The complete guide to maximizing thyroid hormone production to lose weight and look better!

"The first time I took enough desiccated thyroid to make my heart speed noticeably, there was a pleasurable pushing up from my abdomen through my chest, making me want to smile and laugh." Ray Peat

Maximizing your natural production of thyroid will help you become lean and energetic in a healthy way.

T3 and T4 are the center of thyroid hormones that will improve the quality of your life dramatically.

Furthermore, Thyroid hormone aids in:

• Normal Hair growth

• Normal eyebrow growth

• Increasing Body Temperature

• Regulating our Metabolic Rate and how many calories we burn

• Regulating the rate and strength of heartbeat

• Allowing normal breakdown of carbs and fats

• Improving your outlook on life - optimism

• Better mood

• Higher energy and childlike playfulness

• Allowing production of the youth steroid hormones “pregnenolone”, “progesterone, “DHEA”

And the list goes on and on..

If you really want to enjoy life with high energy, optimising thyroid is one of the first places to start.

Let’s geek out a little

Thyroxine (T4) and Triiodothyronine (T3) are synthesized in the thyroid gland, where a large amount of peripheral conversion occurs in the liver (such as from T4 to T3) contributing to the overall T3 levels.

T3 and T4 are then bound to thyroid-binding globulin (TBG) or albumin, that prevents detoxification of thyroid hormones and transports them around in the blood.

T3 and T4 bind to thyroid hormone receptors to exert their metabolic effect. T4 can be converted to T3 via the enzyme deiodinase type 1 (D1), which is an essential step for T3 production (active thyroid hormone).

Furthermore, T3 can be converted back to T4 via the enzyme iodothyronine deiodinase type 2 (D2), but this is not a major conversion pathway.

Side effects of hypothyroidism (low thyroid):

• Cold hands and feet and general cold intolerance

• Temperatures are below 37C or 98.6F

• Heart rate are below 70bpm

• Exaggerated stress response – heart rate speeds up like crazy, shaking, sweating, inner tension, nervousness etc.

• Hair loss

• Losing the outer part of eyebrow

• Feeling sluggish and being tired all the time. Can even experience chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).

• Cognitive problems, such as depression, anxiety, slow cognition, little cognitive flexibility, not being open-minded, ridged thinking, etc.

• Fat gain and obesity

• Metabolic syndrome

• Constipation

• Diabetes

• Bipolar depession

• Neurodegenerative disease

• Poor Peripheral Circulation (Pale facial skin, cold hands, cold feet etc)

• Rapid Premature aging

• Migraines

• Chronic infection

• Cardiovascular disease

• Inflammation and chronic illness

• Elevated cholesterol and triglycerides

• Decreased libido

• Edema and Swelling

• Muscle aches, frequent cramps, weakness and even fibromyalgia

• Slow reflexes. Muscle tranction and relaxation is slow.

  And again, the list goes on…

  Thyroid is really an amazing hormone to have maximized for overall well-being and reaching the great goals you have set for yourself.

  In this article I’m going to show you how to increase your thyroid hormones and I’m going to start with the simple and easy things you can, or rather, must do on a daily basis and then I’m going to go over a few supplements and herbs you can use to boost T3

  Here we go, please enjoy, my go to guide/manual for boosting thyroid hormones!

#1 Eat healthy fats

And when I’m saying healthy fats, I’m not talking about canola oil, avocado oil, sunflower oil or any other vegetable, seed or nut oil.

I’m talking about fats that are high in saturated fat.

Fat sources such as beef, buffalo,lamb, goat, game, lean fish, dairy, coconuts and eggs.

The fats found in these sources will have the greatest thyroid boosting effect, because saturated fatty acids (SFAs) are positively associated with thyroid, monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) are more or less neutral whereas polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are will lower thyroid hormones and inhibit the enzymes that produce T4 and T3. Shocking, I know.

The shorter chain fats are burned quickly for energy production, whereas longer SFAs will be built into cell membranes and will make cells more stable. More stable cells, which are less fluid and more compact, are more resilient to stressors, produce less inflammation, are more insulin sensitive, produce more energy,etc.

Eliminating PUFAs are impossible apart from eating a laboratory-made diet and who wants to do that? (A few comes to mind lol).

Sticking to natural organicc foods that are high in saturated fat, such as those mentioned above, and staying away from factory produced foods will dramatically help to lower the intake of rancid oil and inflammation associated with them (PUFAs).

Foods to stay away from include:

• Salad dressings

• Mayonnaise

• All baked and fried goodies

• All seed oils

• Canned food in oil

• Packages food (a lot of them are coating with vegetable oils)

• Peanut butter and other nut butter

• Foods with 10+ Ingredients

#2 Maximise sleep

Sleep is the most important thing you can do for your health, androgens, health, recovery, muscle growth, brain, etc.

Studies shows that accumulative sleep loss, sleeping less than 7 hours per night repeatedly, lowers T3 and increases serotonin and cortisol.

Sleep loss leads to catabolism of the whole body and the tissue that is destroyed first is the brain, kidney, thymus, spleen, adrenals, muscles and bone. Deterioration also happens in the pancreas and liver, which leads to diabetes, liver disease, indigestion, bowel disorders, etc.

To prevent premature-aging and castration induced by sleepless nights, we need to maximize sleep duration and quality of those hours spent sleeping.

A few tips to improve sleep are:

• Sleep in a completely dark room. Get blackout curtains.

• Sleep in a completely quiet room.

• Block blue light at night.

• Do deep tissue lymphatic massages before bed. Deep tissue massage will activate the parasympathetic nervous system and promote sleep.

• Get morning sunlight on your eyeballs (not through glass).

• Sleep in a cool room. Body temperature needs to drop for you to sleep peacefully.

• Turn all wifi and power off in the house to eliminate EMF and electricity.

• Be active during the day. I’ve found that when I sprinkle activity, such as intense rope jumping and long works throughout my day, my energy, focus and sleep is better in every way.

#3 Exercise

We should all know by now that exercise is good for us. But we don’t have to slave away in the gym for hours just to get the benefit. On the contrary, training too much can actually lower thyroid hormone and have no extra benefit-by increasing cortisol and adrenaline.

A short 15-30 minutes heavy and explosive weight training session will suffice. A longer workout up to 90 minutes will also be effective, but the benefits seem to drop off from there. So there is a bell curve, at one point, you need about 15+ minutes for a proper stimulus and then on the other end, benefits drop of at 90 minutes.

Also, adding in too much cardio to your training will have a negative effect on your recovery ability as it increases catabolism and increases cortisol,estrogen etc.

#4 Lower Estrogen

Inhibit aromatase (the enzyme that converts testosterone to estrogen) as estrogen is one of the most potent inhibitors of thyroid hormone production,conversion and utilisation.

Things that lower estrogen and inhibit aromatase:

-DHT
-Sunlight
-Coffee
-White button mushrooms
-Zinc
-Vitamin E
-Vitamin K2

#5 Lower Prolactin

Prolactin suppresses cAMP production, potentially by enhancing phosphodiesterase activity. Additionally, prolactin decreases 5-alpha reductase levels and reduces DHT which increases estrogen.

Vitamin B6 lowers prolactin which I talk about later in this article.

#6 Lower stress

Stress is incredibly common these days and seems almost impossible to avoid apart from moving to the forest and staying out of society. But that is definitely not a practical option for most of us, or not that we even want to do that, so we have to look at other options to keep stress at bay.

Stress stimulates the adrenal glands to secrete cortisol and catecholamines, such as noradrenaline and adrenaline, all of which are pretty beneficial and harmless if it only happens in the short term.

But chronic stress is very harmful to the body and will lower the metabolism, T4 and T3 production and increase the aromatase - a negative feedback cycle which we don’t want.

A few simple ways to destress are:

• Take a moment to breathe. Inhale deeply and slowly using your diaphragm, allowing your stomach to expand forward and sideways, while keeping your chest still. Quick, shallow breaths caused by stress, fatigue, or poor posture can trigger your body's stress response. By sitting or standing up straight with your shoulders relaxed, you can breathe more fully and peacefully. Inhale for four seconds and exhale for eight seconds. After about four breaths, you should start to feel significantly more relaxed. As you breathe, concentrate on something uplifting.

• Take a walk somewhere, ideally in nature or somewhere with less pollution

• Get your posture right - Hunching over and maintaining low power poses lowers testosterone,T3 and increases cortisol

• Laughter - People who laugh more tend to have lower cortisol, higher dopamine, stronger immunity and have a better sense of well-being

• Ensure your blood sugar stays balanced throughout the day

#7 Improve insulin sensitivity

Insulin is a hormone that plays a crucial role in signaling energy intake and boosting T3 production. It is essential for transporting glucose into cells, where it is oxidized to generate ATP, which is necessary for thyroid hormones.

Among monosaccharides, glucose has the highest potential to stimulate insulin release, and certain amino acids can also significantly elevate insulin levels. It's important not to consume protein alone (following the 2:1 rule mentioned earlier), as this can lead to hypoglycemia, prompting an increase in glucagon and cortisol to restore blood glucose levels.

While aiming for hyperinsulinemia isn't ideal, it's important to maintain insulin sensitivity to enable insulin's pro-steroidogenic and anabolic effects.

Here are some strategies to enhance insulin sensitivity:

• Reduce cortisol levels.

• Lower excessive free fatty acids by taking niacinamide - consider using 500 mg of niacinamide with each high-carb meal.

• Engage in 30 seconds of high-intensity exercise before your high-carb meal; I prefer doing some running up and down the stairs

• Take a 10 to 20-minute walk after meals.

• Avoid excessive vegetable and seed oils.

• Steer clear of junk food in general.

• Aim for adequate sleep.

#8 Use natural products

Chemical products, including hand soap, shampoo, shaving cream, aftershave, deodorant, lotion, and others, often contain endocrine-disrupting chemicals.

There are thousands of these substances, each with the potential to interfere with normal cellular function.

Here are a few alternatives:

• A natural bar soap, like coconut oil bar soap, can be used for washing your body and hair, and even for shaving. If you use a shaving brush, you can create a rich lather for shaving.

• Castile soap is a versatile option suitable for washing your hands, body, hair, and even laundry.

#9 Eat natural and organic foods

Pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides can all disrupt gut health, harm overall well-being, and lower T3 levels.

Natural foods like cocoa powder, various fruits (such as berries, apples, pomegranates, oranges, and guavas), and raw milk can help reduce oxidative stress and inflammation while promoting T3 production. These foods are rich in antioxidants and nutrients that support overall health and hormonal balance.

#10 Stay away from plastics

Plastics are another significant source of endocrine disruptors, and the increasing pollution of our environment with plastics makes it increasingly vital to avoid them. Plastics are not limited to products we use but are also present in the air we breathe, the water we drink and bathe in, and potentially even in the food we consume, as soils become contaminated with plastics.

To begin with, it's important to reduce or eliminate your use of plastics, such as plastic bottles, Tupperware, cling film, and utensils and to avoid touching receipts etc

#11 Increase dopamine

Dopamine, which quite the opposite of serotonin actually increases total and free thyroid levels, High dopamine is associated with creativity, exploration, happiness, open-mindedness, motivation, etc.

#12 Get plenty of sunlight

Bright light exposure improves T4 uptake into cells, which reduces hypothyroid symptoms. Interestingly, bright light was better than exercise at relieving seasonal mood disorders.

This study found that in winter, bright light exposure was associated with a significantly greater reduction in TSH and anger, a significantly greater increase in free T3 and a smaller increase in depressive symptoms when compared with dim light.

Bright light has also been shown to decrease rT3, which means that thyroid hormone uptake into the cells is increased - which is a good thing.

#13 Avoid heavy metals

Heavy metals like mercury, cadmium, and arsenic are extremely harmful to health. They can lead to a decrease in thyroid levels and are linked to issues such as insulin resistance, obesity, diabetes, and psychiatric disorders(anxiety,depression,schizophrenia etc). Additionally, toxic heavy metals can elevate aromatase levels, which in turn increases estrogen.

By the way, I teach all of this in T3 Optimisation

#14 Lower Cortisol

Chronically elevated cortisol: Increases the aromatase and can lead to estrogen dominance and inhibits thyroid function by lowering TRH, TSH and also the conversion of T4 to T3.

A few simple tricks to lower it:

• Eat carbs

• Eat Saturated Fats

• Walk in Nature

#15 Eat foods high in Zinc

Zinc lowers cortisol, prolactin and estrogen which prevents the blockage of proper thyroid hormone production,conversion and utilisation.

#16 Fix your gut health

Nothing is the body works in isolation and with that being said, whatever negatively influences the gut, can have a negative effect on the thyroid.

The thyroid gland requires specific micronutrients to function properly, produce hormones, and execute their effects throughout the body. These micronutrients, including vitamins and minerals, are cruical for thyroid hormone synthesis, conversion, and cellular function.

So what does the gut have to do with this?

Inadequate micronutrient consumption and gut inflammation can lead to impaired thyroid function. The gut's villi, responsible for absorption, can be damaged due to inflammation, reducing micronutrient absorption.

Key Micronutrients for Thyroid Health:

Focus on the following essential micronutrients for thyroid health:

1. Iron and copper (for thyroid hormone synthesis)

2. Selenium and zinc (for T4 to T3 conversion)

3. Vitamin A and D (for immune regulation)

Restoring Gut Health and Micronutrient Balance:

To address thyroid function, it's crucial to:

1. Eliminate inflammatory foods (gluten, lectins, refined grains, etc.)

2. Restore gut integrity and function

3. Load up on essential micronutrients

#17 Reduce Endotoxin

Endotoxins, also known as Lipopolysaccharides, are found in the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria. They are large molecules consisting of a lipid and a polysaccharide composed of O-antigen, outer core and inner core joined by a covalent bond. Different bacteria can create different kinds of endotoxins, some being much more inflammatory than others.

Endotoxins can antagonize thyroid function in many ways:

-Endotoxins inhibit the conversion of T4 into T3, by suppressing the enzyme, type 1 iodothyronine deiodinase (D1)

-Endotoxins have been shown to decrease the expression of thyroid receptors, specifically in the liver

You have now understood that we don’t want pesky endotoxins in our system. The best way to lower endotoxins is to lower gram-negative bacteria (specifically the Enterobacteriaceae group) and you can do this by increasing transit time, lowering gut inflammation and using organic raw honey.

#18 Enjoy some coffee

Coffee drinkers have a lower incidence of thyroid disease, including cancer, thannon-drinkers. Caffeine has remarkable parallels to thyroid and progesterone, caffeine tends to activate thyroid secretion by a variety of mechanisms, increasing cyclic AMP and decreasing serotonin in thyroid cells - a hidden superfood.

#19 Eat foods high in Iodine

The thyroid gland needs iodine to create T4. In fact, the four in the shortening refers to 4 molecules of iodine. Not only that but the symporter mechanism that draws iodine into the thyroid gland requires B-vitamins and vitamin C to function normally.

I would recommend getting iodised salt as an easy source of iodine or high quality potatoes for an iodine source.

#20 Avoid inhibitory foods

Certain foods can negatively impact thyroid hormone production, particularly when consumed on a low-iodine diet.

Examples of such foods include:

• Soy

• Foods high in goitrogens

• Bamboo Shoots

#21 Avoid these inhibitory chemicals and drugs

Synthetic chemicals can interfere with thyroid hormone production, conversion, and function. As a result, even if thyroid hormone levels are sufficient, exposure to these endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) can still cause hypothyroid symptoms.

A list of these chemicals include:

• BPA (found in plastic)

• Phthalates

• Pesticides

• Arsenic

• Cadmium

• Lead

• Mercury

• Herbicides

That’s it for diet and lifestyle changes, let’s talk supplements and herbs.

#1 Black Seed

In just 8 weeks, 2 grams of Nigella sativa seed powder (Black seed) lead to significant reductions in BMI, IL-23 levels, TSH, and anti-thyroid peroxidase (anti-TPO), while also elevating serum T3 levels.

Black seed is also famously known as the “cure for every disease except death”

It’s also high in thymoquinone - a powerful quinone that boosts metabolism and lowers oxidative stress.

#2 Selenium

Selenium is a very important mineral for the enzyme deiodinase 2, which converts thyroid hormone T4 to T3.

Selenium is also a powerful antioxidant.

#3 Vitamin A

Vitamin A is essential for a healthy hormonal balance as well as good eye, teeth, skin and immune function.

Vitamin A protects the body from the negative effects of estrogen excess which is detrimental for proper thyroid function.

Foods high in vitamin A - chicken liver, ghee, butter, cheese, eggs, and milk.

#4 Boron

Many studies show that boron can effectively lower estrogen hence improving thyroid function.

Dried fruit such as raisins and dates are also in boron.

#5 Calcium

People with the highest calcium intake had the lowest levels of estrogen. High calcium consumption appears to suppress parathyroid hormone (PTH), which in turn inhibits thyroid function and is associated with inflammatory and catabolic processes.

#6 Aspirin

Aspirin is anti-stress, anti-inflammatory, pro-metabolic and last but not least, pro-thyroid.

Aspirin also shifts the mitochondria from the state of oxidizing fats into oxidizing glucose, which is favorable for thyroid function,.

Aspirin is also an estrogen antagonist and prevents the lipid peroxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) both of which are favorable things for thyroid health. However, aspirin thins the blood so use cautiously.

“Since aspirin’s effects on the mitochondria are similar to those of T3, using both of them might improve brain energy production more than just thyroid”. - Dr. Ray Peat

#7 Vitamin E

Vitamin E is an estrogen antagonist in high doses, which inhibits the aromatase, and it’s very effective at lowering prolactin - which in turn helps with thyroid function

#8 Vitamin B1

Vitamin B1 lowers serotonin and this will automatically increase thyroid hormone.

Vitamin B1 is also rapidly depleted during stress which rapidly increases your requirements for this vitamin.

#9 Niacinamide

Vitamin B3, particularly in the form of niacinamide, enhances NAD levels and increases the ratio of NAD to NADH. A high NAD ratio is essential for proper thyroid hormone utilisation.

#10 Magnesium

Significantly low serum magnesium levels are correlated with a higher incidence of positive thyroid antibodies (TGAb), as well as an increased prevalence of Hashimoto's thyroiditis and hypothyroidism.

#11 Copper

A copper deficiency has been shown to lead to low thyroid hormone levels in rams, and copper is known to increase androgen receptor expression.

Excellent dietary sources of copper include beef liver, cocoa, oysters, and kale.

#12 Vitamin B6

Vitamin B6 has been shown to reduce levels of prolactin and TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone). This effect may be due to it’s ability to decrease excess TRH (thyrotropin-releasing hormone), which is responsible for stimulating the release of TSH and prolactin

Vitamin B6 is richly found in milk, meat, and organ meats.

If you want to take it further:

• T3 optimisation guide: The complete guide to maximizing thyroid hormone production to lose weight and look more attractive - Click here to join and optimise your T3.

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