Peat Archive

Ray Peat's views on heart disease diverge significantly from the conventional cholesterol-based model. He argued that heart disease is primarily a metabolic disease driven by hypothyroidism, PUFA consumption, estrogen, and chronic stress — not by saturated fat or cholesterol. He noted that thyroid hormone is essential for heart function, that hypothyroid patients have the highest rates of heart disease, and that lowering cholesterol with statins does not reduce mortality.

Peat emphasized that the heart is an extremely metabolically active organ that requires efficient oxidative metabolism. When this is compromised (by PUFAs, low thyroid, iron overload), the heart shifts to inefficient metabolism, producing lactic acid and becoming susceptible to arrhythmias, fibrosis, and failure. He recommended thyroid support, aspirin, magnesium, and PUFA avoidance for heart health.