Not exactly a huge concern, but interesting, and a bit of fun….
My hair seems to have gotten progressively curlier since eating high carb/sugar and high micronutrients (oysters, scallops, eggs)
I wonder if it’s related. Any theories on why this might be the case?
Quick summary: Healthy, mid 40’s, regular blood tests confirm great hormone levels. All great health markets. Very low PUFA, high carb, high micronutrient diet for many years. Look and feel great mostly. However…
Persistent lifelong brain fog, sub par libido despite good hormones, slightly low T3 to T4 ratio that never budges despite all dietary and lifestyle interventions, and slightly high prolactin, but still within “normal” ranges.
This has lead me to do a little experiment with T3 just to see how it feels and to see if it improved brain fog or libido (next I will be doing an experiment with cabergoline to see if bringing prolactin down helps). I won’t be continuing with T3, I just want to see what effect it has, so I can better understand what might work for me.
Anyway, the interesting part: Taking T3 has obliterated my cravings for nicotine and also made me unable to tolerate it anymore. Libido seems to be picking up also.
I’ve been a lifelong nicotine addict and user to self medicate against brain fog and apathy and motivation. It’s not the cause of my issues as I felt this way before I ever started, and reverted back to it after quitting for 3 years. Eventually I returned to it as quitting provided no benefits.
So now I’m wondering if I always had a low T3 to T4 ratio, and if it is the root of my issues that I’ve been self medicating with nicotine for. As nothing else has been able replace nicotine and provide all the benefits so immediately and completely. No supplements or way of eating or lifestyle interventions have made even a slight bit of difference. But T3 seems to do the trick, and also makes me completely not need nicotine anymore.
I don’t plan to stay on T3 unless I need to. But I’m trying to interpret what this experiment means for my biology. What to investigate next? Why my T3/T4 ratio remains stubbornly low? What might be the cause and how to fix it without using exogenous T3? My thyroid status is functionally “normal” and I don’t have any other signs of hypothyroid. So it’s interesting that correcting the T3/T4 balance with T3 has such a powerful effect on my brain energy and need for nicotine.
ChatGPT doesn’t give much. But given excellent nutrition and hormone markers, and thyroid markers basically fine besides slightly low T3 ratio, slightly high prolactin, and the outsized positive response to T3, it could hint at sleep apnea. It’s a definite possibility, so I’ll check that out.
Any thyroid experts out there might have a more peatarian perspective on how to fix it or what the cause might be, what to test for, and why T3 seems to replace/fix the benefits of nicotine in this case?