Ray Peat on the Liver

Liver response to a deficiency of polyunsaturated fats

"When the diet lacks polyunsaturated fatty acids, the liver synthesizes saturated fatty acids and exports its cholesterol mainly combined with palmitate, which does not promote lipid peroxidation, or in the non-esterified, free form."

September 2018 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Reversing liver breakdown through diet

"A lifelong accumulation of PUFA gradually impairs the liver's protective functions, but these functions can be gradually restored by supplying carbohydrates and saturated fats without the polyunsaturated fats – along with some factors that were depleted along with free cholesterol, especially pregnenolone and progesterone."

September 2018 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Buffer function of blood and liver in nutrient transport

"The blood and liver act as a buffer between the gut and the various specialized tissues and organs, with serum albumin playing an important role in binding and transporting a variety of nutrients and potential toxins."

September 2017 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Coconut oil, thyroid function, and weight management

"While using coconut oil makes it possible to go longer without eating because its thyroid-stimulating effect increases the liver's ability to store glycogen, frequent snacks are still important to help with weight loss or prevent weight gain."

Nutrition For Women

Role of liver function in converting to active thyroid hormones

"The liver provides about 70% of our active thyroid hormone by converting thyroxine into T3, but it can only supply this active hormone if it has enough glucose. Frequent snacks – for example, a few sips of orange juice about every hour – maintain T3 levels by supplying glucose to the liver."

Nutrition For Women

Estrogen production in men under stress and hunger

"Men produce estrogen, especially under stress such as hunger, alcoholism, or liver damage. In a famine, men can even produce milk."

Nutrition For Women

Slower liver function in women and problems breaking down estrogen

"It is known that women's livers are slower than men's when it comes to removing chemicals from the body. If the liver does not remove estrogen from the body quickly enough, estrogen accumulates in the body – which is why male alcoholics often develop breasts. Estrogen pills and sedatives increase the liver's burden. Poor nutrition makes it impossible for the liver to function properly."

Nutrition For Women

Role of dietary therapy in alleviating symptoms of hormonal imbalances

"For several decades, it has been known that many symptoms of hormonal imbalances can be alleviated through simple dietary therapy. If doctors do not want to take the time to study the literature, they should at least be referred to one of the easily understandable articles, such as Biskind's contribution on liver and hormones in Vitamins and Hormones, 1946."

Nutrition For Women

Vitamin C and E in liver detoxification

"Vitamin C and E are also known to help the liver deal with toxins."

Nutrition For Women

Estrogen-related blood clotting and metabolic problems

"It is known that taking estrogen can cause the blood to clot too easily. Other effects include anemia, low blood sugar, and slowed liver function."

Nutrition For Women

Role of the liver in estrogen metabolism and effects on libido

"Normally, the liver treats estrogen like a toxin and removes it immediately from the body. When the liver becomes sluggish due to malnutrition or too much estrogen (or other damage), it can allow the hormone to accumulate to very high levels. Since estrogen opposes the metabolism of progesterone and testosterone, I think the pill could reduce libido by opposing these other hormones."

Nutrition For Women

Effects of cysteine on thyroid function during stress and hunger

"Cysteine, an amino acid abundant in muscles and liver, incidentally blocks the synthesis of thyroid hormone. When we are starving or under stress, cortisone causes these protein-rich tissues to be broken down. If metabolism continued at a normal pace, stress or hunger would quickly destroy us. However, the cysteine released from the muscles inhibits the thyroid, slowing down metabolism."

Nutrition For Women

Influence of diet on thyroid function and food comparison

"When we eat large amounts of muscle meat or liver, the high concentration of cysteine suppresses the thyroid. Heart, eggs, skin (gelatin), and milk are more favorable for the thyroid. Other thyroid-inhibiting foods include peanuts, soybeans, raw cabbage, radishes, broccoli, cauliflower, unsaturated oils (such as safflower, corn, cottonseed, and soybean oil), as well as an excess of iodine."

Nutrition For Women

Protein deficiency in the diet as a cause of estrogen excess

"A very common cause of estrogen excess is a protein deficiency in the diet – the liver simply cannot detoxify estrogen if it is undernourished."

Nutrition For Women

Systemic effects of inflammation and exhaustion on blood sugar and energy efficiency

“Severe inflammation or deep exhaustion lowers blood sugar throughout the body and supplies the liver with large amounts of lactic acid. The liver synthesizes glucose from lactic acid, but at the cost of about six times more energy than is gained from inefficient metabolism – so this tissue in the organism overall becomes 90 times less efficient than in its original state. Additionally, unnecessary destruction of energy molecules (ATP or creatine phosphate) further increases waste.”

Nutrition For Women

Role of pantothenic acid in treating hyperinsulinism

“Pantothenic acid is needed by the liver to break down insulin (insulinase), so hyperinsulinism, which causes hypoglycemia, can sometimes be improved with this nutrient.”

Nutrition For Women

Differences in fructose metabolism in people with high blood fats

“Fructose does not stimulate the pancreas like glucose. It is gradually converted into glucose. However, in people with high blood fats, it is metabolized by liver and fat tissue many times faster than in normal people: it is as if the cellular ‘doors’ in these people are already open, perhaps due to high insulin levels, and the cells take up fructose faster than usual.”

Nutrition For Women

Effects of cancer on stress hormones and nutrient requirements

“Cancer overstimulates the anti-stress adrenocortical hormones and usually causes extreme wasting by mobilizing fat and protein; blood sugar and glycogen storage are disrupted. During or after cancer treatment, a diet against hypoglycemia seems desirable: frequent small meals, liver (or similar nutrients), magnesium, potassium. Vitamins A, E, C, and pantothenic acid are especially important during stress, but all nutrients are necessary.”

Nutrition For Women

Cholesterol in the diet and liver cholesterol production

“Since a healthy liver produces cholesterol to compensate for what is lacking in the diet, avoiding cholesterol-rich foods does not necessarily lower blood cholesterol levels.”

Nutrition For Women

Dietary practices to promote progesterone production and thyroid health

“There are several dietary practices that promote progesterone production, but the most effective is to eat liver once a week, use eggs daily, and avoid foods that inhibit the thyroid, such as raw cabbage and broccoli. Butter contains some progesterone.”

Nutrition For Women

Estrogen accumulation due to stress-related liver sluggishness

"All types of stress tend to make the liver sluggish. Normally, the liver removes toxins and excess hormones from the body. Estrogen can accumulate to high levels if the liver is not fully active. One effect of estrogen is to promote a type of oxidation that produces no energy and thereby increases oxygen demand."

Nutrition For Women

Vitamin E as a Protective Factor Against the Effects of Excess Estrogen

"Vitamin E promotes oxidation in many ways and seems to specifically counteract many effects of excess estrogen. For example, it can help protect the liver from damage caused by toxins (even though the liver needs all nutrients). It counteracts estrogen's tendency to form age pigment. It activates blood protease, thus speeding up the breakdown of clots and preventing clot formation in blood vessels; at the same time, there is evidence that it supports normal blood clotting in wounds."

Nutrition For Women

Effects of Low-Protein Diets on the Liver's Detoxification of Estrogen

"Low-protein diets definitely impair the liver's ability to detoxify estrogen and other stress factors."

Nutrition For Women

Eggs and Their Protective Role Against Cholesterol Deposits

"Eggs may actively protect against the formation of cholesterol deposits for several reasons. One of the men who discovered insulin, Best, later showed that choline (a component of lecithin) can prevent fatty degeneration of the liver."

Nutrition For Women

Honey and Milk: Benefits for Liver Glycogen

"Two or three tablespoons of honey in a glass of milk provide some magnesium as well as sugar to increase the glycogen stored in the liver."

Nutrition For Women

Daylight and Blood Sugar: Influence on Sleep

"Since blood sugar is usually higher during the day – due to the effect of light on various glands – some people with impaired liver function find it easier to sleep during the day."

Nutrition For Women

Nutritional Therapy and Hormonal Support for Abnormal Pap Smears

"Many women with abnormal Pap smears – even with a biopsy showing so-called carcinoma in situ – returned to normal after only two months with a diet that includes: 90 grams of protein, 500 mg magnesium as chloride, 100,000 units of vitamin A, 400 units of vitamin E, 5 mg folic acid, 100 mg pantothenic acid, 100 mg B6, 100 mg niacinamide, and 500 mg vitamin C, plus thyroid and progesterone as needed. Liver should be eaten twice a week. Some of the women apply vitamin A directly to the cervix."

Nutrition For Women

Central Regulation of Estrogen and Its Connection to Important Body Factors

"Estrogen is centrally – decisively – regulated by the liver. Estrogen, progesterone, iodine, sugar, and stress are closely interconnected."

Nutrition For Women

Mechanisms of Iron Enrichment in the Liver

"It is known that excess iron accumulates in the liver because there is no mechanism for its excretion."

Nutrition For Women

Effect of Supplements on Recovery from Tuberculosis

"About 30 years ago, a study was conducted to see if supplements made a difference in the recovery of exceptionally well-nourished tuberculosis patients. The supplement consisted of 600 milligrams of vitamin C, 75,000 to 150,000 units of vitamin A, 5,000 units of vitamin D, about 4 grams of brewer's yeast, and six grams of dried liver. The control group received placebos, double-blind. The group receiving the supplement showed a clear improvement (see Williams Nutrition Against Disease, p. 223). So many similar studies have been conducted that it is simply unscientific to claim supplements are unnecessary if balanced meals are eaten."

Nutrition For Women

Nutrition and Health: Arguments For and Against Supplements

"Individual differences and stress can make it extremely difficult to stay healthy on a normal diet; however, if meals consisting of liver, broccoli leaves, oysters, and papaya can be considered normal, then supplements might generally be unnecessary."

Nutrition For Women

Cod Liver Oil, Vitamin E, and Cancer Rates in Animals

"Animals given large amounts of cod liver oil almost all died of cancer; however, when they received the same amount of oil along with a high vitamin E supplement, their cancer rate was normal."

Nutrition For Women

Medium-Chain Fatty Acids and Fat Synthesis in the Liver

"Medium-chain fatty acids, as found in coconut oil, are effective at shutting down fat synthesis in the liver."

Nutrition For Women

Misconceptions about Thyroxine and Thyroid Hormone Treatments

"When pure thyroxine became available and replaced the use of dried thyroid for treating hypothyroidism, it led to two very important misconceptions that became deeply rooted in medical practice. It was decided that no more than 5% of the population had a thyroid hormone deficiency, and experiments were used to argue that thermogenesis as well as an increased metabolic rate and increased oxygen consumption were not significant effects of the hormone – because the liver was the only organ whose oxygen consumption increased when thyroxine was added, and because additional thyroxine reduced the brain's oxygen consumption. The mistake was defining thyroxine as the thyroid hormone. The liver is the main organ that converts thyroxine into the active thyroid hormone triiodothyronine, T3, which is why it could metabolically respond to thyroxine."

November 2020 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Intestinal Disorders and Nervous System Diseases: The Role of Toxins

"Intestinal irritations can cause nervous system disorders6 and should be considered as a possible cause of attention disorders. Toxins produced by intestinal bacteria can directly affect the brain but more often act by damaging the liver's ability to regulate blood sugar."

Mind And Tissue Russian Research Perspectives on the Human Brain

Immune System: Restoration or Inflammation

"Our so-called immune system recognizes unfavorable changes in the structural-energetic system and responds quietly to restore the system by removing abnormal structures and facilitating the restoration of function. If the organism's condition is not good, instead of invisible restoration, inflammation occurs – a process in which rough provisional repairs are made so that the damaged tissue does not demand further resources that are unavailable. A scar forms; a relatively inert, fibrotic tissue replaces the fully functional tissue. This happens progressively with ongoing exposure to harmful factors and worsens the lungs, heart, blood vessels, gonads, liver, kidneys, brain…."

March 2019 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Progesterone Protects Organs

"All organs affected by a brain injury – kidneys, lungs, intestines, heart, liver, blood vessels, thymus, bones and bone marrow, endocrine glands – are protected by progesterone."

March 2016 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Role of the Lung in Detoxifying Serotonin with CO₂

"Although the liver has a much greater capacity than the lung to detoxify serotonin, the lung detoxifies several times more of the circulating serotonin than the liver. The reason for this is that in the oxygen-rich environment of the lung, carbon dioxide is lost from the blood, and carbon dioxide is needed for platelets to retain serotonin. With the loss of CO₂, the platelets release their serotonin very quickly so that it is immediately detoxified by the local MAO."

July 2019 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Cortisol responds to low glycogen stores

“If there is not enough glycogen stored in the liver, muscles, and other tissues to meet the brain’s glucose needs overnight, cortisol rises and breaks down tissue proteins to provide amino acids and glucose; at the same time, this nighttime stress also increases free fatty acids.”

January 2017 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Thyroid secretion ratio and the liver’s role in conversion

“The thyroid secretes about three parts thyroxine to one part triiodothyronine, which allows the liver to regulate thyroid function by converting more T4 into active T3 when ample energy is available. Glucose is essential for this conversion.”

Generative Energy Restoring The Wholeness Of Life

Liver-related hypothyroidism and body temperature

“If the liver is the main cause of hypothyroidism, your temperature (especially the temperature of your nose, hands, and feet) drops when you are hungry and rises when you eat carbohydrates.”

Generative Energy Restoring The Wholeness Of Life

Dietary alternatives before considering Cytomel supplementation

“Before using a Cytomel (T3) preparation, it might be possible to solve the problem with diet alone. A piece of fruit or a glass of juice or milk between meals, as well as enough animal protein (or potato protein) in the diet, is sometimes enough for the liver to produce the hormone.”

Generative Energy Restoring The Wholeness Of Life

High energy demand of the brain and nutritional requirements

“The brain is energetically a very ‘expensive’ organ in terms of its energy needs, and the liver must be very efficient to meet this demand. Therefore, if there is a nutritional or hormonal problem, the issues can be especially severe. The need for sugar, protein, vitamins, and minerals can be very high.”

Email reply from Ray Peat

Effects of nutrient deficiencies on neurological imbalances

“The imbalances of endorphins, serotonin, catecholamines, and other nerve regulators observed in autism can sometimes arise in adults from a combination of exhaustion and poor nutrition, and when liver glycogen is depleted, it can be difficult to restore balance. Prenatal influences of various kinds could damage connectivity, allowing cells to survive. Normally, a large proportion of brain cells die before birth due to limited glucose availability.”

Email reply from Ray Peat

Defective mitochondrial respiration in diseases of various organs

"It is now well recognized that impaired mitochondrial respiration is a central factor in diseases of muscles, brain, liver, kidneys, and other organs."

July 2000

Non-toxic therapies for treating lactic acidosis

"Therapeutically, even strong toxins that block glycolytic enzymes can improve functions in a variety of organic disorders associated with excessive production of lactic acid (or caused by it). Unfortunately, the toxin that has become the standard treatment for lactic acidosis – dichloroacetic acid – is carcinogenic and eventually causes liver damage and acidosis. However, several non-toxic therapies can achieve the same: for example, palmitate (formed from sugar under the influence of thyroid hormone and found in coconut oil), vitamin B1, biotin, lipoic acid, carbon dioxide, thyroid hormone, naloxone, acetazolamide."

July 2000 (1)

Excess estrogen and its effects on albumin synthesis

"An excess of estrogen suppresses the liver's ability to synthesize albumin, and when this is combined with the leakage of albumin into tissues (where it is slowly broken down) and into the urine, the blood loses its ability to retain sodium, much of which is bound to albumin."

January 2000 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Effect of sodium in the blood on the liver

"The ATP of the liver increases as a result of an increase in sodium in the blood. An increase in blood sodium of only about 15%, for example, caused the ATP of the cells to nearly double."

1998 - Ray Peat's Newsletter - 4

Cell damage, repair, and adaptive responses in the organism

"When a cell has been damaged (e.g., by radiation or toxins), its inefficiency creates a small, locally limited distortion in the fields that – as far as the organism's resources allow – stimulates processes of repair or removal and replacement. When stress is so great that the entire organism is exposed to lactic acid, the adaptive resources of the organism are challenged and potentially harmful reactions are triggered. A sluggish liver, for example, can allow an increase in blood lactate concentration during stress, which can lead to the release of endorphins and pituitary hormones (Elias et al., 1997). Endorphins can increase histamine release, and growth hormone increases free fatty acids; increased permeability of blood vessels can allow proteins and fats to leave the bloodstream – with cumulative harmful effects."

1998 - Ray Peat's Newsletter - 2

Mature cells inhibit the division of other cells

"In a variety of tissues, it can be shown that the presence of mature cells inhibits the division of other cells. When part of the liver is removed, the remaining cells divide to replace the lost tissue. When the skin is cut, cells divide to fill the defect. When a sufficient number of eggs are present, this principle suggests that it is not necessary to produce more."

August/September 1995 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Effects of stress on glucose and fat utilization

"When tissue oxygen supply is insufficient, glucose is rapidly depleted. Under prolonged stress, the liver's gluconeogenic response to glucocorticoids is reduced, as is its ability to form and store glycogen. When less glucose is available, the amount of adrenaline in the blood increases, and fat is mobilized from stores as an alternative energy source. Free fatty acids, especially unsaturated fats, are toxic to the mitochondrial respiratory system and block both the ability to use oxygen and the ability to produce energy. The increased use of fats instead of glucose leads to increased lipid peroxidation."

June 1992 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Severe stress and deterioration of liver function

"When stress is severe and prolonged, the liver loses enzymes of the detoxification system as well as the system that produces bile acids. This leads to a tendency toward disturbed fat metabolism, including hypercholesterolemia."

June 1992 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Heart protection from stress and general aging

"When thinking about Meerson's successes in protecting the heart from stress, it is important to remember that the heart is our most stress-resistant organ and that the things that protect the heart from lethal stress also protect other organs from the everyday strains that accumulate and cause the problems of general aging. Liver, lungs, pancreas, and other vital organs are susceptible to the same types of damage as the heart, but under conditions that are relatively mild and ordinary."

June 1992 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Comparison of stress resistance of heart and liver

"The resilience of heart and liver can be compared in various ways. For example, DNA replication in the liver is more easily suppressed by stress than in the heart, but DNA repair is not affected by stress in the same way. A hyperfunction of the heart stabilizes DNA against damage; therefore, DNA repair is greater in the liver than in the heart and lowest in the brain."

June 1992 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Liver extracts and their effect on cancer resistance

"Strong (who studied genetics with T. H. Morgan) was interested in the fact that sharks are not prone to cancer. As a geneticist, he saw this in connection with their genetic stability—that is, that they have not evolved beyond an early stage of evolution—and he believed that cancer is a result of genetic instability. He found that injections of an extract from shark liver prevented mice from developing breast cancer; however, similar extracts from other livers had similar effects in the mice. Since his mice had too much estrogen, I assumed their livers lacked something needed to break down estrogen, as the liver is normally a strong regulator of estrogen and uses a specific system of detoxifying enzymes for this."

July 1991 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Contribution of Estrogen to Hypercoagulation and Cardiovascular Risk

"Estrogen can contribute to a hypercoagulable state in many ways (which leads to cardiovascular diseases). Some of these involve altered liver function, including disturbed production or metabolism of eight different factors that control coagulation."

April 1991 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Orotic Acid: Possible Risks for Metabolism and Liver Health

"It was known that orotic acid alters pyrimidine and ammonia metabolism, so I did not consider it wise to use preparations containing large amounts of it. A few years ago, orotic acid was described—based on experiments with rats—as an excellent liver carcinogen."

May 1990 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Potential of Thyroid Preparations to Restore Normal Thyroid Function

"In a small percentage of people with hypothyroidism, short-term treatment with thyroid preparations can trigger the recovery of normal thyroid function: by activating the brain-pituitary system, raising blood sugar (which activates the liver enzyme system that produces T3), and by lowering thyroid-inhibiting stress hormones."

August/September 1990 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Immunosuppressive Effects of Cortisol

"Unrestrained cortisol acts immunosuppressively in several ways, including through thymic hypoplasia,*° by reducing histaminolytic activity and the liver's monooxygenase activity (which contributes to chronic allergies), and it can induce the expression of certain retrovirus types."

November 1989 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Indispensable Role of the Thyroid in Protein Synthesis and Energy

"Thyroid function is essential for all cellular processes, including protein utilization and synthesis, growth hormone formation, etc. Without thyroid hormone to maintain respiration, inefficient glycolysis wastes energy; unoxidized lactate triggers the catabolism of liver protein. Hypoglycemia stimulates the release of glucocorticoids, which maintain blood sugar at the expense of rapid protein breakdown."

November 1989 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Stressed cells release ammonia and carbon monoxide

"People studying lipid peroxidation in extracts from liver cells noticed that carbon monoxide was produced. Many have observed that stressed cells release ammonia."

January 1989 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Refuting misinformation about flaxseed oil in medical diets

"An acquaintance who recently died after several months of consuming large amounts of flaxseed oil told me it had been used by both W. F. Koch, M.D., and Max Gerson, M.D. I knew that was not true: Gerson's program, for example, evolved from a diet against migraines and tuberculosis to a cancer therapy and included the use of thyroid extract, liver, fresh juices, and some butter—but he repeatedly said: absolutely no oil."

February/March 1989 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Camphoric acid as a copper transporter for brain and lymphatic system

"I was interested in using camphoric acid to transport copper: This could allow it to enter the brain and also be absorbed via the lymphatic system, bypassing the liver—so a large dose can be absorbed without damaging the liver."

June 1988 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Lowering estrogen in the treatment of leukoplakia with progesterone support

"An optimal treatment for leukoplakia would include a program that lowers the chronic baseline level of estrogen while promoting progesterone synthesis. The body naturally moves in this direction when it receives the right support. With adequate protein intake (eggs, milk, cheese, shellfish, liver, etc.), the liver in an otherwise healthy organism completely removes estrogen from the blood during the first pass through the liver."

January 1988 - Ray Peat's Newsletter

Folic acid and B vitamins in rapid cell division

"With rapid cell division and an excess of estrogen, folic acid and other B vitamins are quickly depleted, so supplementation can be beneficial. I usually recommended a dose of one to ten milligrams of folic acid daily for a few weeks, along with liver two or three times a week for the other vitamins."

January 1988 - Ray Peat's Newsletter
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Supplements according to Ray Peat

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