Why start with fasting if Ray Peat critiques it?
Fasting triggers miraculous cellular cleanup via autophagy and stem cell activation, healing chronic issues like autoimmunity or neurodegeneration far beyond diet alone. Peat's error lies in overlooking this; his framework shines in refeeding, countering fasting's temporary T3 drop to rebuild resilient metabolism. It halts mTOR overdrive, clears senescent cells, and resets gut/immune barriers, reducing cytokines in conditions like IBS or rheumatoid arthritis. Short dry/wet fasts (3-7 days) amplify this via ketosis and hypoxia mimicry, but without proper refeed, risks cortisol rebound and hypo-like states. Low glycogen signals scarcity, converting T4 to rT3 and spiking cortisol/serotonin, mimicking famine for energy conservation. Peat's carb-rich, anti-stress refeed restores deiodinases and CO2 production, turning fasting's reset into sustained regenerative power. Let's approach this with a 25 Q&A.
Q1: Who is Ray Peat, and what's his core metabolic thesis?
A: Ray Peat, a PhD biologist since the 1960s, integrates endocrinology and biophysics to argue that cellular energy and structure are inseparable—stressors like hypoxia disrupt oxidative phosphorylation, favoring inefficient glycolysis. Unlike low-carb's fat adaptation, he promotes abundant substrates for high CO2 production and thyroid efficiency, viewing degeneration as energy deficits rather than aging inevitables.
Think of your cells as needing constant, high-quality fuel to stay structured and functional, like a well-oiled machine; without it, they break down into chaotic, wasteful modes. Peat's idea flips the script on dieting by saying more energy from the right sources prevents diseases, not less, drawing from how bodies thrive in supportive environments rather than constant restriction.
Q2: How does Peat redefine stress in metabolism, and why ease in from low-carb?
A: Stress shifts to catabolic hormones (cortisol, adrenaline) that suppress thyroid and peroxidize lipids, mimicking famine via elevated FFAs and serotonin—chronic versions erode mitochondria, unlike adaptive models. From low-carb (which Peat sees as stress-like torpor), start with 100-200g carbs/day split into small meals to gently revive glucose handling without overload.
Stress isn't just feeling anxious—it's your body going into breakdown mode, breaking down fats and proteins inefficiently while slowing your energy factories (mitochondria). For low-carb veterans, jumping straight to high carbs could feel overwhelming, so phasing in helps your enzymes adjust, like slowly warming up an engine after a long idle to avoid sputtering.
Q3: What's Peat's evolutionary take, and how does it contrast low-carb survival?
A: Organisms evolved for surplus in protective niches, not scarcity; modern PUFAs/iron mimic threats, activating NF-κB inflammation. Low-carb echoes thrifty genes, but Peat favors regenerative cues like fruit sugars—transition by adding 1-2 fruits daily, tracking warmth (thyroid proxy) to adapt glucose metabolism gradually.
Our ancestors weren't always starving; they flourished in times of plenty, and Peat says today's diets should mimic that abundance to heal and grow, not the survival hacks of low-carb that save energy but limit repair. By adding fruits bit by bit, you're retraining your body to use glucose efficiently, watching for signs like warmer hands as your metabolism wakes up from conservation mode.
Q4: What is 'pro-metabolic' eating, and how to begin without sugar shock?
A: It boosts BMR via thyroid/sex hormone balance, emphasizing CO2-rich oxidation and low lactate over ketosis. Aim 2,000-4,000 kcal in frequent meals; from low-carb, Week 1: 150g carbs from OJ/honey diluted, increasing 50g weekly to rebuild glucokinase and avoid spikes.
Pro-metabolic means eating to rev up your inner furnace for more energy and less waste, like fueling a fire with clean logs instead of damp ones. Starting slow prevents that "sugar crash" feeling by giving your body time to ramp up carb-processing tools, ensuring smooth blood sugar and sustained energy as you move away from fat-burning reliance.
Q5: Why thyroid centrality in Peat, and low-carb recovery steps?
A: T3/T4 uncouple mitochondria for efficient ETC; low-carb signals scarcity, raising rT3/cortisol. Restore deiodinases with gradual carbs—start selenium (200mcg) and monitor temp (98.6°F goal) to ease glucose re-adaptation without fatigue.
Basically, your thyroid is the master switch for turning food into usable energy without buildup of harmful byproducts; low-carb tricks it into standby mode. Adding selenium helps convert hormones properly, and tracking body temperature lets you see progress, like a thermometer showing your engine is heating up safely as carbs come back online.
Q6: Progesterone's role: How to incorporate during transition?
A: Progesterone antagonizes estrogen's fibrotic/glycolytic effects, enhancing respiration/glycogen. From low-carb estrogen dominance, begin 5-10mg topical daily, paired with slow carb ramp to buffer sugar handling and reduce water retention.
Think of progesterone as a shield against estrogen's tendency to make tissues stiff and energy-inefficient, helping store carbs better in muscles. During your shift, a low dose cream applied to skin can ease symptoms like bloating, making the carb increase feel less disruptive by calming the hormonal storm from years of low-carb.
Q7: Why critique estrogen, and low-carb link?
A: Estrogen impairs oxygen, fostering hypoxia/inflammation via water/iron/serotonin. Low-carb amplifies via aromatase; counter with vitamin A (5,000 IU) and gradual progesterone, easing glucose tolerance as estrogen drops.
Excess estrogen acts like a clog in your oxygen pipes, leading to swollen, inflamed cells that can't burn fuel well. Low-carb diets often worsen this by converting other hormones to estrogen, so adding vitamin A from foods like carrots helps clear it out, smoothing your path to better carb use without the foggy, tired feelings.
Q8: Cortisol in Peat: Adaptive or maladaptive for ex-low-carbers?
A: Chronically suppressive of thyroid/gonads, mobilizing aminos inefficiently. Low-carb sustains it; blunt with salt (1 tsp/day) and phased sugars to shift from survival to abundance, monitoring pulse (85 bpm) for glucose re-adaptation.
Cortisol is great for quick emergencies but harmful long-term, as it breaks down your muscles and slows reproduction while keeping stress high. From low-carb's constant "famine" signal, extra salt calms the adrenals, and slow sugars retrain your system, with pulse checks showing your heart rate stabilizing as energy flows more freely.
Q9: Pregnenolone: Buffer for hormonal transition?
A: "Mother hormone" shunts stress to progesterone/DHEA, aiding mitochondrial cholesterol. From low-carb bottlenecks, start 10-20mg supp Week 2, supporting GABA/calm as carbs increase without overload.
Preventing stress from derailing into exhaustion. In transition, a small supplement dose helps fill gaps from low-carb restrictions, promoting a relaxed state so your body can handle rising carbs without anxiety or crashes.
Q10: Carbs essential: Addressing low-carb to high-sugar fears?
A: Fructose fuels glycogen, suppresses stress, enables T3 oxidation sans keto inflammation. Re-adapt gradually: Week 1-2, 100g from fruits; test post-meal glucose (<140mg/dL) to confirm enzyme upregulation.
Carbs aren't the enemy, they're the key to storing energy in your liver and calming alarms, avoiding the oxidative mess of constant fat-burning. Starting low lets your body rebuild carb-digesting tools, with simple tests ensuring no wild swings, turning fear into confidence as you feel more energized.
Q11: Good carbs vs. inflammatory: Gradual picks?
A: Ripe fruits/OJ/honey for potassium/fast absorption minus fiber endotoxins; avoid grains/starches (serotonin boosters). From low-carb, introduce OJ diluted 1:1 with water, building to full servings over weeks.
Good carbs are like quick, clean fuel that doesn't gum up your gut with bacterial toxins, unlike starchy ones that ferment and rile up mood chemicals. Diluting at first softens the load, giving your system time to adjust absorption and avoid any initial digestive upset from the shift.
Q12: Fructose stance: Liver benefits without overload?
A: Liver-specific, low ROS; pairs with glucose for ATP. Peat debunks PUFA-linked fears; transition: Start honey (1 tbsp/meal) to gently load, avoiding dyslipidemia in susceptible livers.
Fructose works quietly in the liver to make energy without stressing the whole body, complementing glucose for a balanced boost. By beginning with small honey doses, you protect your liver from any rebound issues, especially if low-carb left it fatty, ensuring smooth fat management as metabolism revs.
Q13: Carbs-fat interaction: Randle efficiency post-low-carb?
A: Carbs inhibit lipolysis overload, sparing proteins; saturates clean fuels. Re-adapt: Pair initial carbs with butter to stabilize, preventing FFA spillover as glucose pathways revive.
This teamwork means carbs take priority to save proteins and use fats wisely, avoiding wasteful breakdowns. Adding butter early helps buffer the switch, keeping free fats from flooding and causing oxidation while your glucose engines kick in.
Q14: Why avoid fiber, and microbiome transition?
A: Ferments to LPS, inflaming via TLR4/serotonin, suppressing dopamine/thyroid. Low-carb often high-fiber; phase out gradually, using juices to minimize gut stress during glucose shift.
Fiber sounds healthy but can feed bad bacteria that leak toxins, firing up inflammation and downing your happy chemicals. From fiber-heavy low-carb, taper off while juicing to keep things calm, letting your gut adapt without the bloat as carbs become your main fuel.
Q15: PUFAs 'toxic': Why purge from low-carb staples?
A: Prone to peroxidation, uncoupling mitochondria like radiation. Low-carb relies on them; eliminate seed oils/nuts Week 1, replacing with coconut to protect during carb reintroduction.
These fats are unstable and turn rancid easily, damaging your cell power plants as if exposed to harm. Cutting them first clears the deck for safer fats, shielding your transition from extra stress as carbs come aboard.
Q16: Saturated fats: Alignment with pro-metabolic goals?
A: MCTs oxidize rapidly sans risk, stabilizing membranes. From low-carb, add coconut oil (1 tsp/meal) to bridge ketosis to glucose dominance without sugar overload.
Saturates burn clean and steady, like reliable logs in a fire, supporting your cell walls for better energy flow. Starting small with coconut eases the fat shift, providing a safety net as your body learns to prioritize carbs again.
Q17: MUFAs: Neutral or limit in transition?
A: Sparingly (olive), less oxidizable but displace saturates; prefer butter's vitamin A. Introduce post-Week 2 to quench ROS as carbs ramp.
These are middle-of-the-road fats—better than unstable ones but not as protective; butter adds antioxidants. Waiting a bit ensures they're helpers, not hindrances, mopping up any free radicals from the carb increase.
Q18: PUFAs hormonal disruption: Low-carb exacerbation?
A: Upregulate aromatase/delta-6, estrogen-ward, thyroid-suppressive. Cut early; monitor estrogen drop via reduced bloating as glucose adapts.
They tilt your hormones toward imbalance, making estrogen bossy and thyroid lazy, which low-carb worsens. Early elimination lets you watch symptoms fade, confirming your shift to a more balanced state with better carb tolerance.
Q19: Protein moderation: Despite low-carb muscle focus?
A: 80-100g/day; excess tryptophan/cysteine promotes serotonin/homocysteine. Balance with gelatin from Week 1 to favor collagen during metabolic shift.
Too much protein loads up on chemicals that mess with mood and heart health, countering muscle gains. Adding gelatin early tips the scale to repair tissues, easing the low-carb to balanced protein path without overload.
Q20: Protein sources: Recommendations for gradual adoption?
A: Dairy/cheese/gelatin/shellfish for bioavailable, low-iron aminos dopamine-over-serotonin. From low-carb meats, swap 50% Week 1 to ease tryptophan load.
These sources give easy-to-use building blocks that boost feel-good signals without iron buildup. Half-swapping first lightens the amino burden, helping your hormones stabilize as carbs take center stage.
Q21: Gelatin counter: Muscle meat downsides in transition?
A: Glycine/proline quench inflammation, stabilize sugar, check mTOR. Add broths (1 cup/day) to buffer carb reintroduction and prevent aging signals.
Q22: Meat/organ limits: Iron concerns post-low-carb?
A: Heme catalyzes radicals; copper/zinc imbalance. Reserve liver occasionally with carbs to blunt absorption, avoiding overload during glucose adaptation.
Q23: Fruit/dairy staples: Building tolerance?
A: OJ/papaya/mango/cherries for fructose/potassium/salicylates; full-fat milk for calcium. Start 1 serving/day, increasing weekly to alkalize and suppress lactate without spikes.
These foods offer sweet, nutrient-packed energy that balances your body's pH and cuts acid waste. One-a-day start builds your tolerance gradually, turning potential overload into a steady, healing flow.
Q24: Supplements: Aspirin/vitamins for safe transition?
A: Aspirin (325mg) uncouples like thyroid, anti-NF-κB; A/D/E/K for fluidity/anti-estrogen. Begin low-dose Week 1 to mitigate peroxidation as carbs rise.
Aspirin mimics thyroid's energy boost while taming inflammation; vitamins keep cell parts flexible and balanced. Low doses from the start act as guards, protecting against any oxidative bumps in the road to full Peat adoption.
Q25: Phased start: Monitoring low-carb to Peat?
A: Week 1: Cut PUFAs, add diluted OJ/milk (150g carbs); Week 2: Gelatin/temp track; Month 1: Full 250g carbs, pulse 85 bpm. Run Blood tests when possible, test HbA1c if sugar concerns persist, iterating for self-observed abundance.
This step-by-step ramps up safely, with checks like temperature and pulse as your dashboard lights. Peat's resources guide tweaks, and optional blood tests confirm no long-term sugar issues, letting you fine-tune based on how you feel in this new abundant state.