try to explain that. What is great about this country is we all have the right to our opinion and we are human and just as I made the mistake of reading from the original poster that Ray condemned progesterone, you apparently didn't read my post that carefully either, otherwise you would not have stated the things you have about my post. Here is to good health to each and every one of us. May we all find the combination from whatever sources that works for each one of us. God Bless! RJ
Sep 20, 2014
 Rj...
by: Anonymous

I never, ever suggested that a person with cancer eat sugar. My mother died of breast cancer and I didn't tell her to eat a bunch of sugar. Just wanted to clarify.
Sep 20, 2014
 Rj...
by: Anonymous

I never, ever suggested that a person with cancer eat sugar. I don't think I ever even mentioned the word cancer in any post nor did I say that Ray Peat recommended that.
Also, Ray does not recommend eating many vegetables because of the toxins present in them because of the soil.
Milk is recommended only to those that can tolerate it because of the high protein and nutrition content which is quite balanced. He is very pro protein which you can get from a variety of sources such as milk, eggs and meat.
I'm not trying to argue so, I am going to politely step out of the conversation now because until you read any of the articles of which I have been referring to we will continue to pass conjecture back and forth between the both of us.
Nov 01, 2014
 Dr. Ray Peat and Progesterone Therapy
by: J

Hi Wray

Just want to make a few comments.

Dr. Peat's central thesis is that thyroid is the main regulator of metabolism and that a strong metabolism is the essence of good health. Everything he says supports that thesis.

Dr. Hans Selye, the first to study and characterize stress, noted that aging, chronic stress, and the degenerative diseases had some things in common. Chief among them is a weak metabolism.

Just to clarify, metabolism is also called cellular respiration and means the production of the molecule ATP in the mitochondria. Every cell (except red blood cells) has mitochondria and has to make its own energy, or ATP.

Cellular respiration is

glucose + oxygen -> carbon dioxide + H2O + energy

The reverse,

carbon dioxide + H2O + energy -> glucose + oxygen

is photosynthesis! You could say that fruit sugar is the storage form of sunshine.

Of the people who introduce themselves at the Ray Peat Forum, you read over and over again something like "I followed a low carb diet for years. I felt great at first but now my health is deteriorating quickly".

Everyone has been indoctrinated by the "sugar is evil" mantra. In the context of a high PUFA, standard american diet, it might be. But in the context of a strong metabolism, high thyroid function, high progesterone, and low estrogen and other antimetabolic substances, glucose is an excellent fuel for cellular respiration.

You are spot on recommending saturated and monounsaturated fats.

Polyunsaturated fats, like flaxseed and fish oil, are the ones that turn rancid on the kitchen counter. When that happens in the body it is called lipid peroxidation; a free radical oxidizes a PUFA molecule and turns it into a lipid peroxide, which is itself a free radical, starting a chain reaction of oxidative damage. Dr. Peat believes that the oxidative damage from PUFA far outweighs any benefit.

Dr. Peat suggests following the recommendations of the Vitamin D Council.

His articles on diabetes and sugar:

Glucose, sucrose, diabetes.

Glycemia.

Sugar issues.

Finally, a very long thread, on a low carbers forum no less, about implementing Dr. Peat's ideas here.
Nov 02, 2014
 Dr. Ray Peat and Progesterone Therapy
by: Wray

Hi J I do like your very clear explanation of respiration/metabolism! I wish I knew more about the thyroid, as it's very evident that many women have, not only a progesterone problem, but a thyroid one too. I can only recommend a few good sites I've found to those I believe need more help. Selye was remarkable, and I've done a brief page on Stress to show how it can affect us adversely. Interestingly over the past 15 years there's been increasing evidence that a breakdown in mitochondrial cellular respiration is the cause of cancer. I believe it's probably the cause of most of our degenerative diseases, oxidative stress is cropping up increasingly in many papers now. This is worth reading here. I've read his book too. Thanks for the links to Ray Peats pages and the one about the low carbers, I'll take a look at it. Take care Wray
Dec 08, 2014
 Thyroid and estrogen/progestoerone
by: Lea

Hello, I was reading this thread and wanted to add some info that I have found that has really helped me. I recently started peri in Jan and was having a horrible time with hot flashes and bad neuro symptoms. My doctor started me on bio hormones, which of course included estrogen. I immediately gained almost 10 pounds in the first week and my neuro symptoms worsened. I found your site and ditched the estrogen just using progesterone only. I have almost lost the weight, just a couple of pounds to go, six months later.

I started researching about low thyroid because I have almost every symptom. I found Ray Peat, Dr. Kaslow and Dr. Wilsons info. From the reading I discovered that estrogen lowers the thyroid. Here is a section that I copied from Dr. Kaslows page:

"Ray Peat, Ph.D., has written about the effect of other hormones on the thyroid system. Progesterone and pregnenolone tend to increase thyroid hormone effects because they promote the conversion of T4 to the more active T3. Estrogen has the opposite effect on thyroid hormone conversion(4). This may explain why so many women gain weight when estrogen replacement therapy or birth control pills are prescribed. Therefore, the physician needs to consider the effect of hormone replacement therapy when treating a patient for hypothyroidism."

And here is the link for Dr. Kaslows thyroid article.


I got my doctor to let me try Dr. Wilsons protocol and I am supposed to get my medication next week.

Also, I would like to say that vitamin E and Zinc have helped me tremendously. I take a raw vitamin E formula and a product called ZMA for the zinc, but I have found that zinc picolinate seems to work better. I also take Vit D3 10,000IU, and a co-enzyme B formula and extra B6 in a co-enzyme formula (P5P). I eat a high raw diet, gluten and dairy free which I have pretty consistently for years, only indulging around holidays and social occasions.

I am very sure I have Pyroluria as well, which I believe may be a cause of my low thyroid symptoms as well.

I really appreciate all of the knowledge that you share and have learned a lot from it!

Here's to everyone getting well!
Dec 13, 2014
 Thyroid and estrogen/progestoerone
by: Wray

Hi Lea Thanks for the kind words about the site. And for the link to Dr Kaslow's site, I've not seen it before. I know Ray Peat's work as you have seen, such an excellent source of good info about progesterone. Glad you're taking so much vitamin D, zinc is excellent too, as it's often low if oestrogen is high, as this suppresses zinc. You might be interested in reading Alternative Mental Health, it has info on pyroluria. And this excellent Australian site too, see here. You might like to read this page here from someone else who has confirmed pyroluria. I think I have pyroluria, but I've never been tested. Take care Wray
Jan 27, 2016
 Help please
by: Sheryl

Hi, my name is Sheryl and I just happened to luck out and find this blog. I am a RN and in the last 2 years have been diagnosed with hypo thyroid, adrenal fatigue , hoshimotos and am estrogen dominant . . I have fired doctor after doctor after doctor because they are clueless and conventional. I have spent the last few years taking matters in my own hands and researching everything I could get my hands on . My studies have included everything from Isabella Wents . Ray peat , Dr Wilson , Dr karrazian , Dr Alexander , Dr Mark Starr and many others who I have felt fortunate enough to help me help myself. I could go on forever but after finding this today I found a new glimpse of hope in these blogs and have never heard of this blog. . Can anyone recommend a doctor that in the Kansas City or Oklahoma area that is amazing and trustworthy ? Thank you for listening and for your help
Jan 28, 2016
 Dr. Ray Peat and Progesterone Therapy
by: RJ

Hello Sheryl!
You have come to the right place! Try functionalmedicine.org You may be able to find someone on there. It is going to be very hard to find someone who is open to nature cures and you taking your health into your own hands. There is a ton of information on Wray's site. Just type your word into the search bar on her home page. Keep faith that you will find a solution! God Bless! RJ
Oct 05, 2022
 Health
by: Anonymous

To me Dr Peat is a phenomenal scientist. I have myself spend years researching about gaining health and gone through all kind of diets including ketogenic and carnivore. Dr Max Gerson and Dr Ray peat are almost enlightened being for me when it come to healing. I thank God million times for sending their teachings in my life🙏
Aug 20, 2023
 Progesterone causing inflammed gums
by: Anonymous

Progesterone has caused massive inflammation of my gums, they are so sore and painful, any thoughts on what could remedy this?
Aug 21, 2023
 Progesterone causing inflammed gums
by: Joy

Hi Anonymous

That is most odd.  Progesterone is an excellent anti-inflammatory so I can't see how it would affect your gums.  I would say it is more likely excess estrogen causing it especially if progesterone is not used correctly  i.e.  nothing less that 100mg per day using a good organic progesterone cream such as Natpro. Or something else is causing it.

Read this post it may explains things to you.   

All the best.

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