Niacin Freshness

[relaxeverything]

First off (and this isn't directly connected with this discussion) I would like to try and express a mere fraction of the immense gratitude I have for this website and its founding members. I have been following this forum and its predecessor (Naked Scientist) for around a year and a half now and it has been life-changing and a light in what was becoming a really dark part of my life. Especially to Demographx, Daveman (and a few others), I really appreciate how you've always kept the forums focused, and scientific minded yet simultaneously open to the various ways people might find for working with POIS. For over 2 years (starting at age 20) my life was becoming more and more difficult due to the increasing intensity of my POIS. I was trying to have sex without ejaculating which would usually result in nocturnal emissions. I would search frantically on the web but couldn't find anything, It took me 2 years until I bumped into the Naked Scientist! My searches usually consisted of the words "ejaculation depression" or "ejaculation emotional effects". Anyways, I just thought that might be interesting. Around the time I started to become suspicious of a connection between my ejaculation and emotions, I had started to meditate. Having practed a lot in the Buddhist tradtion I decided I would spend 2 years as a monk to deepen my meditation practice. So when my POIS started to increase and after having kept charts to the point where the connection between ejaucaltions and my emotions were undeniable, I was quite relieved that I was going to a monastery. And so I'm about to finishe my 2 year stint here. While we have vows of celibacy (for our time here) the temporary monastics are allowed to mastrubate (whcih I did) and so I developed a sharp observation of my sexuality and my POIS, which has been helpful as well. Many people in the community have said to me: 'Oh, you really seemed to change at some point as if something happened, what happened?' and of course that was the time that I found these forums. All I could do is smile and say, 'oh, its the meditation and the practice'  (which is certainly not untrue at all)

Other than a brief post, I have not contributed at all, because I saw so much information being put out and I didn't feel like I had anything fresh to contribute. Also I am still experimenting with the various suggestions on the site and wanted to wait until I had something more solid to share. That being said, I realized that just having another stat of what worked for a particular person might be helpful in this overall picture. So: Niacin has been unparalleled in the alleviation of POIS. Relora helps substantially, but I build up a tolerance quite quickly and Fenugreek helps substantially as well so I usually take that with the Niacin.

My question: I have seen a few people post about their Niacin expiring and I found the same thing happening in my case. Now I've been trying to determine how long its stays fresh so I don't have to have that uncertainty period when I don't want to waste Niacin and end up with symptoms until I'm sure its bad and throw that bottle out. I was hoping we could identify the time for which Niaicn remained in its maximum purity or potency. I have found with my last bottle that even within a month, it seems to not be as helpful and when I open a new bottle, I'm as good as new. I open the bottle maybe 2-4 times a week and keep it in a dark cupboard at room temp. Now, even when the Niacin is in 'stale' phase, it still causes me to flush just as strongly. Also, I need to experiment more so I can confirm what I just said above more confidently. Thank the lords Niacin is dirt cheap!!

These dialogues have changed my life and I feel indebted to all of you. If there is anything I can do for this community to further the research or publicity, please let me know. From the bottom of my heart, I thank all of you.

[LAPOISSE]

Hey Boudhist Monk ; )

Like your post ; I found in meditation great help ; Their is surely a emotional component in the POIS cycles ; it's affect brain in someway with the result in emotions ; bad emotions can affect the health ; there is definitely a vicious circle involved and meditation is probably one of the best way to alleviate the symptoms ; I've been able to be happy in a middle of a POIS session and frankly time goes much faster this way...but it's a lot of rigor and commitment ; hard to stick to it personally

For Niacin, I don't know ; Mine still provoke flush after months so I would say that its efficient ; but the effect has always been limited on me so I dont' know.

I've been thinking a lot recently about the role of food in POIS ; I think this fundamental ; Did you have change in alimentation style during your stint ? Did you notice a difference ? Specificly did you eat gluten during your stint ?

Thanks

[Daveman]

Hi "Relax"

I still have bottles of niacin in my drawer that are maybe 18 months old. And they still work, but there are many factors.

One of the things that has become very obvious with almost any of our remedies for POIS, is that we are in a very unstable "testing environment".

I think my use of niacin shone some light on this (becasue it is so finicky). I had fairly good instructions when I first tried it, but it was still not consistent, so I wondered why.

Long to short, experimentation zeroed in on a more stable procedure.

We don't know why it works, there's  a thread right now that says it's becasue of it's vasodilation characteristics, which probably is close to the mark. AND it does seem that other vasodilation elements also help significantly. However, it doesn't help everyone, and I wonder if that has more to do with the procedure or it's actual function.

If we knew why it worked, really, it would help our research. We would know exactly HOW to take it and what the effects of expiry date are etc.

Anyways, back to expiry dates.

I have found that if the niacin is least exposed to the air, it lasts quite a long time. It may loose a little potency, but generally is stil quite useful for a good 2 yrs.

At this time I am using it with viagra (because I need viagra) and the viagra enhances niacins effect, but you do have to be carefull, because they are mutually enhancing. Viagra side effects are stronger with niacin, and the niacin flush is very much greater with viagra. With viagra I don't need to take more than 50mg niacin. Wouldn't want to. 100 mg niacin with viagra gives you a very strong flush that lasts more than an hour. Not at all pleasant.

So keep the niacin in closed airtight bottles, the smaller the better, at room temp without light, and it lasts for quite some time. It seems
better to have at least 20 or more capsule in one bottle.

I put two or three capsules wrapped tightly in aluninium foil, and it didn't seem to last more than about 3 months.

I've got quite a challenge for you!!!! It may seem that one thing conflicts with the other, but see what happens.

It involves meditating through the transition form normal, through masturbation and on to POIS onset.

Do it with niacin. So you'd be able to take the niacin, maybe before the flush starts, begin meditating, and follow what's going on inside you. Somehow, "pause to masturbate" (the difficult part) and then follow through as cleanly as possible in meditation. Try to feel what's happening inside, where the niacin comes into play...

The meditative state is quite observant!

 

[relaxeverything]

Hello Lapoisse,

Meditation has certainly been very significant in 'easing my pain'. I think though, that an important distinction should be made: The level on which practices such as meditation help us to work with all and any pain in our life and the relative reality of things such as objective POIS symptoms and the methods we use to alleviate those. These two levels are very connected, but while in meditation, ultimately, the objective physical reality isn't a barrier to being in a psychologically peaceful and happy state. While that might sound pretty far out, I've experienced it personally many many times. Nonetheless,that is not very easy, and even harder to maintain and so we also work on the level of our usual habitual reactions to balance whatever imbalances (or however you want to talk about it) are happening. In any case, with meditation, the most powerful way to eliminate suffering is to face it full on and not try to reject it. Particularly in the somatic sense, not by thinking about it. The level on which meditation eases unease is not particularly by removing that pain but rather by providing more psychological space and serenity. Often as a side effect of not being hypnotized by our internal stories about our pain along with the sense of spaciousness, the symptoms will disappear. But it is a non-aggressive method- awareness!!

Forgive me if that spiel was unsolicited!

About the food: When I came across these forums and hadn't yet gotten fenugreek or anything, I was increasing my protein intake and there was a pretty definite decrease in recovery time (and this is only with vegetarian proteins- eggs, beans, tofu, etc, as we have a veg. diet here). I do eat gluten and haven't noticed an effect with that.


Hi Daveman,

Thank you for that info. I've meditated through the flush and masturbation many times, but right before and during orgasm...not easy!!
I will keep trying!