Reader Mail: Serotonin, Aldosterone & A Raging Pituitary
Nov 17, 2011
I have been quite fortunate the last couple of weeks to be able to coach a few gentleman on the topics of hair loss, libido, and quality of life.
In many cases these gentleman are refugees from high-priced, high-profile physicians that didn't take them were they wanted to go. Been there. Done that.
Helping gentleman figure out their hair issues is rewarding, furthers my research, and scares the shit out of me. How specific, ominous, lab values were glazed over by physicians with numerous letters next to their names, is beyond me.
Here's an interesting case:
The gentleman I trained is young, in amazing physical condition, but is experiencing diffuse hair loss and intermittent libido.
Let's look at some of his lab values:
- TSH - 2.197 (0.450 - 4.5)
- RT3 - 340 (90-350)
- Prolactin - 6 (2.1-17.7)
Prolactin is good... SHIT, but reverse T3 (stress) is off the charts. TSH is mid-range. Let's see some more labs from a couple of months later:
- LH - 6.8 (1.5-9.3)
- FSH 10.5 (1.4-18.1)
- DHEA - 195 (280-640)
- DHT - 28 (30-850)
- RT3 - 319 (90-350)
- TSH - 2.040 (0.450-4.500)
- T3 - 2.0 (2.3-4.2)
- CO2 - 21 (20-32)
- Cortisol 165 (35-168)
- Aldosterone, Androstenedione, and 5-AR activity was high on Rhein Labs.
- Estrogen on all labs was low-mid.
Pituitary is firing hard, really hard. This is evidenced by high LH, FSH, and mid-range TSH. TSH is still that high when trainee is taking thyroid.
Serum DHT is low, but 5-AR activity is high. Aldosterone and androstenedione are high. Stress is still high; reverse T3, low DHEA, high cortisol.
WTF is causing the stress?
Serotonin.
The trainee's libido is low (despite good testosterone levels), he has low CO2, and is experiencing excessive stress (cortisol, aldosterone)—all calling cards of excess serotonin.
"A quick reduction of carbon dioxide caused by hyperventilation can provoke an epileptic seizure, and can increase muscle spasms and vascular leakiness, and (by releasing serotonin and histamine) contribute to inflammation and clotting disorders."
Ray Peat PhD - Protective CO2 and aging
"Serotonin's contribution to high blood pressure is well established. It activates the adrenal cortex both directly and through activation of the pituitary.
It stimulates the production of both cortisol and aldosterone.
Ray Peat - Tryptophan, serotonin, and aging
This trainee started the HAIR LIKE A FOX regimen a few days ago, so time will tell if my assumptions are correct. Whole blood serotonin over ~25 ng/dl would confirm my hypothesis, but it's really expensive through directlabs.com.
If you're interested in setting up a coaching session, click here.
HAIR LIKE A FOX will be out the November 28th.
Reader Comments (5)
Couldn't high cortisol be from many other possibilities, like too much protein, not enough carbs, a possible heavy metal issue, or high copper/low zinc?
Peat blames serotonin/tryptophan for almost everything (along with PUFA's), but most, if not all of the tryptophan sources he cites actually have tiny amounts of "t" that are dwarfed by the other competing amino acids.
???
@Kelly,
Peat has mentioned that the intestine holds the largest concentration of serotonin and the more bacteria, the more serotonin. If the gut has been compromised (allergies, made permeable by estrogen, bacterial overgrowth) it will give off more serotonin causing an increase in cortisol.
My interpretation of Peat's philosophy has me thinking that elevated cortisol is more of a "reaction" than a starting point.
out of interest, any updated lab results on this one perchance?
Who cares about diffuse thinning?
Where is the information that relates to actual, permanent male pattern androgenic hair loss?
Serotonin, prolactin, hypothyroidism and insulin resistance can be blamed only for increasing DHT. DHT is still the culprit, and only results in lost hair if you have a particular SNP on the androgen receptor. That is to say, if you have the "natural programming" to lose hair in response to DHT -- even perfectly healthy levels of it.
Not what we want to hear, of course, but certainly what has been proven and verified multiple times.
@Daz,
This Trainee and I continue to work with each other, but last time he went to get his serotonin tested the lab messed up — seriously.
@James,
Maybe chill out?
I have a hypothesis, I wrote a book about it, and I write my thoughts on this website.
If DHT is indeed the culprit in male hair loss, there are multiple things that influence 5-AR, like progesterone, which is intimately tied to the thyroid and stress.
No matter what kind of hair loss those I coach have, they usually have high prolactin, serotonin, estrogen, or PTH.