Why is POIS less hard during the summer?

[Vandemolen]

I think I got 50% less symptoms during the summer. The only thing I can point out is vitamin D. But what if you take high dose vitamin D?

[certainlypois2]

i have done it before, i used about 8000iu vitd3 in one dose. i felt pseudo relief. I got energy like i was on caffeine. The energy masked the symptoms  a little but by next day i was back in pois.

[b_jim]

I think vit D is a cofactor of a lot of things and that's why a lack seems to increase Pois symptoms during winter.

[Vandemolen]

I think vit D is a cofactor of a lot of things and that's why a lack seems to increase Pois symptoms during winter.

But I take high dose vitamin D. So now my vitamin D level is also high during winter.

[b_jim]

Ok. Sun must be a cofactor of a lot a biological functions in body too.

[dizzy]

A bunch of stuff comes to mind:

- Sun and vit D (already mentioned)

- Our immune system changes during the summer, see https://www.livescience.com/50806-seasonal-variation-human-genes-immune-inflammation.html

- General feeling of wellbeing (caused by sunlight and warmer temperatures)

- Stress might be an issue. During summer, people often work less, and go on a holiday. Also colleagues and customers might go on holiday, which may cause a reduction of stress.

- Exercise. During summer, people might do more exercise (e.g. take a bicycle to work, or go surfing, swimming, diving, etc.)

- Socializing. During summer, people might be more social, which may affect mental symptoms.

- Cold showers. People might take more cold showers during summer. Some people indicated some relief from cold showers.

Some things that might be related but I don't know how:

- During summer, people sweat more, and lose electrolytes and sodium.

- Because of the heat, the scrotum hangs lower (again, not sure what the significance would be for POIS, but should be considered).

- Circadian clock is affected by seasons.

If you want to experiment, you could try:

- Light therapy lamp during winter, e.g. https://www.usa.philips.com/c-p/HF3418_60/energylight

- Saunas and/or cold showers during winter

[Vandemolen]

Ok. Sun must be a cofactor of a lot a biological functions in body too.

I am curious of if there is a member here who lives in an tropical country. Where the weather is almost the same the whole year. Like Florida. Where the sun shines almost the whole year. And if their POIS is the same during winter and summer.

[Nas]

Ok. Sun must be a cofactor of a lot a biological functions in body too.

I am curious of if there is a member here who lives in an tropical country. Where the weather is almost the same the whole year. Like Florida. Where the sun shines almost the whole year. And if their POIS is the same during winter and summer.

I live in Iraq and yes, it's the same the whole year around.

[Observer]

Ok. Sun must be a cofactor of a lot a biological functions in body too.

I am curious of if there is a member here who lives in an tropical country. Where the weather is almost the same the whole year. Like Florida. Where the sun shines almost the whole year. And if their POIS is the same during winter and summer.

I live in Iraq and yes, it's the same the whole year around.

Hello Nas, have you been living in a less cold environment during some time in your life? I found that I was heat sensitive and that heat and high temperatures could exarcebate my POIS symptoms as much as cloudy, wet days.

[Nas]

Ok. Sun must be a cofactor of a lot a biological functions in body too.

I am curious of if there is a member here who lives in an tropical country. Where the weather is almost the same the whole year. Like Florida. Where the sun shines almost the whole year. And if their POIS is the same during winter and summer.

I live in Iraq and yes, it's the same the whole year around.

Hello Nas, have you been living in a less cold environment during some time in your life?

Less cold? Iraq is literally the deepest level of hell it self. I don't know what do you mean by less cold environment lol.

[Vandemolen]

He means maybe you lived a few years in another country. But that’s what I thought: that if the temprature is almost the same the whole year then the POIS is stable. Here in The Netherlands there is a big difference in my symptoms during summer or winter. During summer I can be sexual active twice a week. During winter maybe twice a month.

[Vandemolen]

My POIS doctor said that the main reason is vitamin D. He said that the vitamin D of POIS patients must be at least 130 during the whol year. Mine was 80 in the winter. Now it’s 160. I will try to keep my level during tye whole year around 150. Then I hope my POIS is also not so bad during winter.

Above 300 is toxic.

[Quantum]

My POIS doctor said that the main reason is vitamin D. He said that the vitamin D of POIS patients must be at least 130 during the whol year. Mine was 80 in the winter. Now it’s 160. I will try to keep my level during tye whole year around 150. Then I hope my POIS is also not so bad during winter.

Above 300 is toxic.

Hi Vandemolen.  Is you "POIS Doctor" already on my list of POIS doctors? See http://poiscenter.com/forums/index.php?topic=2575.msg22338#msg22338 .  If not, do you think he should be on the list, because he knows about POIS and has an interest in understanding it and finding a treatment for it?

[Vandemolen]

No he is not on the list. He asked me not to make his name public because they have already a lot of patients. Including POIS patients.

[Quantum]

No he is not on the list. He asked me not to make his name public because they have already a lot of patients. Including POIS patients.

Ok, thanks anyway.   If he changes his mind, just let me know

[mike_sweden]

yes pois is worse during winter here in sweden

yes its a big difference

during winter im always a bit depressed and its cold, i cant handle cold very well

[JohnJames]

I was thinking about this, and I think that the microbiome might change in response to weather. It's very clear that very cold conditions are unfavourable for certain species of bacteria to grow and hotter temperatures are more favourable, it's also clear that the bacteria we interact with and come into contact more often are much more likely to populate our gut flora, scientists are finding nowadays that certain bacterial populations in the gut seem to be regional (IE travelling to a different place would expose you to different bacteria which might populate your gut whilst you are there, but like probiotics tend not to stick around). This might explain the seasonal differences since it appears that Vitamin D taken in winter doesn't have the same effect.

[dizzy]

I found another possible explanation: melanocytes.

According to wikipedia: melanocytes are melanin-producing neural crest-derived cells located in the bottom layer (the stratum basale) of the skin's epidermis, the middle layer of the eye (the uvea), the inner ear, vaginal epithelium, meninges, bones, and heart.

They play a role in the immune system, and in sexual activity (shown in mice).

The reason I came up with this is that I found that applying melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH) to my skin reduces my POIS problems somewhat. Actually, I'm not really using MSH but an analog called Melitane which is easily available in a particular brand of sunscreen/selftanner.

Also, UVA lamps (blacklight) have a somewhat positive effect.

[b_jim]

Brilliant    How long have you been using it ?

Both the acetylated and non-acetylated forms of melanocyte stimulating hormone (alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone and des-acetyl melanocyte stimulating hormone) stimulate sexual behaviour; latencies both to ejaculation and to resumption of copulatory behaviour after an ejaculation (post-ejaculatory interval) were reduced.

[dizzy]

@b_jim For completeness, I'm using Piz Buin tan&protect tan accelerating spray, SPF 6 (it says on the back that it contains Melitane)

I noticed improvement when I was using the spray during the summer, and started using it again recently (since a month or two or so). The improvement is subtle but clearly noticeable. I'm still experimenting. For me it only works two or three days in a row, then it stops working and then after another two or three days I can use it again. Perhaps I have to combine its use with UV light.