Progecitor's summary

[Progecitor]

So here are the results:
sTSH:                        2.300 mU/L (0.300-4.200)
Total calcium:            2.47 mmol/L (2.10-2.60)
Phosphate:                0.86 mmol/L (0.8-1.45)
Glucose:                    5.5 mmol/L (3.6-6.0)
IgF1:                        138.8 ug/L (107.8-246.7)
17 beta-Estradiol:  45.80 ng/L (7.6-42.6)
FSH:                         3.91 IU/L (1.5-12.4)
LH:                           4.88 IU/L (1.7-8.6)
PRL:                         6.14 ug/L (4.1-21.4)
Testosterone:            22.160 nmol/L (9.90-27.80)
SHBG:                      48.29 nmol/L (11.4-52.3)
DHEAS:                    7.150 umol/L (2.400-11.500)

[Progecitor]

Butcher’s Broom root (Ruscus aculeatus) [470 mg per capsule; Rd:1]: I took daily 3 caps without an O. I think it helped with gut issues almost moderately and it also appeared to have a weaker benefit on bloodshot eyes. I am not completely sure, but several times after consumption within an hour I felt a little anti-depressive effect. This wasn’t strong and didn’t last much though. The legs felt a little less fatigued, but this could have been a placebo effect as it is indicated to improve lower body circulation and it may also reduce orthostatic intolerance, though I only have that with tryptophan and SSRIs. It also lacked any apparent side-effects, but the dosage I used could be much for long-term use. For now I can give it a weak-moderate score.

Goldenrod tea (Solidaginis herba) [made from 2 tablespoon of herba with 1.2 liter water]:  I drank daily four cups and also had an O. While not spectacular it still managed to mostly prevent a POIS onset and even after O I felt just like usually. Particularly I didn’t develop any bloodshot eyes, but this was probably the most it did. Gut issues were weak-moderately better, specifically stool consistency was better, but the burning pain remained usual. I couldn’t notice a particular anti-depressive effect and other symptoms were also average. I didn’t notice any side-effects either. I feel I can give it a moderate score for now.

Willow bark tea (Salicis cortex) [2 tablespoon of herb boiled in 1.2 liter water]: I drank daily 3-4 cups  and had an O. I could definitely feel myself better from it. I can’t say the change was profound though. The benefit was felt mostly on pre- and post-O mornings, as I was more relaxed and felt less depressed, however I couldn’t feel a distinct anti-depressive effect during the daytime. It makes sleeping easier at least. Gut issues were possibly weak-moderately better, but the burning pain was still felt. The eyes were not particularly better and it only reduced bloodshot eyes a little at the peak of its effect, so I still developed bloodshot eyes moderately after the O event. Morning photophobia was passing, so rather average. Muscle fatigue seemed average, although I didn’t work much at the time. I couldn’t note any side-effects, particulary not heart issues, which is a great thing considering my problems with Aspirin. Though I clearly felt myself better in the mornings, but other symptoms were rather general, so I can only give it a moderate score.

Lady's mantle tea (Alchemilla xanthochlora) [2 tablespoon of herb made with 1 liter water]: I tested it only one day by drinking 3 cups and did not have an O. I did not experience any considerable change, so I decided to not test it further. The eyes remained weakly bloodshot as usual and gut issues also appeared mostly unchanged. I also felt some weak discomfort in the groin area and possibly of the urinary tract, but urination seemed normal (usually abnormal) and POIS was not enhanced at least. Based on this I put it into the ineffective category.

Iceland moss tea (Lichen islandicus) [3 tablespoon of the herb added to 1.2 liter of hot water]: I only drank 1.5 cup of the tea, but decided to skip on it as it seemed pointless. Interestingly not long after the first cup I developed some symptoms that was the opposite it was indicated to treat like coughing and some pain in the mouth. Later I also had some transient stomach burning and developed some moderate bloodshot eyes in both one, although it was not exactly clear if it was due to a non-protective effect or some direct induction. This was in the afternoon and I still decided to drink another half a cup before going to sleep. Somewhat interestingly in the morning I felt a little better and gut issues were a little better, though the eyes were about averagely bloodshot and photophobic. Furthermore I had a nasal congestion with reduced rhinitis which may indicate some beneficial effect. Other symptoms were rather usual though, so I can’t say that Iceland moss makes POIS worse, however its benefit also couldn’t justify its regular usage, so I put this in the mixed category.

Mullein tea (Verbasci folium) [2 tablespoon of herb added to 1.2 liter of hot water]: I drank daily 4 cups for two days without an O. On the first day I noticed some minor improvement in mood and gut issues seemed a little better, however eye symptoms were rather average. In the morning I did not notice much improvement, although drank 1.5 cups before going to sleep. On the second day I was exposed to some exercise intolerance and one of the eyes become really painfully bloodshot. Photophobia was also torturing me as usual. Lymphatic issues and muscle fatigue seemed average, so practically unchanged. While mullein may have some benefit it is certainly not considerable, so I can only give it a weak score. Retrospectively it may be a little better, if an infection was really messing up the test.

Spearmint tea (Menthae crispae folium) [2 tablespoon of the herb added to 1.2 liter of hot water]:
I drank two cups and while it seemed somewhat beneficial for gut issues, my eye issues remained really terrible which made me realize that it can’t be simply POIS acting up. There were also some people in my vicinity who had flu-like symptoms, so I was pretty sure that I got infected with covid again. In the next week I used a lot of well proven supplements combined and they still couldn’t ameliorate the brutally bloodshot left eye. The burning gut pain was also enhanced even though I had no sexual activity and ate nothing that could justify it. Interestingly I had no other symptoms of an infection, but this is the only rational explanation I can find. At least spearmint seemed somewhat beneficial, but I will probably have to retest it sometime for a more accurate rating.

Deep red grape pure, fresh juice: I drank about a liter per day for two days (about 3-4 cups a few hours apart) and had an O. It was most helpful for my eye issue as it could certainly make and keep them clearer. Gut issues were only a little better and I also had some mild diarrhea as this quantity is probably too much at once. It helped my eyes even when faced with exercise intolerance, so the benefit was still greater. This was a one time seasonal stuff, so it can’t be used regularly, still it was an interesting experience. My score for it is moderate.

Jujube [raw dried fruit; Rd: 10-15 g (about 2 pieces)]: I made teas with 4 pieces (20-25g). When used alone jujube seemed to have about a weak-moderate benefit on both eye and gut issues. Otherwise the overall feeling was usual. Then I made a combination tea of jujube (4 pieces), cardamom (5 pieces) and 30 pieces of Goji berry and had an O. Fortunately I did not develop any significant bloodshot eyes after the O, although the next morning felt close to average (e.g. regular photophobia) and gut issues also persisted. Breast lymph nodes also seemed smaller than usual, although I don’t check them too often, so it may have been circumstantial. I would say that the combination tea had about a moderate effect, which isn’t that much, but further combinations may prove better results. The taste of jujube is somewhat reminiscent to date palm fruit in my opinion and the tea tasted somewhat like coffee cherry fruit tea. I don’t actually know if this indicates anything in composition, but could be interesting to consider.

Bergamot (Citrus bergamia) [500 mg fruit extract per capsule with standardized 25 % flavonoids content; Rd: 1]: I took 2 per day without an O. I expected something more from Bergamot, but it wasn’t terrific. It had about a weak effect on the eyes and probably a weak-moderate on gut issues. My estimation is that short-term it has about a weak or weak-moderate benefit.

Suma Root (also Brazilian ginseng) (Pfaffia paniculata) [400 mg per capsule; Rd:1-2]:
I took two caps per day and had an O. This is another aphrodisiac that proved quite beneficial. I can’t say that it solved everything, but it certainly felt as one of the better stuff. Objectively gut issues appeared moderately good, although flatulence was also a little excessive at times. Eye issues were weak-moderately better. Sometimes my general low mood also appeared better. I can’t say that suma would be fantastic, but still really feels like it has a kind of positive impact on POIS. Its efficacy is possibly similar to Giloy. I haven’t experienced any outright side-effects, but its long-term applicability is questionable.
I forgot to check earlier, but the active compounds of suma root are beta-ecdysterone, saponins pfaffosides and allantoin. Now I can say that I have really experienced a particular odor reminiscent of ecdysteone and it is probably the most active compound.

Pot marigold tea (Calendulae flos) [2 tablespoon of the herb added to 1.2 liter of hot water]: I drank 3 cups daily for 2 days without an O. I have used this one in creams for a long time, but it only recently occurred to me that a tea can be also made from it. I found it to have quite a good anti-inflammatory effect on gut issues, although it was not perfect, but to about a moderate degree. It was less effective for eye issues and other problems though. For now I would give it a moderate score.

Spearmint tea retest: As I had some kind of infection last time I felt the need to retest this. Spearmint certainly has a positive effect. It could make eye issues better, however this was rather short-lived. Gut issues were also better maybe to a weak-moderate level. Its benefit is weak-moderate by my estimation.

Smallflower hairy willowherb tea (Epilobii herba) [2 tablespoon of the herb added to 1.2 liter of hot water]: I drank 3-4 cups daily for 2 days without an O. As I said before I used it in the past as a somewhat effective POIS treatment, but after a while it became less effective. Based on my current trial I found it only weakly effective. It is true though that even in the past I used it combined with lemon balm, so its individual effect wasn’t too great even then. By the way it is a traditional remedy for prostatic issues and the most probable way it helps is the inhibition of CYP7B1 which could theoretically increase androstanediols.

White horehound tea (Marrubii herba) [2 tablespoon of the herb added to 1.2 liter of hot water]: I consumed 3 cups daily for two days without an O. I drank its tea a few times in the previous years and even then I noticed its benefit on gut issues. My current trial also proved a similar experience. It was mostly beneficial for gut issues where it has about a moderate-good effect. Other issues were less reduced. Bloodshot eyes were about weak-moderately better, but not especially so. I think I can give it a strong moderate score, though my general low mood was perpetual as usual. Its tea is somewhat bitter in taste, but to a tolerable level at least. Retrospectively I noticed that the dose I used is too high as tea made from 1-2 teaspoons of herb is recommended daily and I took about thrice the amount for two days, however no issues occurred such like the indicated irregular heartbeat.

Horsemint tea (Menthae longifoliae herba) [2 tablespoon of the herb added to 1.2 liter of hot water]: I drank 3 cups daily for 2 days without an O. My experience with horsemint was much similar to spearmint. Their efficacy appears to be about the same, so I can give it a weak-moderate rating. I have to note though that I had some heart pain at one time, although I am uncertain if it was rather caused by some food interaction, even so using spearmint may be a safer choice.

Allegra [120 mg fexofenadine per pill; Rd: 1]: I took daily two pills and had an O. I tried it for one day several month ago and it didn’t appear useful, but I think I also ate something bad at the time. So now I did some revaluation and found that fexofenadine indeed has a positive effect. On the pre-O day the eyes definitely became clearer and felt better and was more aware the next morning. I had a low libido during masturbation and had a hard time cuming, although this happens from time-to-time with other stuff as well and I can’t make conclusions based on only one event. Post-O the eyes remained clearer for a while, but by evening the bloodshotness broke through the protective effect. On the next day the morning dose once again helped to make the eyes clearer, however the eyes were quite photophobic and painful nevertheless. Rhinitis was also reduced a bit and this time without nasal congestion, though some irritation still remained. It wasn’t that good for gut issues, but at least a little effective still. Even though I felt a little more aware in the mornings, I couldn’t experience a distinct anti-depressive effect and felt the waves of somnolence. I also had a few attacks of heart ache and suspect it as a possible side-effect, especially after drinking coffee, which may imply a negative interaction. It also felt like Allegra put some strain on my body and feels more like it fights my problems on a symptomatic level, rather than at its core. At first I thought I may be able to give Allegra a good rating, however based on my post-O experience I can only judge it as moderately beneficial.

Yellow toadflax tea (Linaria vulgaris) [2 tablespoon of the herb added to 1.2 liter of hot water]: I drank 3-4 cups for two days without an O. I could not find much of an effect on the eyes, but it may have about a weak-moderate on gut issues. It did not have a clear anti-depressive effect, however I think it may have made me a bit more aware and the mornings felt less hazy. I also didn’t experience any side-effects short-term, but it is clearly not the most effective herbal tea. For now I would give it a weak score.

Claritin (loratadine) [10 mg per pill]: I had an O and took 2 pills on that day, but only one on the other days. I expected something better form loratadine, so I was quite disappointed when a rather bad POIS episode developed after the O. It was rather useless for bloodshot eyes contrary to fexofenadine and cetirizine. Rhinitis may have been a little better, but not significantly and on the first day after O photophobia and depression was also rather strong. At least gut issues appeared weak-moderately better, though on the first morning I had a smaller diarrhea right after the morning coffee, which is a possible side-effect of taking too much on one day. Once again sexual desire was low during masturbation and it was a little more difficult to cum, however it was still better than with fexofenadine and it did not feel like it put such a strain on the body. Nevertheless its poor efficacy only earns it a weak score and makes it an unlikely choice for my treatment.

Rooibos vanilla tea [2 teabags added to 1.2 liter of hot water]: I drank 4 cups, but only on one day and without an O. While I could see some benefit on gut issues it wasn’t that significant and eye issues also remained relatively unchanged. I guess it is about as good as black tea, but it is unlikely that either of them would solve my POIS problem on its own. Thus I give it a weak rating.

Cetirizine retest [10 mg per pill; Rd:1]: I took 3 pills per day without an O. I wanted to see its effect compared to the other antihistamines. In the past I used it with some success, but alone it still can’t change my POIS considerably. This time I couldn’t see much benefit on eye issues and it probably only helps weakly with that. It had a more positive effect on gut issues maybe even to a good degree. Its effectiveness may be comparable to cat’s claw unless I am mistaken. Sometimes my mood also appeared a little lifted, but other times not particularly so or even got a little headache. While Cetirizine on its own is not terribly effective, but still this one appears to have the least side-effects among the antihistamines I have tried and consider it a good addition to a stack. My current rating for its benefit is moderate.

Marshmallow root tea (Althaeae radix) [2 tablespoons of herb put in 1 liter of cold water for at least 6 hours]: I drank 3 cups for two days and had an O. This is also something that helps a little, but not too considerably. It had about a weak effect on the eyes and a moderate on gut issues. My estimation is that it helps about weak-moderately.

Guggul (Commiphora mukul) [500 mg per capsule; Rd: 2x1-2]: I took daily 4 capsules and had two Os on consecutive days. I expected something good from guggul and it turned out to be so, however I can’t say that it is terribly effective though. It was quite apparent that I felt myself better on both post O mornings. However I could not experience a distinct anti-depressive effect during the days, but at least in the mornings I was certainly more aware than usual. Morning photophobia was also reduced a little bit due to this. Unfortunately it wasn’t so good for the eye bloodshotness problem though. I think it was only weakly beneficial in this regard. Gut issues appeared to be quite better at least, possibly to a good extent. It also reduced rhinitis somewhat. My guess is that individually guggul has a solid good effect, thus it may be a good addition to a stack, especially with something that helps with eye issues better. It is also worth noting that guggul is specifically indicated to have a positive effect on sexual health.

Lucuma (Pouteria lucuma) [fruit powder; Rd: 1 teaspoon, other sources: 1 tablespoon]: I consumed daily 5 teaspoons without an O. Eye symptoms remained generally unchanged during the test and I think it has about a weak or weak-moderate effect on this. Gut issues appeared somewhat better possibly to a weak-moderate or moderate level. Otherwise my mood was rather baseline and couldn’t notice anything out of the ordinary, so I would give it a weak-moderate score. It appears to be somewhat abundant in niacin and contains some flavonoids, which may make it a good choice. Lucuma is also considered an alternative sweetener and its combination with other sugar substitutives like glycine and fructose may deserve some thought.

Maqui (Aristotelia chilensis) [berry powder; Rd:0.5-1 teaspoon]: I took half teaspoon worth 3 times per day for two days without an O. It was not bad for the eyes, but not much good either. On gut issues I experienced weaker mixed effects. On the second morning I felt myself a bit more relaxed, however bloodshot eyes were also increased then. As a possible side-effect I often felt the beating of the pulse in my back. It wasn’t any painful, just a bit unpleasant. Altogether I can’t say too much good about it as maqui has either a weak positive or mixed-effect. Maqui is also a rich source of anthocyanins just like aronia and it may only exert its positive effect on a longer-term.

Arjuna (Terminalia arjuna) [250 mg bark extract per capsule; Rd: 2]: I took daily 3 capsules and had an O. It could quite evidently clear the eyes about moderately. Bloodshotness or rather thicker red veins would still occur, but the white of the eye certainly seemed clearer. Gut issues also seemed about moderately reduced. I also felt more relaxed than usual, maybe even a bit too much and I was a little detached. By the way this one is also considered as an aphrodisiac, although I couldn’t experience an increased libido or endurance, but this is difficult to judge based on only one occasion. Allergic rhinitis also appeared somewhat reduced this time without apparent nasal congestion. I feel I can give it a moderate-good rating and it may come close to Ashwagandha in effectiveness. As a Terminalia species it is also somewhat comparable to Triphala.

[Progecitor]

The short version can be found here:
https://poiscenter.com/forums/index.php?topic=3798.msg40769#msg40769

I also added some new food items in blue.
https://poiscenter.com/forums/index.php?topic=3798.msg40400#msg40400

Autophagy renew [165 mg luteolin (Japanese sophora flower buds) and 10 mg piperlongumine (long pepper root) per capsule; Rd: 1]: I took it for 3 days with a 1-2-1 schedule without an O. Well this was certainly beneficial, but not exactly strong. It could make the eyes clearer, but when the push was stronger it would still get bloodshot to some extent, so I can only give it a weak-moderate rating for this. Gut issues were also about moderately better, but it wasn’t feeling that good. After drinking a lot of coffee I developed a moderate chest inflammation, so it couldn’t help with that. Rhinitis seemed somewhat better though. When faced with exercise intolerance it could partially protect the eyes, but muscle fatigue felt rather usual. As a comparison I think even Relora or Chinese skullcap were slightly better in their acute effects. As a treatment it doesn’t seem cost effective, however it may be a possible cure, so I wouldn’t necessarily contraindicate its use. My score for it now is a weaker moderate effect.

Korean Red Ginseng Root (Panax ginseng) [400 mg per capsule; Rd:2-3] I took 3 capsules in one day without an O. Of course I fell prey to the marketing ploy as this is just regular ginseng. It was certainly beneficial, but not more than the other ginseng product. On the eyes it had about a moderate benefit and it was certainly more beneficial than Autophagy renew that I had tried previously. Gut issues also seemed about moderately better. The moderate chest pain still persisted with ginseng, so it also couldn’t abate that. My mood was relatively alright, but I couldn’t experience a distinct lift. In the morning I also felt like I had a little higher blood pressure, although I neglected to measure it, but dosage may need to be tempered. I still think it has about a stronger moderate effect.

Milk thistle-artichoke-dandelion capsules [In one capsule (540 mg): 60 mg milk thistle + 200 mg artichoke + 190 mg dandelion root+ 55 mg fenugreek + 35 mg curcuma; Rd: 1-2]: I took 3 per day and had an O. Somewhat surprisingly it turned out better than I had anticipated. Even after O the eyes remained relatively safe and while the eyes were not crystal clear they were certainly a lot better than usual. Gut issues were quite better to about a good degree, however the urine was still burning as usual.
It is marketed to support proper digestive functioning, which it does really. Its overall efficacy seemed to be above of milk thistle oil, however it also lacked a particular anti-depressive effect.

Butea superba root [400 mg per capsule; Rd: 1]: I took daily 2 per day for two days and had an O.
This one felt relatively similar to ginseng in my opinion. It could protect the eyes even after O from getting too bloodshot and they remained relatively clear. Gut issues also appeared relatively better, although not to the extent of the digestive capsules I had tried before. I also couldn’t notice a particular anti-depressive effect, however in the first morning I also didn’t feel so foggy and I was relatively well. The chest inflammation also subsided by this time, although I am not certain how much butea superba contributed in this. I also slept quite well on both nights, which may indicate some relaxing effect. Even though butea superba is considered an aphrodisiac I couldn’t exactly experience this and both libido and endurance seemed quite average. Long-term usage may also decrease testosterone and cause other problems, so ginseng seems a safer choice. 

Celery Parsley seed oil (Petroselinum crispum) [cold pressed]: I consumed with 3 teaspoons on bread daily for two days without an O. Unfortunately it was rather useless for bloodshot eyes as I had almost averagely bloodshot eyes while taking it. Nevertheless it seemed to have about a moderate-good anti-inflammatory effect on gut issues, although passage also seemed slower than usual. There were also times when I felt like it had some anti-depressive effect, which was rather nice. Rhinitis also seemed somewhat weaker. However the mornings felt rather usual and photophobia persisted. I also slept somewhat poorly both nights, so it may be not the best thing to take before going to sleep. I am also unsure about the dosage and the amount I took is probably more than one should regularly consume. My general feel on it is a solid moderate effect, even though the bloodshot eyes took away most of its charm. It could be worth mentioning that celery seed counts as an aphrodisiac for women. I am sorry for the mix-up, but I am not a native speaker and this may happen.

(Sweet) Almond oil (Prunus amygdalus dulcis) [100 %, cold pressed]: I consumed with 3 teaspoons on bread daily for two days without an O. It had no particular use on the eyes, maybe only a minimal benefit at the peak of its effect. However gut issues appeared about weak-moderately or maybe even moderately better. I don’t think it had any anti-depressive activity and other symptoms were also rather general. As a possible side-effect on the second day I had some spurt of hiccups. My judgment on it is weak-moderate. It has to be noted though that almonds and also its oil is supposedly a good source of beta sitosterol and oleic acid. Furthermore it is indicated to have a positive effect on sexual health.

Sarsaparilla root (Smilax aristolochiifolia) [450 mg per capsule; Rd: 2]: I took it for two days (3,2) and had an O. It has somewhat of a better effect, although with some unpleasant side-effects. It had about a moderate effect on gut issues, however its effect on the eyes was relatively good. It felt a bit forced, but they were relatively devoid of the bloodshotness problem. I had the O on the first day which was probably too soon and I couldn’t experience the aphrodisiac effect as libido and endurance were rather average. On the second day (post-O day) I had more than average work (about 8 hours) and I developed a relatively bad exercise intolerance. By the end of work I had a moderate tension headache and felt nauseous with a little urge to vomit, surprisingly though the eyes remained quite clear. The headache soon resolved after taking a half pill of Quarelin and a hot bath. I need to note that I often develop a similar headache due to exercise intolerance, however I hardly ever felt so nauseous like now and normally the eyes are also much more bloodshot, which indicates a particular shift in exercise intolerance. At night I still took a further capsule and in the morning I felt relatively well with a weak head tension still present. At the same time photophobia was relatively weak and the eyes quite clear. Gut issues also felt better. All-in-all a lesser dose may have a better safety profile and those who don’t do physical work may find it more useful.

Pure oregano oil (Origanum vulgare) [1 drop contains 30 mg wild oregano essential oil with 24 mg (80%) carvacrol; Rd: 2 drops]: I took six drops daily (1st: 3-2-1; 2nd: 2-2-2) (about 144 mg carvacrol per day) for two days and had an O. I had my reservation about oregano as the spice itself seems to often give me bad eye symptoms. Fortunately it wasn’t so with this particular product. Actually it appeared to have some protective effect on the eyes after O, although it was less apparent if it just kept or made them better. Gut issues were also better, but not too much. So regular symptoms were not so much better, however I felt I could move around more easily and the legs felt less fatigued and painful, so it may be partially effective for exercise intolerance. I had the O on the first evening, which may have been too soon, but during masturbation the penis felt less sensitized and it was more difficult too keep the erection. Sexual desire also appeared low, but at least endurance seemed better and it was more difficult to achieve the culmination. I don’t think it had a clear anti-depressive effect, but I was not too depressed at least. As a possible side-effect tinnitus sounded intensified a few hours after intake, but blood pressure once again wasn’t really high. Nevertheless the dose I used is probably too high for regular consumption as at one time the tinnitus felt really bad, but the normal dose should be quite safe I think. Altogether I would say that it has about a moderate-good effect. It is certainly not spectacular, but if it is considered as a part of a possible cure than its consumption is certainly worthwhile.

Sesame oil (Sesamum indicum) [100 %, cold pressed]: I consumed with 3 teaspoons on bread daily for two days without an O. I think it was rather useless for bloodshot eyes, but I don’t think it induced the symptom. At least gut issues appeared relatively better, maybe to about a moderate degree. However whenever I took a leak the urine seemed to burn a bit more than usual, which may implicate some negative effect. Other symptoms did not appear to deviate much from baseline, although rhinitis may have been a bit reduced and I also slept relatively well. My score for sesame oil is weak-moderate in a short-term trial.

Fenugreek extract (Trigonella foenum-graceum) [200 mg fenugreek extract per capsule with 50 % saponins content (100mg); Rd: 2]: I took 3 caps daily for two days without an O. I meant to give fenugreek another chance to prove itself, but unfortunately it keeps disappointing me. It was rather useless for eye symptoms and only about weak-moderately beneficial for gut issues. Needless to say other symptoms like depression also appeared unaffected. Actually in the first morning I felt a little better, however on the second morning it was practically average even though the previous day I did not have any sexual or physical activity. As a possible side-effect I had some abdominal pain on the left side, but the burning pain was weakly reduced, so it was not caused by that. I think I can only give it a weak or weak-moderate score as it did not appear any better than sesame oil.

Bio-Fisetin [44.5 mg per capsule containing a blend of 18% fisetin (8 mg) [from wax tree extract (stem)] and 35% galactomannans (15 mg) [from fenugreek (seeds)]; Rd:1]: I took two capsules daily for two days without an O. It proved to be better than fenugreek capsules at least. Gut issues only appeared about weak-moderately better, however the bloodshot eye problem definitely reduced about moderately. Otherwise I can’t say that I felt terribly better and I don’t think it had a particular effect on depression. On the first day a few hours after taking the first capsule I had a weaker diarrhea which I think was due to the combined effect of Fisetin and exercise intolerance, however afterwards I had no such problem with continued consumption, although it was also a weekend then without much physical activity. On the third day I took 2 caps of Fisetin along with 2 caps of fenugreek (morning-evening) and had an O. Interestingly I did not develop any particularly strong acute POIS symptoms besides the generally present chronic symptoms and it was much like I did not even have an O. In this regard it may be similar to ginseng and oregano oil, but further tests would be required to confirm this. Nevertheless Fisetin is probably not the best acute treatment especially when its price is also taken into consideration. However as a senolytic agent it could still play some role in a curative effort.

Olive oil (pomace, sansa oil): I consumed with 3 teaspoons on bread daily for two days without an O. It proved to be rather useless for eye issues as the effect of Fisetin waned, so emerged slowly the bloodshot eyes again. I think at least it had a positive effect on gut issues, possibly weak or weak-moderate, but the testing time was too short to accurately judge this. Nevertheless it was certainly not of a significant help otherwise. It is true that this is only a lower quality cooking oil, so extra virgin oil may prove better later, but I doubt that it would make a very great difference. I can only score it as weak for now.

Omega-3 fish oil (Norway cod liver oil) [5 ml contains: 1.2 g fatty acids of which 0.4 g is EPA and 0.6 g is DHA, vitamin E 3 mg (25%), vitamin A 250 ug (31%), vitamin D 10 ug (200%); Rd: 5 ml]: I consumed with 3 teaspoons either on bread or sublingually daily for two days without an O, but masturbated once. Similarly to many of the other oils this one also proved rather useless for eye symptoms. At least gut issues seemed to be moderately better, but this was only becoming apparent by the second morning, so fish oil probably needs to be taken for a longer time before it shows its benefit. As a possible side-effect I developed a weaker headache on the second morning, but this passed on its own by late afternoon, even though I took another dose of fish oil then, so it may be not related to its consumption. At least no heart burn occurred which is a great relief as I always had this problem with fish oil capsules in the past. On its own fish oil is certainly no wonder for me, but I could imagine adding it to a stack in a smaller quantity for long-time usage. My score for it is weak-moderate.

Lotus seed tea (Nelumbo nucifera) [Rd: tea made of 15 seeds]: I cooked 20 seeds with about 1 liter of water and drank this amount daily for 3 days and had an O. I also ate a few of the cooked seeds, but not all. While it was not spectacular it certainly proved relatively beneficial. My eyes were about moderately better and in this regard it was definitely better than the Omega-3 fish oil I tried before. Gut issues only appeared about weak-moderately better, although I may have eaten something that was a little bad, so I am not completely sure. I don’t think I noticed any anti-depressive effect either. However I noticed that I could urinate a little easier than usual. Although the burning pain could be felt from time-to-time on the second morning I could feel a definite reduction when taking a leak. Libido seemed to be a bit increased and I think endurance was also a little bit better, not like it is easy to judge based on one occasion. My final verdict is a stronger moderate action as it could somewhat prevent POIS onset, but on its own it is still inadequate.
It is worth to note that the included recipe recommends to add 15 pieces of lotus seed, 6 pieces of jujube and one teaspoon of Goji berry to half a liter of water and then to boil it for 15-20 minutes and optionally serve with honey. Unfortunately I ran out of the other ingredients for the time being (my mom liked them), but it could be still interesting to try them combined.

Corn germ oil (100%, cold pressed): I consumed with 3 teaspoons on bread daily for two days and had  an O. It did not seem to have any particular effect on eye issues, however it had some anti-inflammatory effect on gut issues, which may have been about weak-moderate. Other symptoms were as usual, so I can only give it a weak score as a remedy.

Argan oil (100%, cold pressed): On the first day I took with (1/2+1+1) teaspoons. In the evening I felt some sporadic and transient stabbing pain, which I thought may be due to a side-effect, so I reduced the dose and only took half a teaspoon three times the following day and a similar problem did not occur. On this day I also had an O. Fortunately it seemed to have a relatively good anti-inflammatory effect on gut issues as the burning pain was quite noticeably reduced, although stool consistency wasn’t that much better, so the relief was about moderate-good. Unfortunately eye issues were not particularly improved or maybe only to a weak degree. I think I also noticed a weaker diuretic effect as I could urinate a little easier and the urine was burning a bit less than usual. I don’t think it a had any anti-depressive effect and muscle fatigue also appeared rather usual. I guess I can give it a moderate score, although long time applicability is in question as I couldn’t find proper dosage information.

Saffron + lycopene capsules [saffron: Spanish, coupe quality; lycopene: 10 mg of lycopene/lycopin per capsule from extract; Rd: 2]: I got some new brands that I haven’t tried before, but I didn’t want to waste my time testing them separately, so I combined them. I took 3 lycopene caps along with saffron tea (about 15 stigmas per tea) every time for two days without an O. At first it quite evidently helped in clearing the eyes, however I couldn’t experience a particular anti-depressive effect. Unfortunately I also ate a pizza with ketchup and bell pepper and that messed me up on the first day. Nevertheless gut issues appeared somewhat better, but the first morning felt quite average with regular photophobia and a weak depression. On the second morning somewhat disappointingly I still couldn’t experience an anti-depressive effect. Gut issues felt more evidently better and eye issues remained alright. However I went out that night and drank a few soft drinks (two bottles of ginger ale (spiritless)) and ate quite an amount of salted nuts. By the time I got home I developed a moderate headache and the eyes appeared more bloodshot. I still took the timely dose of the combination and went to bed. In the morning I woke up with the headache still persisting or even worse, which is uncommon as sleeping normally helps with headaches. I also had a weak stomach ache and felt nauseous which practically never happens normally, but at least I did not vomit. After taking half a pill of painkiller and sleeping a few more hours these issues mostly resolved. The eyes also seemed more bloodshot in the second morning and the mood was average otherwise. Gut issues at least appeared about moderately better and I also had a reduced rhinitis, which I also noticed the previous day. I am not completely sure if the issues were caused by something I ate or the supplements, but an overdosage is a certain possibility, so while these supplements clearly help, it is not a good idea to take them in great amounts.
I am also disappointed at the lack of anti-depressive effect, although I have to note that both my mother and grandmother tried this specific lycopene product and they claimed that they could see better which in my opinion must be an anti-depressive effect like I had experienced before with the other products, so the problem seems to be circumstantial. The Spanish saffron appeared to consist of longer stigmas, however it wasn’t so deep red as the Iranian one. I don’t think their effectiveness was necessarily different, but I also can’t rule it out. Nevertheless this combination clearly has about a good effect on POIS, still taking only half of this dose seems more reasonable if anyone decides to try such a combination to avoid possible overdosage.

Mesquite powder (Prosopis pallida): I took with 4 teaspoons daily for two days without an O. This one seemed rather useless for bloodshot eyes, but gut issues felt somewhat better. Well it appeared a little useful a least, but certainly did not change POIS significantly. I can only give it a weak score.
Mesquite besides being a natural sweetener also appears to be a good source of galactomannans. As fenugreek is also a good source of them this may worth some comparison. Not like I had too much luck with fenugreek, but Bio-Fisetin contained them in an extract form and they appear to be responsible for the synergistic effect with Fisetin.

Baobab powder (Adansonia digitata): I took with 4 teaspoons daily for two days with an O. It had about a weak-moderate effect on bloodshot eyes as they were better even before O and after O they only became slightly worse. Gut issues also appeared about moderately better. So it was not spectacular, but had a certainly noticeable benefit. Besides this libido and its recovery also seemed better. I think it deserves a moderate score at least.
The packaging claims baobab to be a good source of vitamin C, magnesium and calcium, furthermore some studies found it to be rich in sterols like beta-sitosterol. Well besides my own experience it is an anecdotal aphrodisiac which is likely true. Baobab may not solve POIS, but I think it could be used well on a daily basis as a nutritional source for sexual health.

Shiitake powder (Lentinula edodes) [Rd: 1-3 g or up to half tsp 2 times a day]: I took with half teaspoons 4 times per day (2 tsp per day) for two days without an O. Unfortunately my experience was not much different compared to the lyophilized slices. The eye issues remained rather small, but it did not feel like it actually helped much and the morning photophobia was also rather usual. Gut issues were also only slightly better than usual. By the end of the second day once again I developed a kind of mild discomfort in the throat, which makes this a likely side-effect. The previously used baobab powder certainly felt better, so shiitake may not be the best treatment choice for me unless there are long-term benefits. I can only give a weak score for its acute effectiveness.

Ajwain, ajowan caraway (Trachyspermum ammi): I made carom tea (cold tea) with half a teaspoon and also consumed at least half of the seeds as well three times daily (1.5 tsp per day) for two days and also had an O. I expected something major from this, but it wasn’t really remarkable. On the first day I couldn’t note any major difference and on the second day I had an O. My eyes did not become much worse which was a bit surprising. I also developed a weak chest inflammation, but that was also rather controlled. At first the gut issues appeared better, but later the burning pain seemed more intense than usual. Unfortunately I can’t exclude the possibility that this was due to some sensitizing food I ate.  Nevertheless it was clearly no major help, so I will put this in the weak category for now.
It is worth to note that ajwain may rebalance some hormonal issues, but mostly in women and it was also found to cause oligospermia in men. One probably needs to take it for a longer time for this to happen and of course this may not actually resolve any POIS related problems.

Coriander seeds (Coriandrum sativum): On the first day I made cold teas by soaking the seed for about six hours and then consuming the whole stuff with the seeds as well. I can’t say I had any significant reaction to it though. I had a night shift that day and I developed quite bloodshot eyes as usual as exercise intolerance is always worse during the nights. By morning I also developed a headache, but it is not clear if this was due to coriander or the exercise intolerance, although I would opt for the latter. In the next one and a half day I made hot teas (one tablespoon in about 3-4 cups of water), but only drank them without the seeds and I also had an O in the afternoon of the second day. My eyes were relatively alright right after O and the headache actually resolved around this time on its own, however a few hours later POIS still kicked in and the eyes became averagely bloodshot, which remained so throughout the following day which makes me think that coriander is rather ineffective in this regard. Gut issues appeared about weak-moderately better at least as the burning pain felt a little reduced. Even though I haven’t felt an anti-depressant effect I was relatively lively during the third day, which may imply some positive effect. I also have to note that semen volume seemed somewhat reduced, but otherwise normal (not burning), which might have been a result of too frequent emissions recently or a delayed effect of ajwain. Coriander is actually considered a stimulant of spermatogenesis, so it is a less likely cause, but similarly so this effect may need a longer time to develop. Altogether though I can only give coriander a weak rating in an acute setting.

Fennel seed caps (Foeniculum vulgare) [480 mg per capsule; Rd: 1-3]: I took 3 caps per day for two days and had an O. I think this was a rather good find as fennel clearly made me feel better. The eyes were about moderately better, while gut issues were possibly to a good degree. I could also breathe easier as rhinitis was reduced. In the mornings I felt clearer in the head, although the anti-depression was not so distinct and my mood was still low as usual. I had the O on the first day and in the next morning I took two caps at once. I had a physically more demanding work that they, but still the eyes remained quite alright, which shows its benefit even in the face of exercise intolerance. Taking two caps certainly induced more flatulence as a side-effect, but this seems unavoidable if I want to get any better. I think it certainly deserves a good score for now. Fennel is also reported to be an aphrodisiac that can increase libido, however one needs to take note of its estrogenic effects as well.

Caraway, meridian fennel, Persian cumin (Carum carvi) [Rd: up to 1 tablespoon]: I made hot teas by adding 1 tablespoon of cumin to about 1.2 liter of water. I drank 4 cups daily for two days, but I did not have an O. Unfortunately it did not give me any significant reaction. On the first day I had 2 cases of spontaneous erections, which probably indicates libido enhancement, however this may have been a delayed effect of the fennel caps as well. In the two days my mood was as low as usual. It may have had a little positive effect on the eyes as they remained relatively alright, however I couldn’t see them distinctly getting better. Gut issues also appeared a little better (weakly or weak-moderately), but it was certainly not on par with the previously tested fennel. Thus I can only give it a weak rating, but at least it seems rather safe to eat even in a greater amount.

(Sweet) Fennel seed tea: I made a hot tea by adding 1 tablespoon of fennel seed to about a liter of water. I mostly consumed the tea and only a small part of the seeds. I only took it for one day as I just wanted to see if there is a difference compared to the capsules. About two hours after the first cup I think I felt some anti-depressive effect, but this did not appear later. It also did not appear to be as useful as the caps. The eyes remained relatively alright, but I couldn’t see a positive tendency. In the morning I felt rather usually, though gut issues appeared somewhat better.
Actually I had already tried sweet fennel a few years ago. As I remember the first time it resulted in a rather strong flatulence, which made me think that it must be something bad. Later when I wanted to confirm this I tried it again, but surprisingly I felt rather well the next day which left me perplexed at the time. Nevertheless I have generally avoided it since then which was probably a bad idea. Well the tea’s effectiveness does not appear to be very consistent, but still could be a better choice than being down with POIS. I can’t exactly evaluate it properly with such a short test, but subjectively I think sweet fennel tea has about a moderate effect.

Guinea grains (pepper), grains of paradise (Aframomum melegueta): I made a hot tea by adding half a tablespoon of grains to about a liter of water. I drank it in three portions and also consumed all of the grains. I had to eat some sandwiches along to cope with the pungent taste. I only tested it one day without an O. Guinea grain is said to be related to ginger and some of its compounds are similar. I usually have trouble with pungent stuff, but ginger proved to be of some benefit. This one gave me no significant reaction, which may be a good thing in itself. Eye issues appeared slightly worse at first, but later they appeared slightly better. Something similar was true for gut issues. By evening I felt a more pronounced itchy irritation at the anus, but by morning this resolved and some weak anti-inflammatory effect could be felt. Needless to say other symptoms were mostly usual, but at least I did not develop a chest inflammation, which may make this a safer option for me compared to black pepper. The final score is a weak benefit, but it still shifts POIS in an undesired way as well.

Voatsiperifery pepper (Piper borbonense): I made a hot tea by adding half a tablespoon of grains to about a liter of water. I drank it in three portions and also consumed all of the grains. I only tested it one day without an O, but still masturbated some. I wanted to see if I have any bad reaction, but fortunately it did not seem so. I don’t think it had any effect on the eyes, as after masturbation one of the eyes became averagely bloodshot and remained so. Interestingly it appeared to have a weak-moderate anti-inflammatory effect on gut issues. Still in the morning I felt rather averagely and also developed a slight headache, which may have been an after-effect of the masturbation. Tinnitus also appeared a bit louder both in the evening and in the morning. Well at least this kind of pepper appears relatively safe to consume and possibly has a minimal benefit as well.

(Canned) Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam) [net weight: 565 g (12 pieces)]: I ate the whole can in one day in 3 portions and had an O. Well it started out quite alright. I think I noticed a weak benefit on the eyes during the morning-afternoon and it also appeared to have some noticeable anti-inflammatory effect on gut issues. However later I made some circumstantial mistakes and had a quite strong POIS onset. For one I was edging for quite a long time and the O happened late evening by which time I usually start to feel myself more ill even without acute POIS. I also skipped the usual bathing that tends to help a lot in the beginning. In the morning I still had bad bloodshot eyes and photophobia intensity reflected the acute stage. Nevertheless I wasn’t feeling myself too unwell and the mood was rather alright. Gut issues actually felt moderately better that makes me think jackfruit deserves a weak-moderate score. At least it was a delicious food to try, but as an exotic fruit it is also rather expensive, which makes it a less interesting treatment option.

[Enix]

So, the best one for eyes ?

[Progecitor]

So, the best one for eyes ?

Hi Enix!

Some of the better ones were diosgenin (maca extract and wild yam, but not fenugreek), saffron, vitamin C+ (see also: triphala, camu-camu, baobab), luteolin (triphala, Autophagy renew), L-theanine, alfalfa, mangosteen, catuaba bark, chinese skullcap, damiana, yerba mate, giloy, black cohosh, lycopene, pomegranate, mastic gum, boron, arjuna, ginseng, milk thistle-artichoke-dandelion caps,  butea superba, sarsaparilla root, fisetin, lotus seed, fennel caps, myricetin (currently in testing), maybe a little less useful were resveratrol, milk thistle, honokiol (Magnolia, Relora), eyebright tea, glycine, burdock, perilla, cat’s claw, ginkgo biloba, neem, astaxanthin, chaga, andrographis, jujube, suma root.
Actually if you only consider my best and good list most of them will probably show some benefit, but there are also some from the moderately beneficial list as well. Some of their combinations may be even more useful, but adverse interactions can’t be excluded.

As I said before these are mostly short tests, so they are not necessarily reliable. The bloodshot eyes are one of my most persistent symptoms. Fortunately though they are also rather good indicators of the current POIS state. There is an evident correlation with gut issues, although this is only a general convergence and not exclusively true. After testing so many supplements I also began to see some difference in their mechanism of action. Some supplements would more evidently help in clearing my eyes, however they would still remain labile and drinking something bad like coffee or having an O would still punch through and make them bloodshot again. The one I am currently testing is myricetin and it appears to be one of the labile kind. While some other supplements would not have so clear an effect in making them better, but if an O happened they would still mostly prevent the development of more severe symptoms by stabilizing the veins. I would be hard pressed to say anything reliable about this though. Maybe you could test ginseng, dihydromyricetin (DHM), forskolin, indole-3-carbinol, goldenrod tea and see if there could be some truth to it.
Another eye symptom to consider is photophobia. I don’t often mention this, but the reason is that it is rather persistent. If I remember well I have tried four different Resveratrol products and while one of them worked spectacularly in the reduction of photophobia the rest did nothing. Also later when I bought another box of the same brand that one also had a much lesser noticeable effect. Actually as I see it photophobia is much more correlated to depression than to the bloodshot eyes. Sometimes I would have rather clear eyes and still when going to the street I would get punctured by the luminous stab. However when both depression and bloodshot eyes are reduced I would generally have less problem with brightness.

Currently I am a bit optimistic as I have just found another factor that seems to connect all the dots about my case. This actually confirms that my POIS is caused by senescence. I think this phenomenon is responsible for most human diseases really. Its origin can be very varied and depending on the tissue or organ involved it would manifest as entirely different diseases. Yet the convergence in treatment suggests a common underlying mechanism. Although interindividual differences also exist, but senescence itself is not uniform, so the efficacy of the same treatment may differ. I am going to make a post about this in a few weeks time unless I go on a lazy streak again.

Nevertheless I hope you find this information useful and just don’t forget to report about your own experiences if you find any of them useful.

[Progecitor]

Myricetin bioflavonoid complex [600 mg per capsule containing 16 mg of myricetin; Rd:1]: I took 3 capsules on the first day and had an O. I thought it may help in recovering the eye issues somewhat similarly as andrographis. Well surprisingly it turned out to be rather good. The eyes clearly got better on it, especially at the peak of its effect, however they were still labile as after drinking coffee or completing an O they would get messed up rather usually. On the second morning I took two caps with an hour difference and by early afternoon the white of the eye got really nice. Gut issues also appeared better to about a moderate-good degree. I had a rather strong O and somehow I also felt a little more energetic than usual. It was not exactly like oregano oil as muscle fatigue could be still felt, however I could move easier by having a bit more energy.  It also has some anti-depressive effect, although not too strong, but at times I certainly felt more aware. Similarly to resveratrol it has a soothing, relaxing effect which could imply Sirt1 activation as the causative. These flavonoids really do work, but one shouldn't expect a miracle otherwise it will only be a disappointment. This dose may be a bit too big, but I can't say I have experienced any particular side-effect. Sometime though I think I felt some minor pain around the heart, but this is not necessarily a detrimental effect. I think it deserves a good score.

Sumac spice (Rhus coriaria) [Rd: 3 g, about 1 tsp]: I put sumac in warm water and drank it for 2 days in an amount of 1-2 tsp, but without an O. It may have had a weak benefit on the eyes, but this only means that they were not particularly bad. Gut issues appeared about weak-moderately better. I think it had about a weak-moderate effect, but I am not entirely sure about its safety. I did not have time to masturbate, however at one time I tried to raise the flag, but couldn't really succeed and it also felt to be a bit limp. Well desensitization appears to be a little useful if I wanted to last longer, but it only really has any point if I actually manage to retain erection.
Sumac appeared rather anti-inflammatory to me even though a study says that it has a unique bidirectional activity that increases COX-2 expression while reducing NO formation.

Turkey tail powder (Coriolus/Trametes versicolor) [Rd: 3 g or about 1 tsp]: I took half a teaspoon (2 g) 3 times per day (6 g) for two days and 1 whole teaspoon on the last occasion and I skipped the O. The first day started out quite alright as it cleared my eyes rather well. Unfortunately in the evening I developed a moderate chest inflammation on the left side that radiated to the back. I suspect it was caused by the spicy food I ate in the afternoon, although my mom got ill by some respiratory illness the next day so latent covid can't be ruled out. Nevertheless on the second day the eyes remained rather alright until about noon when one of them began to get a little worse. I also masturbated for a short while after that which certainly did not help, but at least I had no problems with the activity itself as I felt rather normal. On the second day the chest inflammation progressively got weaker along the day, so turkey tail can be ruled out as a cause at least. It certainly helped with gut issues as well, which was possibly moderate. At first I wanted to score it as moderate-good, but after reevaluating BCAA I realized that its effect must have been more persistent than I had previously thought, so it deserves a good score at least.

BCAA [4:1:1 powder with differing flavors; Rd: up to 20 g]: I took 20 grams in one day in three portions without an O. I couldn't experience any significant change, but at least it shows a little benefit. My eyes were rather alright to begin with and they did not change at all, although I suspect BCAA did not have a considerable effect on that. Photophobia was usual and even muscle fatigue and pain appeared the same as usual. I think it had some anti-inflammatory effect on the gut issues at least, which was about weak-moderate. The strange thing is that I had underwent acute-chronic POIS phase transition the same day, which was only a fifth day after O. I suspect the involvement of turkey tail in this, but may need to retest BCAA in a more POISed state to check this. At the moment I can score it as weak-moderate. Well it may work better with long-term usage, although the amount appears a bit large for me to be used on a daily basis.
On a separate day when I felt worse I took two doses once again, but the eyes only got slightly better and once again it had some positive effect on gut issues. The previous score seems appropriate.

Citrulline malate [unflavoured powder; Rd: 2-3 g x 2]: I took about 4 g 3 times in a day (12 g) without an O. The eyes once again remained rather alright, but not so much as the previous day. Actually I also masturbated some and the bloodshot eyes increased a little, so citrulline malate only has a little or no benefit in this regard. The libido and potency (erection) also felt rather good during the masturbation. Gut issues appeared to be moderately better as well. I also tried this about a year ago and had a bad chest inflammation then, which made me hesitant to retest it, however this was most likely caused by another thing I took at the same time. The amount I took this time was also greater and still I had no such problem. I think I can give it a moderate score and may consider its addition to a regime in a smaller amount.

Punarnava extract (Boerhavia diffusa) [500 mg per capsule, Rd:2]: I took it with a 2,3 schedule for two days and had an O on the second day. I had considerable flatulence on the first day, but than I realized it was due to the biscuits I ate. The biscuits also made POIS a little worse. On the second day I was more careful with the diet then I had an O. I had more bloodshot eyes even before O, so I did not expect too much, but luckily it even got a little better shortly after O. Most likely it reached its peak efficacy at this time (about 7 hours after consumption). Later it became a little worse, but remained so and did not get out of hand, so I think it has at least a weak benefit, but it only shows as a little stabilizing effect and the eyes don't actually get better on it. Gut issues also felt somewhat better, which was probably the reason POIS did not became really bad. The libido was quite alright and I could endure to a normally long time, however the ejaculate was a little burning. As said before this appears to be an accumulating effect, so it was more likely to have been caused by the biscuits I ate the previous day or by the masturbation from the day before. I can give it a weak-moderate score and while it works somewhat I don't see any particular reason why I should have a preference in its application.

St John’s Wort tea (Hyperici herba): I made hot teas by combining 1 tablespoon of herba with about 1 liter of water and drank this amount daily for two days without an O. I also tried St John's Wort about a year ago for a day, but similarly so, it just hasn't got a great benefit on me. It really has some anti-depressive effect, however I couldn't experience it during the days, but only at nights when I woke I felt more aware than usual and yet during the days I practically had the same old low mood. The eye symptoms were also the same as usual and I just couldn't notice any particularly help with either bloodshot eyes or photophobia. It helped a little with gut issues, but not more than that. I may give it a weak-moderate score, but only due to the marginal anti-depressive effect. Taking a higher dose may help more, but I don't think it would be wise due to unpredictable side-effects.

Geranium dry extract (Geranium sanguineum) [400 per capsule containing 22% polyphenols, 25% tannins, 0.3% anthocyanins; Rd:1-2]: I took it on two consecutive days with a 1,3 schedule without an O. It apparently has a positive effect generally, however not too strong. As I see it geranium had a weak-moderate benefit on both eye and gut issues. It could only help with bloodshot eyes when the POIS push was low. It did not help with photophobia. I think I could experience a temporary anti-depressive effect about 1 hour after intake, but this was really not much. Rhinitis also seemed a little reduced. On the second evening I masturbated some and had some precum. I did not have spontaneous erection as sometimes with aphrodisiacs, but the wood felt a little more filled with blood than usual. After the masturbation one of the eyes got really bloodshot and the next morning felt rather usual. The eyes also felt a bit drier than usual at both nights. Geranium gets a weaker moderate score from me, but it is almost nothing on its own.

L-Lysine [unflavoured powder; Rd: 1 g]: I took 2 and 3.5 grams on two separate days without an O. I also tried this more than a year ago, but only saw a little benefit so I skipped on it at the time. I don't think it has a particular effect on the eyes. However it certainly has some benefit on gut issues. On the day I took the greater amount I also masturbated some which felt rather usual and symptoms remained average. For the night I took 1.5 g. When I woke up during the night to take a leak I actually felt a little better, but when I got up in the morning everything like mood, photophobia and bloodshot eyes were quite usual. Thus L-Lysine may get a weak-moderate benefit, but on its own it doesn't do much.

Musta, Nut Grass (Cyperus rotundus) [3 g powder containing 48.60 mg polyphenole; Rd: 3g – 1 tsp]: I took 2 tsp (6 g – about 100 mg polyphenole) on the first day (1/2-1-1/2 tsp) and had an O and another half tsp (1.5 g) the next morning. In the first morning it clearly improved my eyes, but when I had the O late afternoon I still developed bloodshot eyes nevertheless. At least they did not become very bad, but rather remained averagely bloodshot. I think I also experienced some anti-depressive effect in the evening, though I also developed a kind of discomfort in the head, a kind of slight headache, that persisted even in the next morning. I suspect the reason to be the high dose, but it was a tolerable side-effect at least. In the morning I actually felt myself a little better than usual. Morning photophobia wasn't too strong and the eyes weren't terrible either, although I still had a generally low mood. Gut issues also appeared about moderately better.
One of the constituents of nut grass is luteolin, which is probably one of the more active components. I guess I can give it a weaker moderate score, which is rather similar to other supplements that contain it.

Danshen (Salvia miltiorrhiza) [100% dried root cut; Rd: tea made with 1-2 teaspoon of herba 2-3 times a day]: I drank Danshen tea (circa 1 liter + 1 tablespoon herba per day) for one and a half days and had an O. The initial reaction appeared to be alright, but not significant. At least after O the symptoms did not become too bad and appeared to remain compensated. Late evening symptoms began to deteriorate and in the morning I felt somewhat worse than average. I think this was caused by eating something bad late afternoon of the previous day. I drank Danshen tea once again in the morning and by early afternoon symptoms appeared noticeably better. The eyes were relatively alright and it seemed to have some anti-inflammatory effect on gut issues as well. I can't evaluate it properly in such a short time, but I think Danshen deserves a weaker moderate score from me. Danshen is also regarded as a senolytic supplement and similarly to the others it did not have a significant acute effect. Still there is indication that long-term use (about 3 months) may bring about permanent benefits.

CBD oil (THC free) [500 mg, 1 ml equals 16.66 mg CBD, ingredients: organically grown phytocannabinoid-rich hemp oil, grape seed oil, hemp seed oil, orange oil; Rd: 10-30 mg]: I took 1 ml on the first day and 2 ml (33 mg) on the second in 0.5 ml doses sublingually and also had an O on the second day. I tested it more than a year ago, but I was rather disappointed at the time. Similarly to earlier it really does have a positive effect on gut issues, which is possibly at a moderate-good level. However it appears to be totally ineffective for eye symptoms. I did not experience pink eyes or nausea as before, but instead transient pain sensations occurred, but only on the first day. Once again I couldn't experience an anti-depressive effect. At least it appears to be able to reduce rhinitis. Libido and O appeared rather normal, however during masturbation I felt a light cramping pain at the base of the pole. I suspect overmasturbation, but who knows. Considering everything I can give it a moderate score, however its lack of effect on the eyes makes it undesirable to be used alone.

Lyophilized black wood ear (Auricularia heimuer): I readied 30 g of dried weight mushrooms after preparation and ate it in a day. I did not add any spice, so it was rather bland. It did not have any rapid action, but at least appeared a little useful. In the evening I ate something bad and in a few hours one of my eyes got quite inflammed and painful and this persisted even in the morning which made it difficult to open it. Bloodshotness and photophobia were only average though. The stool was not particularly good in quality, but the burning pain was noticeably reduced. I think it is ineffective for eye symptoms and possibly has a weak-moderate or moderate effect on gut issues. Currently I can give it a weak score, but could be more useful long term if it doesn't contribute to eye issues.
It is interesting to note that black wood ear mushroom is indicated for the treatment of sore eyes and sore throats. In my case it is evidently ineffective for sore eyes and I have to wonder if it actually contributed to the problem, while sore throat was not an issue either before or after treatment.

Robinia white flower tea (Robiniae flos - Robinia pseudoacacia): I drank one cup of tea containing about half a tablespoon of the herb. About six hours later I developed quite severe bloodshot eyes that couldn't be justified by any other circumstance in my opinion. Otherwise I did not notice any other problems. Still I stopped the test and I am not really inclined to test it again just to confirm the bad reaction.

Shankhpushpi (Convolvulus pluricaulis) [500 mg per capsule; Rd:1-2]: I took 3 and 2 capsules on two days and had an O on the first day. Even though it is an aphrodisiac, I couldn't really experience this. I had no problem raising the flag, but felt a little less into it than usual. Eye symptoms were not the best when I started to masturbate, but they only got a little worse after O. At the first night when I got up to take a leak, I certainly had better mental clarity than usual. It also felt like I could move around a little easier as the muscles were possibly a little less painful. In the morning I took 2 caps with an hour difference and while it certainly helped with eye symptoms it was less effective than I hoped. Photophobia was also rather usual, so I give it a weak-moderate score for eye issues. Gut issues also appeared about moderately better. The anti-depressive effect was also not apparent in the daytime. At least it is indicated for the enhancement of the memory, so this could be worth taking on a regular basis. My score for it is moderate.

Red rice yeast extract (Monascus purpureus) [333 mg per capsule containing 10 mg Monacolin K; Rd:1]: I took it for two days with a schedule of 1 and 2. I masturbated on both days, but did not have an O. I was a bit surprised how well it works. In a few hours after the first capsule my eyes got a lot better and I also experienced a kind of anti-depressive effect at the time. On the second day the change was not so pronounced after taking the morning dose though. I masturbated some in the early afternoon and everything felt rather normal, though the eyes got a very little worse afterwards, but not significantly. In the early evening I ate something bad again and it kicked in the bloodshot eyes just before going to sleep. I took another capsule then and when waking up early morning I felt myself much better than usual. Bloodshot eyes persisted even in the morning, but they got noticeably better and photophobia wasn't bad either. While not completely clear my mind felt definitely more aware than usual. Gut issues were also apparently better by this time to about a moderate-good level. A possible side-effect may be some transient pain that I felt a few times in the heart and possibly some other places. I am not sure if it indicates a cleansing effect or something I should be worried about long-term though. Its acute benefit is rather distinct nevertheless and I can give it a good score.

Long pepper whole spice (Piper longum) [a source of piperine, piperlongumine and beta-caryophyllene; Rd: about 1g]: I ate 6 pieces is a day, which was about 3 g, I think. I did not O, but masturbated some. After masturbation one of the eyes got worse and remained so. I also developed a particular odor that was not bad, but rather unpleasant due to its persistence. Interestingly rhinitis seemed a little reduced at the same time. I think it deserves only a weak-moderate score acutely, but holds promise as a cheap senolytic.

(Bengalese) Long pepper whole spice: This was another brand in a nicer package, but similarly came from Indonesia. I consumed the same amount the following day and had an O. I did not develop such a powerful odor as with the previous one, but its health benefit appears about the same. Similarly it only had a minimal impact on the eyes as they only got slightly less bloodshot from the morning dose and photophobia was rather bothersome during work. Libido and potency seemed rather good when I masturbated in the afternoon. Symptoms began to creep in even before O, however they did not become too bad after O. The next morning felt rather usual, but at least not terrible. Rhinitis once again appeared partially reduced. Gut issues were about weak-moderately better.

Sun mushroom extract (Agaricus brasiliensis aka A. blazei) [40 mg 1:10 extract per capsule and also contains 15.3 mg polyphenols from fruit peels; Rd: 3]: I expected it to work similarly as some of the better mushrooms, however it did not turn out so well. I took it for two days with a 3 and 2 schedule and without an O, though I masturbated some. I have found it to have nearly no use on eye symptoms, although the second day I took two at once and two hours later the eye symptoms appeared a little better and yet later they became rather average just as on the previous day. As for gut issues the burning pain definitely seemed reduced, however stool quality was not that great. Other symptoms like photophobia or depression appeared rather average. I also had a good spontaneous morning erection, which may implicate that it helps with libido recovery. Currently I can only give it a weak-moderate rating, however I suspect it would be more beneficial on gut issues with longer use.

Phosphatidylserine [100 mg per capsule from soybean extract; Rd: 1-2]: I took it for two days with a 2, 3 schedule and had an O. The first capsule did not cause any significant change, but I took another one before going to sleep. When I woke up during the night to take a leak I felt my mind was much clearer. I also felt like I could breathe easier as the airways felt cleaner. The urine was more in amount than usual and notably lacked the burning quality. I also had more vivid dreams than normally. In the morning though I had the usual photophobia and the averagely bloodshot eyes were unchanged and felt usually tired. In this morning I felt a dull pain in my right palm which was reminiscent to the one I felt during covid-19. This is probably a side-effect of phosphatidylserine as it is considered a procoagulant and is potentially detrimental in the case of coronavirus infection. After a few hours this pain disappeared and did not occur again, even though I kept taking PS. On the second day I took three pills and I felt quite well after the afternoon dose. Even my eyes got better and were only lightly bloodshot. So I give it a shot and had an O. Interestingly even after O my eyes remained relatively stable, so it must have a protective effect. I also felt rather well and only began to feel a little worse after I ate a lot of food. The night did not feel so well as the previous one and I had even developed a light chest inflammation that persisted, so the morning also felt rather usual. Gut issues were apparently better to about a moderate-good level as PS could greatly reduce the burning pain, but its effect could be still overcome by the power of acute POIS. The anti-depressive effect was also not distinct especially during the day, but it still works to some level. During masturbation I was not so much into the activity than usual and it was a bit more difficult to sustain the erection and yet I had a strong O even if a bit forced. Of course it is also possible that I had exhausted myself the previous day when I was more into the thing probably due to the sun mushroom. Well I can give PS a good rating, but its acute effect was not so distinct to put it in the best category.
I also suspect that PS could be an important research target.

Huanarpo macho (Jatropha macrantha) [400 mg per capsule containing 100% micropulverized HM; Rd: 2-3]: Another aphrodisiac that proved to be somewhat beneficial. I took the capsules for two days in a 3,2 schedule and had an O. I still had the chest inflammation, so at first I did not want to risk an O, but then I was stupid enough to do it nevertheless. Initially it seemed that it has a good anti-inflammatory effect on gut issues, however eye issues remained relatively stable. In the evening I had a good libido and erection, so I had an O. Even before O I could feel the chest pain provoked by the masturbation. The O felt good, but as expected symptoms began to deteriorate. Fortunately it was around this time that the afternoon dose reached its peak efficacy and that temporarily prevented symptoms getting much worse, so the eye symptoms remained relatively controlled. Then I took the nightly dose and went to sleep. When waking up during the night the chest pain was considerably stronger, but it got noticeably lighter by morning. The morning was not so bad as photophobia was rather light and eye bloodshotness wasn't too bad either. I took 2 caps in the morning and it felt like it further ameliorated the chest pain along the day, but only to a certain extent. Unfortunately eye symptoms did not get particularly better, so it may only have a weak effect on those. At early afternoon once again I had a good erection, which indicates its positive effect even though I kept overexhausting myself the previous days, which was the likely reason for the chest inflammation. Actually the breast lymph nodes appeared a little better than usual and the pain was radiating more to the back on the left side which may indicate a light pulmonitis, not like I had any elevated temperature just as usual. Gut issues were better to about a moderate-good level, but more time would have been required to get a proper estimation. In my opinion Huanarpo macho was much like Suma root, although possibly a little less effective which may be only circumstantial though. For now I would give it a moderate-good rating.

Woad root tea (Isatis tinctoria) [100% dried root cut; Rd: tea made of 1-2g of herbs]: I drank woad root tea (made of circa 1.7 liter of water and 1.5 tablespoon (about 7-8g?) of herbs) for one day without an O. It appeared rather useless for eye symptoms as they remained averagely bloodshot and photophobia was also average. At least it had about a weak-moderate anti-inflammatory effect on gut issues. The chest inflammation also got gradually weaker while on the tea and mostly disappeared. I am not sure how much woad was involved in this, but at least it is indicated for the treatment of asthma. Maybe it only prevented the downward shift and so the natural course of resolution could prevail. The only possible side-effect was some temporary cramping of the left palm, but even this was not necessarily due to the tea. It is true though that woad contains a wide variety of compounds and not necessarily all of them are beneficial. It probably has a weak or weak-moderate effect when used acutely.

Bamboo shoot [canned]: I ate two servings (about 150g altogether) as raw salad after washing it in cold water. It clearly had a somewhat better anti-inflammatory effect on gut issues. Eye symptoms were practically unchanged tough. At least I felt a little better. I think its effect is somewhat similar to other beneficial foods like sweet potato or zucchini. My interest was due to bamboo shoot being mentioned as a PPARG antagonist.

Quercetin capsules [250 mg of Sophora japonica extract (95% quercetin equals to 237,5 mg per capsule); Rd:2]: I took 3 capsules in a day without an O. At the peak of its effect it has a weak benefit on the eyes, but as it passes bloodshotness strikes again, so it appears mostly useless for this symptom. Gut issues at least appeared weak-moderately better, so it is not entirely useless, but in itself it really doesn't do that much. Of course this only reinforces my earlier evaluation on it as being only weakly beneficial in an acute setting.

African Mango (Irvingia gabonensis) [400 mg seed/nut per capsule; Rd:1]: I took 3 capsules in a day without an O. It wasn't spectacular, but at least it appeared to work better than the quercetin capsules I took before. It had a better effect on the eyes to about a weak-moderate level, which may be not much, but at least the eyes were not too bad. Gut issues were better to a good degree, but more time would be needed to confirm this. Other symptoms were not particularly better. I can give it a moderate score for now, but may work even better given some more time.
African Mango is another PPARG antagonist that inhibits adipogenesis and lipid peroxidation. It is also a source of phytosterols, which are probably the most active constituents.

Tonka Bean (Dipteryx odorata) [raw]: I put them in warm water and after a few minutes I drank it and consumed the raw beans. I consumed two medium sized pieces (3 g) in a day in three portions. My initial reaction proved to be rather bad as the first half seed caused intensive burning farts a few hours after consumption. Interestingly though eye symptoms actually seemed better. In the afternoon I took one whole bean and somewhat surprisingly I had only a lesser reaction to it.  In the afternoon I masturbated some without an O, but yet the eyes remained relatively lightly bloodshot. Before going to sleep I took the last half seed and in the morning I actually felt a little better, which makes tonka bean a little perplexing. One possible explanation could be the role of coumarins as tonka bean is a rich source of them. I also had problems with cassia cinnamon that also contains a higher amount of coumarin compared to the Ceylon variety. Additionally the taste of tonka bean resembled to apricot kernels, though milder, that I also had similar problems with a few years ago. Indeed apricot is another source of coumarin. Thus I put tonka bean in the mixed category, but at least it also has a noticeable benefit.

Chuchuhuasi (Maytenus laevis) [powder; Rd: 1-5 g]: I took half a teaspoon three times per day (about 7g/day) put in warm water for two days and also had an O. My first impression was that chuchuhuasi somewhat resembled to mangosteen both in appearance and in taste, if I remember well. Interestingly their efficacy is also rather comparable. I definitely felt mentally better on both pre- and postcum mornings, although on the second morning I had a slight headache. It appeared to reduce bloodshot eyes on the first day and even after POIS they only became slightly worse, so I can give it a moderate rating for eye symptoms. Gut issues also appeared better to about a moderate-good degree. I think it had a minor anti-depressive effect that I could feel about 4 hours after intake, but it wasn't lasting and I could hardly feel it on the second day. Rhinitis was also evidently reduced on the second morning. Libido (sexual appetite) felt a little lower than usual during masturbation, but I had no problem with erection and endurance. The control also felt quite alright as I could prevent an ejaculation midway, but it was only to prolong masturbation not to avoid ejaculation entirely. I think it deserves a moderate-good rating.
Chuchuhuasi is also considered an aphrodisiac and is indicated for the treatment of pain, asthma and fibromyalgia among others.

Allspice (Pimenta dioica) [whole spice; Rd: no information]: I took 5 pieces put in warm-hot water and consuming the whole doing this three times in a day (about 3 g in total) without an O. It showed some positive effect even if not considerable. Fortunately I could not note any negative effects at least. I think it had a weak positive effect on the eyes, but this didn't account to much. It also had some positive effect on the gut issues, but later I ate something bad again that spoiled my test, so I can't really say. Rhinitis also appeared reduced or at least remained low while on the stuff. I suspect at least a weak benefit.
Allspice is supposedly a good source of eugenol, quercetin, gallic acid and ericifolin.

Xylitol (derived from birch and beech bark) [100%, powder, vegan]: This is just an alternative sweetener. I used it on several days, but I don't think it provides any particular benefit or adverse effects. Those who have problems with sugar may find it useful.

Clove (Syzygium aromaticum): I ate 5 pieces two times is a day (about 2g). Earlier I was pretty convinced that clove affects me negatively, but I think I need to reconsider this. I mostly based this on my experience with fruit soups. Now it appears that fruits are the more likely culprit (especially cherry, but also plum and apple to a lesser extent). I can't say that clove is particularly beneficial, but it clearly has some benefit and I did not notice any particular adverse effects. It did not appear to be any useful for eye symptoms, while gut issues were possibly weak-moderately better, but more time would be needed for an accurate evaluation. Nevertheless I slept a little more relaxed than usual and the morning also felt slightly better than usual. While I could still perceive muscle pain I think I felt a little more relaxed than usual. Clove in itself is certainly not much, but at least it seems to provide a minor benefit. My score is weak for now.

Erythritol: Another alternative sweetener. Interestingly I think it had a noticeable effect on my POIS. Both eye and gut issues appeared a little better and this may have a similar efficacy as glycin or fructose, but more time is needed for confirmation.

Chervil/French parsley tea (Anthriscus cerefolium): I made a tea by adding one tablespoon of the spice to 1 liter of water and drank it in one day. It has a mild taste that somewhat reminded me to either spinach or artichoke, though I am not completely sure. Regarding its effect it had either no or a weak effect on eye bloodshotness and photophobia was completely average in the morning. Gut issues were better but only to a weak degree. I also masturbated some and had a relatively good potency and control, however this was not likely to be due to chervil as I only consumed it an hour before, and thus a more likely suspect would be a remnant effect of clove which is actually considered an aphrodisiac. I also slept relatively well, but otherwise I didn't experience anything else out of the ordinary.
Chervil is considered a mild stimulant, but I couldn't notice a particular anti-depressive effect, still it could be a good spice in everyday cooking.

Motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca) [400 mg (aerial parts) per capsule; Rd:1-2]: I took it for two days with a schedule of (3,2) and had an O. It certainly has some benefit, but nothing too considerable. It had about a weak-moderate benefit on both eye and gut issues. More specifically at first it appeared to have a little benefit on the eyes, but after O they still got worse. On the second day I took 2 caps in the morning and it certainly turned the eyes clearer a few hours later, so it only really works when POIS is not too strong. Similarly it seemed to have some anti-inflammatory effect on gut issues as well, but only when POIS was not strong. Photophobia and muscle fatigue were mostly as usual. Even if symptoms got somewhat worse after O, at least I did not develop more serious symptoms like chest inflammation. I don't think it improves sexual functions as everything appeared pretty normal (average), though I had the O on the first day. At this dosage it has a weak-moderate benefit.
As a reference some of its active ingredients are: ursolic acid, sterols, iridoids, flavonoids, furanic diterpenes, alkaloids, minerals.

Hercampuri and Pina (Gentianella alborosea and Ananas comosus) [500 mg per capsule containing hercampuri powder and pineapple (pina); Rd:2]: I took it for two days with a schedule of (2,3) and had an O on the second day. It has a kind of nice effect, but not too powerful. On the first day about 6-7 hours after the first capsule I experienced a kind of inner warmth or improved thermo regulation, but unfortunately I couldn't really experience this on the second day. The first morning felt relatively alright. Rhinitis appeared reduced, but some nasal congestion also occurred. On the second day the eyes got relatively well even though I had exercise intolerance during the day due to work. Muscle fatigue was quite usual and some photophobia did occur. I also developed a light tension headache due to the work. Nevertheless I had an O late afternoon. The sexual function felt rather average and I was not really into it psychologically, but the erection was alright. As it happened countless times in the past when I was more vigorously into the activity the tension headache also increased. The O felt rather normal though and symptoms only got slightly worse after that. The headache resolved on its own a few hours later. The eyes particularly remained rather alright, only slightly bloodshot, even by morning and photophobia wasn't too bad. I had a light depression though. It felt to have a relatively good anti-inflammatory effect on gut issues as the burning pain was noticeably reduced, however I had more of a constipation on both days and the stool was rather hard, which is not good. I think its efficacy was somewhat similar to ginseng even if not all of their particular effects were of a kind, so it deserves a moderate-good score.

Tamarind: I ate 6 pieces of raw fruit (paste) in a day, which equaled to about 50-60 g of whole fruit. 
Given this one day I can say that it mostly has a mixed effect. As for the bad part it certainly induced a lot of flatulence. I think it has both a weak anti- and pro-inflammatory effect. The eyes remained quite alright as they were when I began the test, so it doesn't appear to be harmful at least and given that it is also a source of vitamin C, it may actually had a little protective effect. Otherwise I felt quite as usual with a weak depression. As a comparison the positive and negative effects were both greater with tonka bean. The seed may have some effect on sexual function, but it was too hard to bite even after cracking the kernel and I did not go into the trouble to roast it.

Monk fruit tea (Siraitia grosvenorii) [dried fruit; Rd: half fruit to 1.5 liter of water]: I made a tea by putting a whole fruit in about 1.5 liter of water and drank it in a day without an O. The tea itself reminds me to coffee cherry fruit or jujube tea, but with a much sweeter taste. I think it had a weak benefit, but nothing too considerable. To begin with the eyes were only lightly bloodshot and they did not particularly change. They only became slightly worse due to coffee consumption and after I masturbated some in the afternoon. I don't think it had any effect on sexual function as everything felt rather average. It is supposed to help with pulmonary issues and yet I had a hardly noticeable, light chest inflammation that didn't really change due to the tea. Gut issues felt weakly better, but monk fruit had no considerable effect on them either. Depression and muscle fatigue were also felt weakly just as usual. I got up early and could not rest again which made me tired and with average symptoms in the morning. I ate some creamy cake before going to sleep and that may have partially messed up my test though. A possible side-effect was some sudden transient heart discomfort a short time after drinking a larger amount.
If nothing else monk fruit can be used as a natural sweetener.

Pangdahai tea (Sterculiae lychnopherae) [dried seed; Rd: 2-3 pieces with 1 liter of water]: I made a tea (6 seeds in 1.5 liter of water) and drank it throughout one day and also had an O. After work my eyes certainly appeared clearer, although I still had photophobia and felt enervated in thoughts. In the early evening I had an O. The sexual function was close to normal or maybe a little better than that. POIS onset wasn't too bad, but symptoms still emerged to an extent. I also developed a weak headache by the end of masturbation. Afterwards I got a weak chest inflammation on the right side. Eye symptoms deteriorated a little, but they did not become too bad. Contrary to the little benefit on the same day when I got up the next morning I felt rather well. My mind certainly felt more clearer than usual. I had some nasal congestion, but rhinitis was reduced. Of course the chest inflammation also disappeared by this time. The eyes were only weakly bloodshot, so I think it has about a weak-moderate benefit on them. I could move around with relative ease, so muscle fatigue was also not significant. I also had a spontaneous erection due to a naughty thought, so libido also recovered quite well. Gut issues were better to about a moderate-good level. I feel I can give Pangdahai a moderate-good rating at the moment.
Pangdahai is indicated for the treatment of respiratory and bowel problems, which sounds exactly what I need. Pangdahai is a source of beta-sitosterol and daucosterol, which are perhaps the most active compounds. It is also said that Pangdahai can inhibit fatty acid synthetase (FAS) both in a reversible and irreversible way. Needless to say this may indicate a possible long-term benefit.

I also updated the diet list with some elements.

[Muon]

Have you checked progesterone?

[Progecitor]

Have you checked progesterone?

No, I haven't yet! Of course it would be kind of informative to see my DHT and progesterone as well. If I only wanted to check these two items it wouldn't be that expensive, but I would rather have a full panel at once which is a bit more so. My job was also rather uncertain as of late due to the energy crisis and I had to cut back on expenses, not to mention the crazy inflation going around. Another problem is that I would have to stop taking any supplements for several days at least and I am plenty crazy about the time that is still needed to try the rest of the stuff I had already bought. I also feel that the information I get out of these empirical supplement tests is much more valuable than any I could gather from one or another lab test. Even if some values would differ it wouldn't be necessarily the cause, but probably only part of the problem. The same is probably true to my slightly elevated estradiol level as in itself it can't justify the severe symptoms I often have. Well at least aromatase inhibitors like damiana or mangosteen proved rather useful so far, so at least it is a validating finding. Earlier I was also considering a genetic screening, but if I consider senescence as the underlying issue than it wouldn't worth much as there would be no genes that could identify POIS. Well it is still possible that errant metabolic pathways stemming from genetic errors would predispose us to senescence and POIS, but in such a case we won't be able to completely eliminate our issue however we tried and than what is the point of all the effort we make. Of course this was the way I have been thinking about POIS for the most part of the last 20 years. Clearly as of now POIS appears to be more of a telomere issue. One lab test that could be highly informative is the measurement of Senescence-Associated-beta-galactosidase enzyme activity. Unfortunately though samples would have to be taken from the involved tissues and as of now it is not even clear which is the exact site or if it is uniform among POISers.
Seeing these difficulties and waiting for doctors to solve these riddles appears a rather vain path and that is why an empirical approach is so much more profitable. I know that not every member is so lucky to react so rapidly or so well to supplements as me, but at least mapping out my own case may help others to map out theirs more easily so as to regain our composure as human beings.

[Progecitor]

As per usual the short version is here:
https://poiscenter.com/forums/index.php?topic=3798.msg40769#msg40769

L-Dopa/Velvet bean seed extract (Mucuna pruriens) [60 mg per capsule (min. 98% L-Dopa); Rd: 2]: I took 3 caps in a day without an O. I also tested this sometime in the past, but I couldn’t see a significant benefit, so I skipped on it. For one it doesn’t help at all with eye bloodshotness. However it has some benefit on gut issues, possibly a weak-moderate effect. I also found it to have a minor anti-depressive effect, but this was really not powerful. At least in the morning I got up a bit more aware. One possible side-effect is that I could experience some random weak cramps here-and-there, which were rather unpleasant. Thus one may need to be careful with a higher dose. I also did not dare an O with such bad eye symptoms, so it may need to be combined with other supplements. It deserves a weak-moderate score.

Pippali (Chocolate) Pepper (a variety of Piper longum from India): I consumed 4 pieces 3 times in a day (about 2g) in warm water and with sandwiches as it is somewhat pungent. During the day I couldn’t notice any significant change. By late afternoon I developed a weak headache. I also masturbated some afterwards and later one of the eyes became quite bloodshot, so it doesn’t really protect them. After masturbation my body felt kind of strained which is not a usual POIS symptom, so I suspected some side-effects. However at night I also developed a sore throat and by morning I also had some headache again, which made me think that I probably got some minor infection. These symptoms got much weaker a few hours afterwards at least. Nevertheless I don’t think chocolate pepper did much, but at least it felt like it helped with gut issues a little. Acutely it certainly doesn’t do much, but similarly to regular long pepper it may have some senolytic effect.

Rose petal tea (Rosa × damascena): I consumed about 2 liters of tea in a day made of 1.5 tablespoon of rose petals. At first it appeared to have a little benefit. However around noon I ate something bad and that messed me up by late afternoon. I also masturbated some in the evening, but I couldn’t notice any particular change in sexual capability. One of the eyes became rather bloodshot afterwards and by morning both of them were rather bad. It felt like the tea helped with gut issues a little at least, but it doesn’t seem like it has any significant benefit besides, so I put this in the weak category.

(Pure) Jasmine petal tea (Jasminum): I made tea from the combination of 1.5 tablespoon of herb and 1.5 liter of water and drank it in a day and also had an O. My eyes were pretty bad and I still felt like I had a minor subdued infection. In the beginning it felt like jasmine has a little more anti-inflammatory effect than rose petals. While the eyes were relatively stable in the afternoon they really got bad after I had an O. I knew it was not wise, but sometimes I feel like it is better to start with a clean slate as this POIS cycle appeared worse than usual. So I got a kind of usual POIS offset, but after I went to sleep and woke up during the night I was actually feeling myself better than usual. Even in the morning while objective symptoms were rather usual like bloodshot eyes, photophobia and muscle pain, still subjectively I was feeling myself a little better and my mind appeared sharper than expected. Jasmine seemed moderately effective for gut issues as well. Unfortunately I also had a weak-moderate headache that started shortly before starting to masturbate in the afternoon and I still felt it weakly in the morning. If it was not due to an infection, than it could be a side-effect of drinking too much jasmine tea. My sexual function appeared a little below average like in the previous days, but at least ejaculation control seemed quite good. In the morning my wood felt stimulable, by some sexual thoughts, so it could also improve libido recovery even if not that strongly. For now I can give pure jasmine tea a weak-moderate score which could be comparable to my experience to the jasmine infused green tea, however it clearly can’t deal with a stronger POIS.

Saffron extract capsules (Crocus sativus) [30 mg of saffron 10:1 extract containing 90 ug safranal; Rd:1]: I took 3 caps in a day without sexual activity. This one was relatively cheap, but I guess the reason is that it was not standardized to the more effective crocin. Its benefit on the eyes seemed lesser than that of the other saffron products that I had tried, even though I usually have more luck with the capsule forms. Still it evidently improved eye symptoms, but it did not help that much, well maybe to a weak-moderate-moderate degree. Of course the eyes were rather bad to begin with, but I still had weakly bloodshot eyes the next morning, so it did not completely resolve them. Gut issues were also somewhat better, but I also ate something that was a little bad for POIS and so I can’t really tell how much exactly. At least the infection if I had any seemed to disappear on this day. As both jasmine and saffron have a possible anti-viral effect they may have contributed to this. General POIS related rhinitis  was also evidently reduced and this was apparent both in the evening and morning. I could not feel a distinct anti-depressive effect, but I was not feeling too depressed either. Based on my current experience it has a moderate effect.

Graviola/Soursop (Annona muricata) [530 mg Graviola leaf per capsule; Rd:1]: I took 3 caps in a day without an O. I found it to have the best effect on bloodshot eyes as it can reduce them fairly well, possibly to a moderate or moderate-good level. I can’t say I have experienced a particular anti-depressive effect even by the morning, but at least I was not too depressed. However it reduced rhinitis as the nose felt rather relaxed in the morning. Gut issues weren’t that much better, maybe only to a weak or weak-moderate level. On some separate days I have already tested this in the past and had a generally similar experience as now. Even then it seemed to reduce bloodshot eyes rather well, although at least one time I had developed a headache and I suspected the involvement of Graviola, but it did not occur this time even though the relatively high dose. Altogether I can give it a moderate score, although it could be risky to take it for long-term due to the possible development of Parkinson-like symptoms. Some of its constituents are vitamin C, annonacin, annonamine and lichexanthone. Lichexanthone was found to enhance sperm motility. The atypical Parkinsonism is probably connected to the neurotoxic effect of annonacin.

Huminiqum [1 capsule contains: 120 mg fulvic acid, 50 mg humic acid, 41 mg vitamin C, 21 mg milk thistle extract and a number of essential minerals: Si, Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu, B, Mo, I, Se, Cr; Rd:2x2]: I took 6 caps in a day and had an O. Well it turned out surprisingly useful. I say this despite the fact that I had already tried this in the past, but I couldn’t make out that much of a difference then. This time I found it to have about a good benefit. The eyes only turned slightly worse after the ejaculation and they remained so even by the morning. Actually I felt best when waking up in the middle of the night. In the morning I still had photophobia, but the eyes were quite alright. I could also not note a particular anti-depressive effect. I am also rather divided what to say about gut issues as it appeared to me to have more like a mixed effect. I can’t exclude the possibility that one of the constituents is actually detrimental, but at least the positive effects predominate. I also had a good libido and erection, though sexual control and endurance were only average. If I remember well it caused some heart issues in the past and that is why I skipped on the test at the time. After the first two caps I had one sudden heart clench, but this did not occur afterwards, so this side-effect could be my imagination as well as it is hard to confirm without several days of testing.

Sage tea (Salvia officinalis): I made a tea of 1.5 liter of water and 1.5 tablespoon of herb and drank it in a day without an O. I thought to retest sage as my earlier judgment may not have been justified. The product was also a different one. As it turns out it really does not appear to have any negative effects and actually feels like it has some benefits, however I did not find it to be particularly strong in that quality. It had a weak benefit on gut issues and a minimal one on eye issues. I also masturbated some in the afternoon and I had quickly developed a sore throat and some chest inflammation. Fortunately as the effect of sage tea began to peak (about 4 hours) it managed to somewhat ameliorate these symptoms, still I did not feel it to be that good to dare an O at the time. My eyes also became a little more bloodshot afterwards. While I could not note a distinct anti-depressive effect, sometimes I felt a little less depressed. In the morning I was not feeling particularly better than usual though and symptoms were mostly as usual. I also had some lower back pain and also some around the liver. I am not sure if it had anything to do with sage, but one may need to be careful with higher doses. So my new value for sage is a weak positive one.
The principal compounds of its essential oil are alpha-thujone, 1,8-cineole and camphor, but it also contains compounds like borneol, catechinic acid, eucalyptol, linalool, ursolic acid, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, nicotinic acid, fumaric acid, oleandolic acid etc.

Indian Coleus (Coleus forskohlii L./Coleus barbatus) [300 mg of 5:1 extract per capsule containing maximum 1.5 mg forskolin; Rd:1]: I took 3 or 4 (most likely 4). Similar to the other forskolin product it does not appear to have any striking effect. At least it appears to be a little useful. It seems to have a weak or weak-moderate benefit on gut issues and a minimal if any on the eyes. I also masturbated some in the afternoon, which felt rather normal in a good way, but one of the eyes became somewhat worse afterwards. By evening I felt a mild and somewhat pleasant odor and the nose felt a little relaxed. In the morning I felt slightly more aware, but eye symptoms were as usual. I also felt an unpleasant prostatic pain and only had a little urine. Fortunately the pain subsided within a few hours, but this may indicate some negative side-effects. Thus my score is only a weak one.
Besides forskolin it is also a source of rosmarinic acid, flavonoid glucuronides and diterpenoids.

Health speedwell tea (Veronica officinalis): I made a tea of 1.5 liter of water and 1.5 tablespoon of herb and drank it in a day and had an O. This one certainly seems one of the better teas. It had some positive effect on the eyes (maybe weak or weak-moderate) and about a moderate on gut issues. In the afternoon I had an O. The sexual quality appeared rather normal, though my endurance was rather good. The ejaculate was somewhat burning, but I guess this was an accumulation effect from the previous days when I only masturbated without an O. After O I still developed some symptoms like suddenly I was feeling really chilled, but it was not as bad as usual. Shortly after O my symptoms even seemed to get a little better when the previous dosage of Veronica tea reached its peak effect. Before going to sleep symptoms still crept in and felt more like usual. In the morning though I was definitely better. The effect was most striking for gut issues and the morning urine was practically not burning even though it was still burning in the evening. Photophobia was mostly usual though and the throat felt a little sore, however at the same time rhinitis felt somewhat reduced. Sometimes I even felt a little clearer mentally, but it wasn’t really distinct even when I got up at night, so it doesn’t really have an anti-depressive effect. The only really side-effect was a more intensive flatulence, but this is really common for things that help. Bowel sounds were also frequent though which is less common. I guess I can give it a moderate score.
Veronica is said to have numerous health benefits and is a source of iridoid glycosides (veronicosid, aucubin, catalposide, verminoside), rosmarinic acid, ferulic acid and some saponins.

Mistletoe tea (Viscum album): I made cold teas 3 times a day using 2.5g tea bags (7.5g in all) and drank them in one day without an O. Mistletoe also seemed to help more than just a little even if it was not that great. The eye issues appeared about moderately better, while gut issues only to a lesser extent, but flatulence was also a lesser issue than that of the previous speedwell. I also masturbated some in the evening, but I felt a little spent from the previous day, so the erection was not that good, otherwise everything felt pretty normal. The eye issues were quite reduced in the evening and even after masturbation they remained so, though I developed dry eyes, but that is practically a daily occurrence that tends to kick in between 9-11 p.m. The dry eyes remained an issues till morning, but they were only lightly bloodshot, still photophobia occurred. In the morning at least I felt rather relaxed and I wasn't particularly depressed. Interestingly I also had some spontaneous erections, so it can help libido recovery. The morning urine also burnt noticeably less. Muscle pain was usual, but possibly they were less fatigued than usual as I could move around a little easier. Rhinitis also appeared a little reduced. I couldn’t note any particular side-effects, but it is one of the riskier herbals long-term. I think I can give it a weak-moderate rating.
Some of its constituents are viscotoxins, lectins, flavonoids, phenolic acids, terpenoids, sterols, phenylpropanoids, and alkaloids. It may be also interesting to note that one of its major phenolic ingredient (o-coumaric acid) was shown to inhibit both CYP7A1 and CYP7B1. Mistletoe is also considered an aphrodisiac and could increase testosterone in one trial.

Sweet woodruff/sweetscented bedstraw tea (Asperulae folium, Galium odoratum): I drank a tea made of 1 liter of water and 1 tablespoon of herb in a day and also had an O. I found it to be a bit confusing. I expected a similar reaction as to tonka beans as sweet woodruff is also said to be rich in coumarin, however I couldn’t notice any such negative reactions. The initial reaction appeared a little beneficial, but nothing else. Still I had an opportunity, so I decided to have an O. What perplexed me though is that I practically couldn’t experience any significant change afterwards and symptoms remained similarly low level as before and even in the morning I had the usual chronic level of problems and nothing else. So while it may not clearly improve POIS, it seems to have some protective effect. Given my current experience I have to give it a moderate rating, but it is not clear how circumstantial this occasion was. I also can’t exclude the possibility that mistletoe from the previous day still exerted its benefit or had a synergy between them. One needs to be careful with sweet woodruff though, due to potential liver toxicity caused by coumarin. I actually had some temporary pain in the general area of the liver a few hours after the first cup, but this did not happen again afterwards.
Sweet woodruff has a spasmolytic and anxiolytic effect.

White kidney bean extract (Phaseolus vulgaris) [500 mg 20:1 extract per capsule; Rd:3x1]: I took 4 caps daily for two days without an O. On the first day it did not have any striking effect. I also ate something bad, so I actually got a little worse, like I had developed some chest inflammation by the time I went to bed and one of the eyes was somewhat bad. On the second afternoon I took 2 at once and a few hours later masturbated some and yet I had developed some brutal bloodshot eyes, so I did not dare an O. At least the sexual activity felt rather normal. Gut issues were about moderately better, but it clearly had some mixed effect as well and it is not only due to the increased flatulence, but the burning pain as well. At least stool quality was better. If I put tonka bean in the mixed category then I need to put white kidney bean there as well as it clearly did not help that much.
One of the active compound is supposed to be phaseolin, which can inhibit the enzyme alpha-amylase. I wonder if the negative reaction could be linked to lectins as beans are know to be a rich source of that, although white kidney bean is supposed to contain only a smaller amount.

Dwarf everlast/immortelle tea (Stoechados flores/Helichrysum arenarium): I made a hot tea of 1.5 tablespoon of herba and 1.5 liter of water and drank it in one day and also had an O. At first in the morning it clearly reduced eye symptoms, although it wasn’t too strong. In the afternoon I had an O and the eyes got somewhat worse, but only to a lesser degree. Later as the effect of another cup of tea peaked they actually appeared stabilized. Sexual activity felt mostly normal, though I was less into it than usual and it felt more difficult to maintain the erection, but this may have been the result of overindulgence from the previous days. The ejaculate also had a burning quality which was probably another proof of that. I think I experienced some temporary anti-depression during the day, but this wasn’t that strong. At least when I woke up at night I was more aware and felt noticeably better than usual and the morning wasn’t too bad either. Gut issues also appeared better to about a moderate-good degree. Rhinitis also felt reduced in the morning. While nowhere near perfect I can still give immortelle tea a moderate-good rating.
While quercetin alone doesn’t make much of a difference, still combined with other flavonoids and phytosterols surely makes a difference. The major constituents are the following: quercetin, kaempferol, naringenin, apigenin, luteolin, helichrysin A and B, phytosterol, salipurposide, isosalipurposide, coumarins (umbelliferone, esculetin, scopoletin), pyrone derivatives (arenol, homoarenol), lignans, triterpene acids, squitterpene lactones.

(Dried) Chives (Allium schoenoprasum): I put 1 teaspoon of dried chives in a cup of warm tea and drank this four times in a day without an O. It appeared a little useful, but nothing significant really. I guess I can safely consume this at least. Several years ago I used to eat fresh onion scallions regularly and I think it similarly helped a little with POIS, however the flavor was often bothering my throat and I suspected and increased risk of infection due to this, so I stopped eating them altogether.

Chicory root tea (Cichorii herba/Cichorium intybus): I made a tea by adding 1.5 tablespoon of herb to 1.5 liter of hot water and drank it in one day without an O. It appeared to be a little more useful, but it was not powerful. I think it had a little positive effect on my eyes as they remained rather alright. Gut issues actually seemed quite better to about a moderate-good level. In the morning I also felt a little better as general symptoms were lighter than usual. A few hours after the first cup I think I felt some anti-depression as well, but I did not experience this afterwards. Rhinitis also appeared to be a little better. At the moment I can give it a weak-moderate rating.
Besides the inulin polysaccharide some of its other active constituents are sesquiterpene lactones, lactucin, lactucopicrin, aesculetin, aesculin, cichoriin, umbelliferone, scopoletin, 6,7-dihydrocoumarin.
It is really interesting that contrary to the tea chicory coffee actually turns my POIS worse, which means the roasting process must be the culprit and something similar may be the case for regular coffee as well. As a source of inulin chicory is also easier to consume than artichoke unless capsules are used.

Sweet basil tea (Ocimum basilicum): I made a tea by adding 1 tablespoon of herb to 1 liter of water and drank it in one day with an O. Once again I was surprised as I suspected sweet basil to enhance POIS related issues. As it turns out it can actually help. In the afternoon I had an O. I had a good erection and had a good control over ejaculation, still libido and endurance were rather normal. The ejaculate felt unusually warm, but it was not burning as in more pronounced cases. It was rather surprising that the eyes practically remained the same with only mild symptoms, so basil possibly has a protective effect in this regard. I also developed a sore throat and had the beginnings of a chest inflammations as it often happens, but it did not become worse than that. When I woke up in the middle of the night I actually felt a little better. I also had a nasal congestion, but rhinitis was noticeably reduced as it often happens. For some reason I also felt a weak ass muscle inflammation at this time. When I woke up in the morning the eyes were still only lightly bloodshot and photophobia wasn’t too strong either. I also woke up with an erection which is certainly a good sign in my book. Gut issues weren’t that much better though, but I also ate some cakes the day before and it was possibly a little bad. I think sweet basil deserves a moderate rating based on this current one day trial, although once again I can’t exclude the possibility that chicory tea from the previous day had contributed somewhat to the overall effect.
Some of the more active constituents of sweet basil are eugenol and ursolic acid.
I have to wonder if my earlier suspicions could stem from either a negative interaction with other food ingredients. Another possibility I see is the aflatoxin contamination of lower quality spices that I am probably very sensitive to, especially as aflatoxin disturbs lipid metabolism and increases CD36 associated with SASP.

Absinthe wormwood tea (Artemisia absinthium): I made a tea by adding 1 tablespoon of herb to 1.5 liter of hot water. It did not do anything significant really, but at least it felt like it had a little positive effect in general. The eye symptoms remained rather alright even though I masturbated some in the afternoon. The sexual function was rather average, but I was also rather fatigued from the previous day so it was no wonder. I was a bit worried about some sudden convulsions, but nothing really bad happened in the end. Though I had some weak and temporary convulsion-like symptoms (like a sudden cramp in the prostate, but only once or some blood vessel pulsation in the leg and some creeping tingling on the back of my neck before going to sleep). In the morning I felt mostly as usual, but nothing too bad. Actually I had a nice firm spontaneous erection as well, thus libido was recovering nicely. Gut issues also felt better, possibly to a weak-moderate degree. Specifically the stool quality wasn’t so good, but the burning pain was quite reduced. Depression felt a little reduced at the times shortly after I consumed the teas, but generally it was the same as usual, so no real help there. I think it only deserves a weak score, but it is still intriguing that I hadn’t any adverse effects POIS-wise. Actually one of the few occasions when I had a serious hangover was due to a greater amount of absinthe, but this happened such a long time ago that I cannot recall any specifics.
Some of its constituents are sesquiterpene lactones, absinthin, (-) - thujone, (+) - isothujone, thujyl alcohol and its esters, chamazulene and other mono- and sesquiterpenes. It probably does not contain artemisinin as only Artemisia annua is said to do so. (-)-alpha-Thujone by itself is a GABAA receptor antagonist that can cause convulsions and death in large amounts. However thujone was also indicated to reduce prostatic inflammation as a major constituent of Thuja/arborvitae.

Peppermint tea (Mentha x piperita): I made a tea by adding 1.5 tablespoon of herb to 1.5 liter of hot water. I think it had a weak benefit on the eyes, although it was hard to tell. Gut issues also appeared better to about a weak-moderate degree, though it could have been actually better given some more time. It also induced somewhat more flatulence just as I remembered, but it wasn’t really that excessive. Acutely it has a weak-moderate effect, which may be comparable to other mints, but the reduction of testosterone in the long-term may not make it an ideal choice for regular use.
Peppermint is abundant in a variety of compounds including: menthol, menthone, menthyl acetate, menthofuran, 1,8-cineol, peppermint oil, limonene, pulegone, caryophyllene, pinene, eriocitrin, hesperidin, kaempferol 7-O-rutinoside.

Chancapiedra (Phyllanthus niruri) [500 mg 100% micropulverized chancapiedra per caps; Rd:3]: I took 4 caps in a day and had an O. I expected somewhat better, but at least it appears to be somewhat useful. It does not seem to have any rapid effects. I had an O in the afternoon and regarding sexual activity the sexual desire was lower than usual, control was average, while potency and endurance were better than usual, though these facts may be only circumstantial. The eyes became somewhat worse after O, but not terribly. Otherwise I felt relatively alright (e.g. I did not feel the usual muscle pain). Of course by the time I went to bed I felt rather exhausted. When I woke up in the middle of the night I had already developed a moderate chest inflammation on the left side. The eyes also felt rather dry, but mentally I wasn’t feeling too bad. In the morning it was more like usual (photophobia and eye symptoms) and even the chest inflammation got a little better. Gut issues certainly felt better to about a moderate degree, but it could be better with longer use. The urine was not especially burning and yet I had more difficulty with urination. As Chancapiedra is supposed to help with kidney stone elimination one can only guess that using a lower starting dose is probably a better idea to avoid this problem. Based on the current test its acute effectiveness is only weak-moderate, but may have additional health benefits in the long-term.

Blessed thistle tea (Cnicus benedictus): I made a tea by adding 1 tablespoon of herb to 1.5 liter of hot water. It did not appear to have any particular effect on eye or any other rapid effects. The weak chest inflammation I had also persisted throughout the day, but it was only a nuisance. However in the morning I felt myself a little relaxed and wasn’t feeling too bad. The eyes felt a little less dry then usual. Gut issues also appeared quite better to about a moderate-good degree. It is true though that this particular product was expired and it may not have been the full extent of its possible effect. Its taste was also a little sweet contrary to the bitter taste it is supposed to have. I can only give it a weaker moderate rating, but could be useful in a combination. As a reference I think it was kind of similar to pot marigold tea.
Blessed thistle similarly to milk thistle should help with the liver, thus some members could be interested to try it. Interestingly one of its compound called arctigenin can be found in burdock as well which is a determined ERbeta agonist. Another compound called cnicin has an antinociceptive effect in which all opioid receptors all likely to be involved.
The phytochemical compositions includes: sesquiterpene lactone glycosides, cnicin, polyacetylen, absinthin, salonitenolide and artemisiifolin, triterpenoids (a-amyrenone, a-amyrin acetate, a-amyrine, and multiflorenol acetate), lignans (trachelogenin, nortracheloside and arctigenin), flavonoids (apigenin-7-O-glucoside, luteolin and astragalin), tannins, n-nonane, n-undecane, n- tridecane, dodeca-l,ll-dien-3,5,7,9-tetrain (polyyne), pcymene, fenchon, citral, cinnamaldehyde.

Hyssop tea (Hyssopus officinalis): I had two brands, so I divided their use in one day, but I did not have an O. I made the first tea by adding 1.5 teaspoon of herb to about 0.7 liter of hot water and as for the second I put 1 teaspoon of herb powder in the same amount of water. My eyes stayed as they were, so it does not seem to help at all with this problem. The chest inflammation I had also persisted faintly and felt more like a discomfort around the heart, although it got a little stronger in the morning. Contrary to this rhinitis was reduced a little as the airway was rather clean and not particularly irritated. Gut issues appeared better about weak-moderately, but it wasn’t as strong as blessed thistle tea from the previous day. I feel I can score it as weak-moderate.
It is also indicated for the treatment of asthma, but this time it did not seem to help even with the only faint chest inflammation. Considering some of its constituents I find it strange that it did not work better. They were both also rather new products, so expiry couldn’t have been an issue.
Some of its constituents are thujone, ketone, phenol, pinocamphone, pinene, camphene, sesquiterpene alcohol, cineole, flavonoids, tannins, bitter substances (marrubin), glycosides (hyssopin, hesperidin and diosmine), oleanolic acid, ursolic acid, beta-sitosterol, resins, rosmarinic acid and total hydroxycinnamic derivatives. Similarly to absinthe wormwood it is an ingredient of absinthe and acts as a pro-convulsant in greater doses, probably due to ketone and thujone.

Black summer truffle (Tuber aestivum) [Slices (52%) in extra virgin olive oil (46%) with a net weight of 30g]: I ate the whole jar in one day on sandwiches without an O. I think it had a little positive effect on the eyes, but it wasn’t anything too noticeable. In the afternoon I masturbated some and the eyes remained lightly bloodshot, however later I had a shower after which I had developed quite bad bloodshot eyes. At least even later once again they became a little better once again. They remained so in the morning, although photophobia was practically as usual. Unfortunately gut issues weren’t much better either, maybe weakly, but even hyssop seemed better in this regard. The nose also felt a little irritated, so it did not help with rhinitis, but at least the chest inflammation resolved on this day. During masturbation every aspect of the sexual activity felt average. I can only give it a weak rating. It is also rather sad that the addition of extra virgin oil did not help either which makes a separate test pointless.
Some identified components of truffles are ergosterol, tuberoside anandamide, polysaccharides, and phenolics. By some it is also considered as an aphrodisiac.

Couch Grass/Graminis rhizome tea (Agropyron/Elymus/Triticum repens): I made a hot tea by adding  1.5 tablespoon of herb to 1.5 liter of water of what I drank in a day and also had an O. It had about a moderate benefit on the eyes. Certainly after O the eyes somewhat became worse, but they weren’t too bad and I could also see some benefit beforehand. Gut issues were clearly better maybe to a moderate-good degree, but it is really hard to evaluate this accurately in such a short time. At least an anti-inflammatory effect was evident. Flatulence was more prominent than usual though. I can’t say that I had experienced any particular anti-depressive effect, but at least in the morning I was comparatively alright. The sexual activity felt rather average, but I can only guess that the excessive masturbation doesn’t allow me to regenerate quickly enough. I can’t say I had experienced any notable side-effect, but as a source of inulin chicory root tea could be a safer choice. I think it deserves a moderate score based on this current trial.
The major constituent of couch grass is triticin, a polysaccharide related to inulin. Also present are mucilaginous substances, a polyfructosan called tricin, saponins, sugar alcohols (mannitol, inositol), traces of vitamin A-B, essential oil with polyacetylenes or carvone, carvacrol, small amounts of vanilloside (vanillin monoglucoside), vanillin, and phenolcarboxylic acids, silicic acid, silicates and iron. Lectins found in the seedlings and leaves may also be present in the rhizome.  Other constituents are agropyrene, mucilage, thymol, menthol, and other minerals, albumin.

Chasteberry tea (Vitex agnus-castus) [fruit]: I made a hot tea by adding 2 teaspoons of herb to about 1 liter of water and drank it in a day without an O. I did not expect much considering my earlier experiences with the capsules, so it was rather surprising when it actually turned out that the tea is quite beneficial. It evidently had a relatively good effect on the eyes as they only became slightly worse after O and even before they appeared nicer. Gut issues also felt comparatively better maybe to a good degree even and flatulence wasn’t that much of an issue as with couch grass from the previous day. The sexual performance seemed rather average, but once again I was rather exhausted from the previous days. Rhinitis also felt somewhat better. I don’t think I had experienced any particular side-effects either as previously with the caps. Of course its acute effect may differ from a longer treatment. I feel I can give it a good rating as it was possibly better than raspberry leaves tea, although I tried that a really long time ago.
Some of its ingredients are: penduletin, apigenin, PHBA, homoorientin, agnuside, casticin and numerous other compounds. Penduletin and apigenin are ERbeta specific ligands.

Yucca (Yucca spp.) [500 mg per capsule containing 4:1 root concentrate with natural saponins; Rd: 2x2-3]: I took 4 caps in a day without an O. It did not help much with eye symptoms or only minimally.
It seemed to help with gut issues about moderately. Rhinitis seemed somewhat reduced. I took the last two caps before going to sleep, but I had no problems with sleeping. I also had a good erection in the morning. Otherwise I can’t really say much. I think it deserves a weak-moderate score.
The two most active compounds are steroidal saponins and polyphenolics. The steroidal saponins are a precursor of natural cortisone. One mustn’t confuse Yucca with Yuca (cassava).

Common mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris): I made a hot tea by adding 1 tablespoon of herb to 1.5 liter of water and consumed it in a day without an O. I don’t think it has any benefit on the eyes as I had developed rather bloodshot eyes in the morning after some exercise intolerance and in the afternoon after some masturbation. They were also rather average in the morning. It still has some benefits though. For one the rhinitis appeared somewhat reduced. Gut issues were also better, but only weakly as far as I can tell. The sexual function seemed rather usual during masturbation, but at least I had some spontaneous erections at night and in the morning, so it can’t be bad. I could sleep rather well and had some dreams in the first part of the night, but it wasn’t anything extraordinary. I had some minor discomfort of the heart in the morning and in the evening, which may be a possible side-effect, but this wasn’t anything serious. Still long-term usage may entail some risks. I also developed a light headache before masturbation, but it resolved on its own by the time I went to bed, so it was more likely due to the exercise intolerance in the morning, especially as it seemed to resolve exactly around the time the first afternoon dosage reached its peak effectiveness about 7 hours after consumption. I also had a rather sore throat when I woke up in the middle of the night, but it became weak by the morning. During the day depression was as usual, although when I woke up at the middle of the night I felt a little clearer, still in the morning it was more like usual. I can only give this a weak score as of now. So far based on my experiences with thujone and other GABAergic supplements, I can only guess that GABA may not play a central role in my case.
Some compounds in mugwort are thujone, vulgarin, artemisinin, scopoletin, camphene, camphor, sabinene, and some derivatives of quercetin and kaempferol. Mugwort is said to cause lucid dreaming due to its thujone content. It is also interesting to note that it may contain some artemisinin contrary to wormwood.