Bio-Chemical pathology of POIS

[Bizzy]

Hi POIS forum members

I was previously a member on the naked scientists POIS forum, where I had made several posts speculating biochemical mechanisms that might be responsible for this condition. I suggested hormonal hypothalamic mechanisms and the need for a 'research endocrinologist'. So that this condition could be defined and a cause be identified, with the aim of finding possible treatments.

The fact that we all describe muscle weakness, mind fog, depression, anxiety and increased levels of allergies post orgasm, makes for powerful evidence that this condition is classifiable rather than something more elusive. Another common factor is that this condition slowly tapers off over a few days, post orgasm.
This condition has taken decades off peoples lives by leaving them unable to think, concentrate or have social relations, and so thereby leaving them unable to function normally.

I believe this condition is caused by a disease of Synaptic Plasticity. Meaning that a range of brain receptors fail to adjust their activity following a change in volume of neurotransmitters. In other words the receptors lock up, for which I have invented a new term 'receptor lock'. Once a certain volume receptors become locked the cells function becomes severely compromised. Post orgasm there maybe a biochemical change or a hormonal release that either causes or makes this problem of 'receptor lock' a lot worse, for a certain period of time.

The glucocorticoid receptor directly affects cell plasticity and is also directly involved in regulating immunological response. This does not mean that one can treat this condition using corticosteroids, as the area in question here is the receptor itself, in terms of its polymorphic condition and volume. The glucocorticoid receptor and it's carrier proteins would be worth studying and a possible target for new drugs.  
A good avenue of research would be to compare the DNA of POIS sufferers with normal controls, the technology to do this is now available.

Bizzy

[Vincent M]

Bizzy, this theory is definitely something to consider and I think everyone agrees that we need a lot more testing to be done on people with pois to get an idea of what is really going on in our bodies.

[Daveman]

Would niacin have some influence in preventing or undoing this lock-up?

Would we be talking about serotonin and or dopamine synapse for instance?

Can you elucidate "hormonal hypothalamic"?

I also think that this is a good area for investigation. What I want to do here is within the next very near future build a summary of the top 10 "probable causes", hopefully with enough technical backing to interest serious researchers.

Bizzy if  you can go into more detail here in this thread and hopefully bring in good references to back the theory, we can work on it here, hopefully get feedback from others and then package it all up as a prospect.

If there are those who disagree with this approach, that's fine, there are still 9 more other approaches that need detailing. Nobody is right or wrong until proven otherwise.

Any "theory" of course will need realistic technical backing, not just pure speculative supposition.

Great, and thanks

[Bizzy]

Daveman, I have answered all your questions below.

I too have discovered Niacin completely independently from this forum and found it to have benefit. Niacin is vitamin B3 with the known function of being involved in the production of hormones and neurotransmitters, more so noradrenaline and dopamine.
I think Niacin probably interacts with monoamine transporters also, accelerating them a little, which may relieve 'receptor lock'
I know stimulants like methylphenidate (ritalin), amphetamines and cocaine can relieve 'receptor lock' but they are not ideal and receptor lock can still creep back in. Powerful stimulants will leave your brain over accelerated with serious side-effects.

Amazingly with POIS, we would be talking about many neurotransmitters. I know that serotonin, noradrenaline, opiate and dopamine all can 'lock up' post orgasm. Its much safer to be 'locked up' on serotonin during orgasm, as it can leave you in a calm and serene mood. But because the serotonin receptors will be in the continuous 'on' state because of the 'lock', they will soon down regulate leaving the person feeling miserable and depressed, unless ofcourse you orgasm again. The the most ideal position would be no 'lock up' on any neurotransmitter, which would produce a dynamic mind-state like a normal person.

'hormonal hypothalamic' - The hypothalamus part of the brain actually produces hormones that regulate and help function the pituitary gland. We know that the pituitary changes hormones during and post orgasm. Two examples are cortisol and prolactin, there is a prolactin surge post orgasm which instructs the testicles to make more seamen.
If there is a CRF surge from the hypothalamus post orgasm then that would trigger depression and upset the immune response.

In response to references, its all out there in research papers easily accessible from the internet and a lot of it is well established science. There is some speculation by me in terms of what might be happening.

A good way forward would be to get that DNA lab in Boston to run a scan on POIS sufferers DNA and compare it with people who have a great orgasm with no illness. Paying attention to those genes that are responsible for hormones, neurotransmitters and immunology. It maybe that nothing comes up first time round and this problem is more deeply imbedded in some gene, but that simply means we come back when technology has improved or researchers are onto something.
This is all providing that we were not affected by some environmental molecular factor at some stage in our lives, that caused the condition.

Bizzy

[Starsky]

DNA tests are just waste of time. I agree with you that POIS is a chemical imbalance in brain but how can you explain this chemical imbalance which I can easily induce just by putting some semen under my tongue?

[Daveman]

Starsky,

I think that just as easily as a chemical or hormonal imbalance can affect the auto-immune system, a defect in the auto.immune system can effect the chemical hormonal balance. For it to do so in the case of POIS, would mean that we are different in some way to the average person, perhaps lack a capacity to produce some element that keeps synapses from locking up for instance. So if we have an auto-immune reaction to semen, that could overload this weakened system and unleash the whole chain that creates the lockup.

Why this all rings so true to me is "the feeling I get when I take niacin", hardly scientific, but it feels as though the niacin prevents this lock-up.

Also Starsky, we are on the edge of going into a research program. For all that I or Bizzy or you do and say about what the cause might be, we're not the experts and would be doing an injustice to lead an investigation down a dead end street.

What the objective is here is to present let's say 10 different cases, and let the experts check them all out and make their decisions as the the best route-

This is why I say it behooves us to try to reunite the best information in a more or less logical manner that supports OUR theory.

One form of valid information is data indicating what works and what doesn't for a large enough group that something can be made of it. Another way is to find technical backing for a particular theory, and try to present it in an actual scenario, where possible using ourselves as instruments to demonstrate that the system worls as we "imagine". Blood tests, skin-prick tests, sub-lingual reactions, and all as well documented as we can manage.

It's a pain, and it's a lot of work, but the benefits ARE going to get us out of this.

Hopefully we can pull together and work in teams a bit. It's a freaken drag to get all of this together, but if we all help out a little, at least in getting together what they can to support their own pet theory.

Over here we have the option of organizing information a little better, because it can be divided into threads, but even so, think about a researcher, a busy researcher that wants to find something. It's still, even here, all over the board.

[Bizzy]

I think a strong possible cause for POIS is a 'faulty' histamine receptor, not histamine itself. The histamine receptor is the protein that histamine binds to on the cell wall, and is actually responsible for creating histamin's effects. It follows that if this receptor is faulty, then a lot of things can go wrong post orgasm.

[post-toast]

Can anyone explain the NON Cognitive effects of pois, post 'O'?
 IE: Muscle /Joint weakness, pain or  Intestinal / Abdominal / Bowel pains & discomfort? Or are those an extra  "Added Bonus" symptom that some of us have in addition to the Mental/Emotional side effects of POIS?
 I've been suffering these & many of the other described symptoms for decades now...And have figured that  Muscle, nerve, Prostate, Intestinal malfunction or 'Over use' etc. was the culprit, after the 'O'.
But does all this correlate with the  Bio-Chemical pathology as well?
In Any case, I still have no answer or cure, but am glad that theres others here that have the same issues. now if we could just make them go away!

[Bizzy]

The non-cognitive affects of POIS all seem to be mal-immunilogical in nature. In other words the immune system attacks a part or various parts of the body. So therefore the symptoms can be almost anywhere and usually distressing as the persons own body is being attacked. On the milder end they can be flu like and joint pain but on the other extreme end I would imagine serious harm can come to the body.
This is something for the research immunologist. It seems unbelievable that something like this can be triggered from the process of ejaculation, and makes one wonder what is going on.

Bizzy