Warrior's Journal (My POIS Protocol)

[SchizoPIOS]

Hey Warrior,

So I had stopped taking fenugreek a while back when I realised it made me smell of it.

Well I had an O 3 days ago, Idk why but I was way too aroused and the O was very intense, it gave me quite strong POIS symptoms the past few days, more than usual, I think there is a correlation between arousal levels, O intensity levels and POIS level.
I felt really really bad yesterday, my testicles felt really sore and stinging then had the genius idea to take some fenugreek and in literally 10 seconds my testicle pain was gone.

I have a theory that maybe you can voice your opinion about, which is that anaphrodisiacs will dampen arousal levels, O intensity and eventually POIS symptoms. Actually I had read on this forum that fenugreek lowers O intensity. At the same time, I'm not sure about you but I suffer from PE, and I've noticed in the past that beer gave me more control, it happens to be an anaphrodisiac, muscle relaxant and increases mood. SSRIs increase mood, they lower libido and also happen to make people last longer.

I've been wondering if using these kind of anaphrodisiacs (well I don't really want to try SSRIs but the natural ones) might lower arousal, libido, PE and POIS symptoms.
The natural SSRIs also happen to lower libido.

I kinda feel obsessed with sex and my performance issues which are causing extra problems in my life, its been a couple years I've definitely been too obsessed with all sexual stuff, it would be nice to kinda take a break from sexual thoughts and focus on other things in life. My PE also makes me not want to go out and meet new people

Yeah man apparently fenugreek makes your odour smell sweet or something. The raw garlic will definitely make you stink unless you limit it to 1/3 of a clove or so. Thats what I did when I used to take them.

There does appear to be a correlation with arousal levels and intensity of POIS symptoms.

Anaphrodisiacs might help POIS by lowering arousal and thus intensity of symptoms. Much of this stuff can vary on a case by case. So you really just need to experiment and find what works for you man.

I've had ejaculations in the past where the arousal was very low, and I did feel like it reduced my symptoms. I think it's the same concept behind why wet dreams don't seem to illicit as intense symptoms. They aren't going to be as arousally intense compared to a sober ejaculation.

Using anaphrodisiacs might help your PE and POIS symptoms. Can't hurt to try bro!

I think theres a big list of anaphrodisiacs and other things you can play around with for reducing libido. Meat and eggs will most likely increase libido. Look into fasting. I know for sure my libido gets absolutely tanked when I'm in a caloric deficit. Thats another huge factor. Your body doesn't want to have sex if you aren't getting enough food or it's too stressed out i.e., you're smashing your body with exercise etc. Those things might not be healthy long-term tho. A vegetarian diet would could work really well unless of course you have food sensitivities like I do...

As for the PE stuff, which is kind of a separate issue and I can't really speak on it because I've fortunately never had those issues but I will give you my advice that I told my buddy who struggles with the same problem:

You really just need to talk about it when it happens. Just embrace it. Don't try and act all cool in the moment playing it off etc. Just vocalise exactly how you're feeling. This is going to require vulnerability and honesty on your part. It might sting your ego a bit, but the pressure of wanting to perform etc and the ego involved in that is exactly what is probably causing the PE. If you're having sex, then you're having a relationship with that person. All relationships require honesty and vulnerability for true connection. Read the book Models by Mark Manson. This is also how you develop true confidence, which is the main concept taught in the book.

If you ejaculate too quickly, who cares? A women is only going to take that as a compliment. If you haven't satiated her yet, you can easily do foreplay and all sorts of juicy things to her after...

Another thing you can look into is kegal exercises. Taylor Johnson who teaches how to do an integrative semen retention lifestyle has videos on this that I would recommend. He also talks quite a bit about the topic of PE because he struggled a lot with it as well.

Totally something you can overcome bro. Even then I personally don't see it as a big deal or anything really to overcome, apart from the fact that you just got turned on so hard because she's so beautiful. Haha as I said I would just embrace it, and be ok being the dude who finished early but gave her the most mindblowing oral sex she's ever had.

Hope that helps. Take whatever helps you, feel free to discard if you don't resonate with it.

Nice one thanks for the advice, I don't think vegeterianism or fasting is good for me though, I need grounding foods, actually I became manic this march when I fasted the last 2 days of ramadan. I know fasting can work for some people but im already naturally skinny (although not atm with meds) so it just makes me lose too much weight, in hindsight I shouldn't have fasted this year but I guess we learn.

And yeh I agree with what you said about PE, i've been kinda too preoccupied by it recently idk why

[Warrior]

Nice one thanks for the advice, I don't think vegeterianism or fasting is good for me though, I need grounding foods, actually I became manic this march when I fasted the last 2 days of ramadan. I know fasting can work for some people but im already naturally skinny (although not atm with meds) so it just makes me lose too much weight, in hindsight I shouldn't have fasted this year but I guess we learn.

And yeh I agree with what you said about PE, i've been kinda too preoccupied by it recently idk why

Look into sexual energy transmutation techniques and move the energy away from your groin. That should also help with any excessive horniness.

[Warrior]

I think my probiotic "MegaSporeBiotic" which was first recommended to me by my functional specialist may be improving my sensitivities. Too early to tell, but I haven't taken anything all day except for this and noticed a totally unexpected improvement in my sensitivities today. I also took it yesterday as I've been trying to increase probiotics.

Either that or it was the minerals and nutrients in the sweet potato or chicken breast I had. Surely not tho lmao.

https://dralexrinehart.com/articles/the-megasporebiotic-leaky-gut-study/

On the note of leaky gut, my main hypothesis at the moment is that the systemic inflammation from POIS is making my gut leaky. When POIS completely goes away (when I abstain for >7 days or so), my sensitivities improve sharply.

Pathogenic infection > POIS > systemic inflammation > leaky gut > food sensitivities

Edit: seems to improve food sensitivities, not perfectly, at least not for gluten during POIS period, but does appear to be improving things. Probiotics in general can take a while to establish themselves in the gut, so I plan on giving it at least 3-6 months or so.

Edit 16/07/24: gut is still leaky with gluten, not sure about a glutenfree diet though. will continue taking it for a while anyway 3-6 months

[Warrior]

I stopped D3 supplements for a few weeks to give my body a break from supplements. Knowing my levels would drop, I was anticipating the inevitable increase of POIS/food sensitivity symptoms. I'm going to use this as an opportunity to test the D3 level which I can then document as the level at which my symptoms begin getting worst.

Journal entry:

First day of experiencing a significant worstening of symptoms in regards to facial tensions after eating (all I had as well was a banana smoothie with bananas and milk). Feels like my face is disjointed is how I would describe it. Optimal D3 fixes this (the optimal level of which I haven't yet identified but will do so through this). So tomorrow I am going to get the serum level tested so I can establish the lowest serum level of D3 that begins worstening my POIS symptoms. If I continued ceasing D3 supplements, my symptoms would only get gradually worst from this point on. The facial disjointed symptoms are basically the beginning of that.

I've been wanting to do this for a long time, so I can know exactly what level of D3 serum I should never drop below, and what D3 serum level is optimal but safe. It seems like with my POIS the benefits of D3 serum plateu at some point, so it's not intelligence to have excessively high D3 levels unless of course they helped POIS, but I believe the benefits plateu at a certain level probably way before 100ng/mL.


Reference (https://vitamindwiki.com/Is+50+ng+of+vitamin+D+too+high%2C+just+right%2C+or+not+enough#Overview_of_the_controversy)

So according to this, and based upon the hypothesis that POIS is caused by an infection, a serum level of 50ng/mL is probably optimal. Will be interesting to see what my serum level currently is for facial symptoms to begin worstening.

Here's a reference to my past journal entry regarding D3 fixing specific symptoms, paying attention to red highlighted:

Dialling up my D3 has fixed the following POIS and food sensitivity symptoms:
- Fatigued throat which would occur especially after eating non AB foods
- Vastly improved body aches - at one point my body aches were intensifying a lot and couldn't figure out why. Most likely due to D3 levels dropping.
- Fixed weird facial tensions I experience with food sensitivities
- Improvement in mood overall, especially in reducing auditory thought (mental noise)
- Improved intensity of food sensitivity symptoms, but hasn't been able to stop it all together i.e., I still experience mood drops and a very distinct almost flight or fight response activation, even though it has been improved.

Thus, the goal is to identify:
1) The D3 serum level (25-hydroxy-vitamin D) where POIS symptoms (and food sensitivitiy symptoms) begin worstening (the current serum level at the time I am posting this, which will be tested tomorrow 2/07/24)
2) The D3 serum level (25-hydroxy-vitamin D) that provides the highest amount of relief from POIS symptoms that is also safe (a bit trickier to identify because you don't really know the potential of D3 until you max it out at 150ng/mL at least, but this is dangerous without medical supervision... the optimal safe and plateu point is probably somewhere between 50-70ng/mL)

The idea would then be to establish a consistent dosing schedule that keeps you in safe optimal range. This would optimise immune's response to POIS (permanently keeping symptoms in optimal line) while not increasing your risk of hypercalcemia and other hyper-D3 side-effects (as the serum levels are controlled and won't go above X high risk level).

[Warrior]

Raw garlic and fenugreek continue working to fix my food sensitivity induced tinnitus. I've been having a break from SAMe, but all of these (SAMe, fenugreek, and garlic) all work very well on the tinnitus symptoms of my POIS food sensitivities. Also a boost in energy and clarity from the raw garlic and fenugreek.

The effects of SAMe has definitely diminished compared to when I first took it unfortunately. When I first took SAMe, it is as if it completely cured me of POIS and food sensitivities for a few weeks. It was astonishing. Even after trying a tonne of different methylation nutrients, nothing seemed to fix the inevitable homeostatic return to symptoms it seems. It has continued to provide a permanent relief of my POIS symptoms, and when I stop taking it for a while I do notice a difference, but it doesn't perfectly alleviate all symptoms like it did for those first 3-4 weeks, which was an absolute dreeam.

Today when I take SAMe daily, it seems like the need for garlic and fenugreek goes down drastically. As if it is somehow fixing or at least helping the body to fix whatever is causing the tinnitus, so the garlic and fenugreek are no longer needed in those instances.

Regardless, raw garlic, fenugreek, and SAMe all have beneficial effects on my POIS / food sensitivity. Hard to pinpoint exactly how all of these work & what symptoms exactly each one helps with because there is so much overlap and synergy taking place.

[Warrior]

I think I may have downplayed the importance of timing fenugreek and garlic before or immediately after release. Probs lost the picture and became too complacent amongst testing a billion other things. Double checking this next time. I could be wrong, but want to double check so adding to the todo.

I remember in the past when I first tried fenugreek and garlic (of which I would time correctly to release) I distinctively remember the first time I tried it I woke up with energy in the body, not feeling like I was sunk into my bed (which does go away faster these days), but I do think it may be because I've more treated the fenugreek and garlic on an 'as needed' basis since discovering the SAMe...  but now I'm thinking I may have been downplaying its importance, especially regarding timing.

Everything in my stack synergistically works to fix my POIS in different ways. The diet is to reduce the inflammatory load from the leaky gut thats temporarily caused from POIS. But it may even be possible that the fenugreek and garlic somehow inhibit the POIS cascade from occuring all together when timed correctly. Something I need to experiment with again that I may have forgotten while testing other variables.

The way my method works may look something like this (take with a grain of salt if your reading this, its mostly for my documentation purposes):

1. Inhibit POIS cascade via fenugreek & garlic. SAMe also appeared to perfectly inhibit cascade, but only worked temporarily for a few weeks (though still provided a significant improvement overall to symptom intensity to this very date)

2. If POIS cascade does occur (fenugreek & garlic arent timed correctly/SAMe stopped working fully), inflammatory storm occurs:
* Gut becomes leaky and thus AB diet is best solution during this time period. Food sensitivities go after after 1.5-2 weeks or so.
* Significant immune response requires high D3 serum to optimally combat POIS problem (>=50ng/mL at least - still being tested)
* POIS inflammation appears to deplete methylation nutrients, so B complex and SAMe are beneficial
* POIS depletes important micronutrients, eggs and red meat are beneficial

Edit: nevermind, doesn't seem to impact much regarding timing. Can still be beneficial to take tho, but doesn't appear to be much of a difference regarding timing.

[Warrior]

Turns out I'm pretty sure that my B complex has been giving me social apathy/anhedonia like symptoms. Ever since I've taken a break from it (many weeks now), I haven't ran into any social apathy issues, even while releasing. It might be a dosage frequency thing and also combining it with eggs might just be too many methyl nutrients at once. I initially thought that eggs were giving me social apathy, but this only seems to occur when I was taking the B complex frequently, so probably an overload of certain nutrients.

With that being said, I've also noticed a fairly moderate increase in brainfog since stopping it. I deliberately stopped it for a while because I don't think having chronic highly elevated B vitamins is probably good for you long-term, even though they are water soluble. They're probably depleting other nutrients as well when the levels are out of a natural range.

Seeking Health's 'methyl free' B complex would be good to try, but I don't tolerate folinic acid well it seems. So will try Nature's Own Super B complex which is methyl free (non-active) and it's also lower dosed then the Ultra B 150 Forte that I've been taking, which I think is safer for the body long-term.

Edit: Tried Nature's Own Super B Complex this morning (I bought it a year or two ago so I just tried it from my collection), and it just doesn't give me as much clarity as the Ultra B 150 Forte. Definitely an improvement, but not as good. Unfortunately though, the Ultra B 150 Forte seems to worsten my social apathy. Maybe I will limit the dosages to twice a week.

[Warrior]

I've noticed quite a few times now that whenever I may have lingering mild symptoms (days 0-3) post release, I always feel significantly better after doing some kind of physical labour. I noticed this with my old warehouse job (simply going to work and finishing the day a lot clearer) and labouring job. Breathing, lifting, and moving seem to be very good for POIS recovery. Getting out and about. It's common sense really but just wanted to write this in here as it can be overlooked. Compare this to sitting down and being sedentary. Can make a big difference I've noticed on multiple occaisions.

[Warrior]

I think the B complex I've been taking for quite some time now has been giving my social apathy, and I didn't realise it. This is the danger of taking supplements religiously without breaks. I've learnt it's always a good idea to have breaks from supplements just to be sure that none of them are effecting you negatively.

Having removed it from my stack for a while now to take a break, I no longer experience apathy or anhedonia, even from eating normal foods. I still do experience body aches and some amount of mood disturbances sometimes from food. It can vary quite a lot, but I don't actually experience apathy or anhedonia. Usually it's a feeling of my nervous system becoming activated (like heightened anxiety or I'm more on edge then usual), which seems to dissipate after an hour or two if it does arise.

I don't really take any supplements religiously now. I just keep an eye on my protocol in general, and if I see symptoms getting worst over time, I refer back to my stack and decide which nutrient I might be low on i.e., B vitamins, SAMe, or D3... I of course will always keep a good eye on D3 serum levels for the forseeable future as well, whne getting bloods done.

I haven't found a replacement B complex yet for this 150 B forte thats giving me apathy. I get very strong anhedonia from active/methylated B vitamins, so maybe the methyl B12 in this B complex is the culprit, who knows. So at the moment, my B vitamin stack is basically non existent lol. I have definitely seen the increase in brainfog since stopping it, but the fog is certainly exasterbated when eating foods I get a reaction to. Overall tho it aint that bad, and I feel better without it but long-term would be on the look out for a decent replacement.

I think I have been conflating those apathy symptoms with POIS, when really they were caused by the B complex.

[Warrior]

Zinc supplementation may be improving my food sensitivities. Need to inquire deeper into this. May also be why I feel so good when eating red meat.

[Muon]

Have you tried Aspirin for POIS?

[Warrior]

Have you tried Aspirin for POIS?

Nah, but was planning on trying some pharmeceuticals purely to understand what may be going on with the inflammatory pathways.

[Warrior]

Immune Therapy Retreat Experience & Immune Stack (Post Work in Progress)

Medical Disclaimer:
This information is for personal documentation purposes only, not medical advice. The author is not a healthcare professional. Readers should conduct independent research, consult a qualified specialist knowledgeable about POIS, and exercise personal judgment before taking any action. Use this information at your own risk.

Bee Venom Disclaimer:
This post contains information about my experience with bee venom therapy. Bee venom therapy is not without risk and can be deadly. Always consult with an informed GP and apitherapist if you decide to explore this therapy.

Please take the above cautions seriously. Much of this protocol is experimentative in the pursuit to cure my own POIS. This post is really for my own personal documentation purposes, but I think others may also find it useful for collecting ideas for their own immune therapy. Many of these risks can be averted with common sense, regular pathology testing, and medical specialist oversight, but ultimately undergoing this protocol still carries risk like anything else in life.

Overview
I went to a 5-day immune therapy retreat, which included a bunch of different therapies. I also took many of my existing immune supplements for an extra push and support.

5-day Immune Therapy Retreat (22nd-27th July 2024):
––Bee sting therapy (began slowly and built up to 12 stings on the 4th day). I worked with an experienced apitherapist to deliberately target my prostate, perineum, back of the head (targetting the trigeminal nerve), and key acupuncture points. Yes the perineum was painful.
––Photodynamic therapy to kill potential aberrant cells around my prostate, base of the penis, and perineum. I took a strong Chinese antioxidant drink (sea buckthorn, mulberry, black plum, perilla, dandelion, wolfberry, honey suckle, and citric acid, sodium citrate) spread across 4 days to help with detoxification.
––Vitamin C IV (Did this once on the 3rd day or so. Didn't feel any different, but was good to get done.)
––Electromagnetic acupuncture
––Ozone therapy w/ ozone sauna and water

*For any aussies reading this, the retreat is in Cooma, NSW. Happy to give you the details if you're interested!

Supplements:
I have highlighted in green what I think are the most important supplements for a comprehensive immune stack, based on Nanna1's ICT and my own functional medicine specialist's recommendations. I took these to give my body and immune system an extra push during the retreat.

––D3 21,000iu & D3 co-factors (K2 2mg & magnesium elemental 400mg) Warning: 21,000iu is a high dose of D3. This is not advisable long-term without regular pathology testing and medical oversight. For more info, you can learn about the Coimbra protocol & other online high dose D3 therapies. Ultimately you want to get your D3 serum to at least 50-70ng/mL. Vitamin D3 wiki is another useful resource.
––Vitamin C 0.5-2g -> megadosing, ideally buffered, liposomal, or IV. (Nanna1 megadosed vitamin C in his ICT to maximise symptoms. Choline in liposomal makes me feel a bit weird and eery.)
––Zinc 40mg (Caution: not advisable to take daily long-term, especially without copper. Zinc to copper ratio is important.)
––NAC 2g (Immune juggernaut, excellent for breaking down biofilms, and backed by a tonne of research. 2g spread throughout the day and taken for 5-10 days is enough to break down biofilms. Caution: Can cause anhedonia, deplete vital minerals, and other side-effects with long-term usage. I feel more comfortable pulsing NAC e.g., 5-10 days on, then take a break, etc. GlyNAC may also be useful.)
––Immuno Complex by Quality of Life (notably the Andrographis & AHCC) recommended by Nanna1 *My AHCC actually ran out on the 3rd day, taking 1 per day.
––Beta-glucan 1-3g
––Propolis 1g
––Monolaurin 1-3g

*Increase dosages (safely) to maximise symptoms until they clear, which is a strategy Nanna1 utilised in his ICT to clear individual POIS symptoms.

––Glutathione 500mg (NAC, regular glutathione, liposomal glutathione, & glutathione IV are all options with different rates of effectiveness per individual.)
––Cordyceps 1-2 capsules (brand quality is important for medicinal muchrooms. I bought mine from Oriveda. I'd focus on getting Nanna1's recommended AHCC over cordyceps for an immune stack. These are expensive and I won't personally be buying them again, unless I realise an obvious benefit in hindsight.)
––IgG by MicrobiomeLabs 1-2 pills
––Royal jelly 2-4 pills (contains spermidine)
––Clove, echinacea, and turmeric blend for anti-fungal 2-4 pills (only actually began this on day 5 as we were contemplating a potential fungal cause of POIS)
––Ginger and cinnamon 2-4 pills
––Raw garlic and fenugreek
––Schisandra

Custom Made TCM Herb Mixture by Chinese Doctor (Yin Deficiency):
Boiled in pot of water, and drank a few cups daily
––Anemarrhena Asphodeloides 15g
––Phellodendron amurense 15g
––Alisma orientalis 15g
––Poria cocos 20g
––Danpi 10g
––Rehmannia 20g
––Chinese yam 20g
––Asiatic cornelian cherry fruit 20g
––Practitioner added extra fenugreek

Probiotics:
––MegaSporeBiotic by MicrobiomeLabs
––Probiotic drink

Effectiveness:
I will evaluate the effectiveness of this treatment over time. It's too early to tell yet and I wanted to document everything here early so I don't forget the details, especially if this does turn out to be very effective long-term. I do believe I am seeing improvements but I have no idea whether thats from my supplements, the immune therapies I explored on the retreat, or perhaps a combination of both. I plan on running an immune therapy stack longer term, but need to decide what is actually intelligent, safe, and convenient to take long-term. I think this immune therapy process should be intuitive.

Bee venom therapy is a practice from traditional chinese medicine (TCM) which is still practiced today in Chinese hospitals for a range of different medical conditions. I will update this page at some point with good resources to learn more about it.

Why immune therapy?
I think we have a plethora of evidence now to suggest that the cause of POIS is most likely pathogenic in nature. Of the small amount of people who have successfully cured their POIS, it is mostly from treatments that involve the immune system or killing something. Think antibiotics, Nanna1's immune competence therapy, probiotic and dietary interventions, etc. These all relate to the immune system and clearing some kind of infection. I also have chronically low neutrophils (neutropenia), which btw we've seen in many other POIS patients. This can be indicative of some kind of chronic infection. When you haven't actually identified what needs killing (the lack of medical research and information around POIS), then immune therapies are probably the safest way to take care of these unknown infections. Build up the innate immune system to take care of the issue on it's own. Traditional medicine have been doing this for thousands of years. They of course never had pathology.

[Warrior]

Megadosing vitamin C is something I have definitely overlooked in my explorations for immune therapies. Researching now.

This stuff is just too exciting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXjrl5PKNgE

Nanna1 also spoke about megadosing vitamin C in his ICT: https://poiscenter.com/forums/index.php?topic=3151.msg33167#msg33167

I believe he did that orally, although he also recommended the IV. The IV is not going to be convenient for most people here. Megadosing oral vitamin C is still a good therapy to explore, in addition to other immune therapies.

[Warrior]

I mentioned in the past that either monolaurin or AHCC was improving my symptoms, but couldn't figure out which one. When I isolated them, they didn't seem to be as effective. Well I've ran out of AHCC, but took some routine monolaurin alongside some propolis, clove, echinacea, turmeric, and royal jelly. I was experiencing some mild symptoms from a non AB dinner I just ate, especially brainfog. Felt a huge improvement in clarity immediately after having these. Something is definitely working at the immune/pathogenic level when it comes to this killers. They seem to work best when taken in combination with each other i.e., NAC, monolaurin, AND propolis, etc.

The main goal of my immune stack and therapy is to clear whatever is causing POIS, but it does seem so that some of these immune supplements do offer immediate relief of my symptoms. Whether it's worth isolating them and identifying exactly which combinations are most effective is probably a waste of time at this point as the main goal is to clear POIS (and food sensitivities) permanently (which is probably going to require a holistic immune stack of supplements/therapies which do not necessarily offer immediate relief).

Old post for reference:

Continuing to have some pretty profound results from Monolaurin. I am surprised this hasn't been spoken about more on here or at the subreddit.

It is a potent anti-viral, is relatively cheap and fairly safe (you still need to use it responsibly). I am eating normal food and it's wiping away my sensitivities. It's still very early, but extremely promising results thus far and would recommend others give it a go.

My approach now is very focused on anti-viral/anti-bacterial, infection related. Still taking many Nanna1 and immune supplements (cycling many).

Monolaurin dosage guide: https://www.monolaurinandmore.com/monolaurin-dosage

How does Monolaurin work?
Monolaurin research suggests it is able to inactivate lipid-coated viruses such as herpes, cytomegalovirus, influenza, and various pathogenic bacteria and protozoa in lab settings [Ref #1, 2, 3, 11, 12].

Monolaurin purportedly works by binding to the lipid-protein envelope of the virus, thereby preventing it from attaching and entering host cells, making infection and replication impossible [Ref #2]. Other studies suggest that monolaurin disintegrates the protective viral envelope, killing the virus [Ref #13].

Monolaurin has Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) status and is considered to be nontoxic. It is effective against
many microorganisms and can be taken on a daily basis, given
that evidence suggests it does not create antiviral or antibacterial resistance.
The general recommended adult dose of monolaurin is 1–3 g.
Higher amounts can be used to achieve desired results if necessary. It is safe for children (ages 3–10) with the recommended
dose being smaller—30 mg, one to three times per day. Monolaurin is available as minipellets that should be swallowed and not
chewed.19

[Warrior]

The immune stack is definitely working better then my previous original method. In hindsight, my original method's purpose worked to improve symptoms by replenishing the body of lost nutrients from the chronic inflammation (methylation, vitamin B's, SAMe, D3) and to stop throwing fuel on the fire of a leaky gut (animal-based). A leaky gut seems to react to almost ALL plant foods, but once it seals up, all sensitivies dissappear (as is the case when I abstain - the systemic inflammation from POIS goes away and my gut seals up again).

I don't really know exactly what's working within the immune stack as I am just taking a bunch of different things, but I've released a few times in a short period now and am getting some very strong repeatable results, much better then my original method because this seems to be stopping the systemic inflammation alltogether (or at least improving it to prevent the typical POIS recovery period & systemic leaky gut), making my gut significantly less leaky and thus improving my food sensitivities.

Immune stack -> primes immune system & kills (at the very least - temporarily) problematic pathogens related to POIS -> stops systemic inflammation -> no POIS symptoms or gut leakyness -> can eat normal foods just fine

At the moment if I go off the immune stack, my symptoms do appear to be in full swing still. It's a huge difference.

The ultimate goal of the immune stack is really to work as a therapy to clear the problematic pathogens causing POIS, just as Nanna1 described in his ICT thread. I can't say this for everyone, but for my own case of POIS, it's very clear that problematic pathogens are causing my POIS. My case seems to be almost identical to Nanna1's (with differences in symptoms), especially as we both have/had neutropenia from POIS.

When I megadose vitamin C orally, I experience immune stimulation (body aches and a sore throat). So I am simply just following the lead of Nanna1 with using many of these immune supplements therapeutically. I truly do believe this is the way to cure my POIS.

I also don't think taking an immune stack in low quantities (like I did in the past), even if daily, will resolve POIS. You need something more powerful and intense like megadosing vitamin C as opposed to 1mg of vitamin C. Follow what stimulates your immune activity, and push it. Obviously all with common sense (safety) and a bit of intuition. For AHCC, rather than taking 1 pill daily, best to set aside half a day and just experiment with the dosages. Does 1, 2, 3 or 6 g stimulate your immune system? Etc. This is the approach Nanna1 casually talks about in his ICT thread, but he doesn't actually lay it out in the protocol. I think this is paramount for this kind of treatment to work.

[Warrior]

Asked Claude AI: "Which nutrients are best for helping the body to clear chronic infections?"

- Vitamin C: Supports various cellular functions of the immune system.
- Vitamin D: Modulates innate and adaptive immune responses.
- Zinc: Critical for normal development and function of immune cells.
- Selenium: Important for optimal immune response.
- Vitamin A: Helps maintain mucosal barriers and supports immune cell function.
- Omega-3 fatty acids: May help resolve inflammation and support immune function.
- N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC): Precursor to glutathione, may support detoxification and immune function.
- Iron: Essential for proper immune cell function, though supplementation should be carefully monitored.
- Vitamin E: Acts as an antioxidant and may enhance T cell function.
- Probiotics: Can support gut health and potentially modulate immune responses.
- Quercetin: A flavonoid with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that may enhance immune function.
- Curcumin: The active compound in turmeric, known for its anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects.
- Berberine: An alkaloid compound with antimicrobial properties found in several plants.
- Glutamine: An amino acid that serves as fuel for immune cells and helps maintain gut barrier function.
- Arginine: Another amino acid that may enhance T-cell function and wound healing.
- Beta-glucans: Found in mushrooms and yeasts, they can stimulate innate immune responses.
- Colostrum: Rich in immunoglobulins and growth factors, it may support immune function.
- Echinacea: An herb that may stimulate the immune system, though evidence is mixed.
- Garlic: Contains allicin, which has antimicrobial properties.
- Green tea catechins: May have antimicrobial and immunomodulatory effects.
1. Melatonin: Beyond its role in sleep regulation, melatonin has immunomodulatory and antioxidant properties.
2. Resveratrol: Found in grapes and berries, it may have anti-inflammatory and immune-supporting effects.
3. Lactoferrin: An iron-binding protein with antimicrobial and immunomodulatory properties.
4. Alpha-lipoic acid: A potent antioxidant that may support mitochondrial function and immune health.
5. Coenzyme Q10: Important for cellular energy production and may support immune function.
6. Sulforaphane: Found in cruciferous vegetables, it may enhance antioxidant defenses and support detoxification.
7. Olive leaf extract: Contains oleuropein, which has shown antimicrobial properties in some studies.
8. Ginger: Contains compounds with anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects.
9. Lysine: An amino acid that may be particularly helpful in managing herpes virus infections.
10. Mannose: A sugar that may help prevent urinary tract infections by inhibiting bacterial adherence.

Additional considerations in managing chronic infections:

- Biofilm disruptors: Compounds like NAC, EDTA, or enzymes that may help break down bacterial biofilms.
- Mitochondrial support: As chronic infections can impact cellular energy production.
- Addressing co-infections: Often, chronic infections involve multiple pathogens.
- Managing oxidative stress: Through both nutritional and lifestyle interventions.
- Supporting detoxification pathways: To help manage the burden of endotoxins and exotoxins.
- Considering the gut-immune axis: Supporting gut health may indirectly benefit overall immune function.

"What are the most potent, powerful, and big-picture?"
When considering the most potent, powerful, and big-picture approaches for addressing chronic infections, several key elements stand out:

1. Vitamin D: Its profound effects on immune modulation and overall health make it a cornerstone of immune support.
2. Zinc: Critical for multiple aspects of immune function and often depleted in chronic conditions.
3. N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC): As a precursor to glutathione and a biofilm disruptor, it addresses multiple aspects of infection management.
4. Omega-3 fatty acids: Their anti-inflammatory effects and role in resolving inflammation are crucial for long-term health.
5. Probiotics/Gut health support: Given the integral role of the gut in immune function, this is a foundational aspect of treatment.
6. Curcumin: Its broad anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects make it a powerful adjunct.
7. Quercetin: Offers antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and potential antiviral properties.
8. Melatonin: Beyond sleep regulation, its antioxidant and immunomodulatory roles are increasingly recognized as important.
9. Mitochondrial support (e.g., CoQ10, alpha-lipoic acid): Addressing cellular energy production is crucial for overall resilience.
10. Vitamin C: Its role in immune function and as an antioxidant makes it a key player, especially in high doses.

These elements are considered powerful because they:

- Address multiple aspects of immune function and overall health
- Have broad-spectrum effects that can benefit various types of infections
- Offer synergistic effects when combined
- Support the body's intrinsic healing mechanisms rather than just targeting pathogens

Most importantly, what are the therapeutic dosages?

**What are therapeutic dosages?**

- Vitamin D:
    - 5,000-10,000 IU daily, with monitoring of blood levels
    - Target serum level: 50-80 ng/mL
- Zinc:
    - 30-50 mg elemental zinc daily
    - Higher doses (up to 75-100 mg) for short periods during acute phases
- N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC):
    - 600-1800 mg daily, divided into 2-3 doses
- Omega-3 fatty acids:
    - 2-4 g of combined EPA/DHA daily
- Curcumin:
    - 500-1500 mg daily of bioavailable forms (e.g., with piperine or as phytosome)
- Quercetin:
    - 500-1000 mg daily
- Melatonin:
    - 3-20 mg at bedtime (higher doses are sometimes used in specific protocols)
- Coenzyme Q10:
    - 100-300 mg daily
- Alpha-lipoic acid:
    - 300-600 mg daily
- Vitamin C:
    - 1-3 g daily, divided doses
    - Some protocols use much higher doses (10-20 g or more) intravenously

**Clearing chronic infections?**

- Vitamin C:
    - IV therapy: 25-75 g per session, 2-3 times weekly
    - Oral: Up to bowel tolerance, often 4-10 g daily in divided doses
- Vitamin D:
    - Loading dose: 50,000 IU daily for 5-7 days
    - Maintenance: 10,000-20,000 IU daily
    - Monitor blood levels closely, aiming for 70-100 ng/mL
- Zinc:
    - 75-100 mg daily for 1-2 weeks, then reduce to 30-50 mg
    - Often combined with 1-2 mg of copper for balance
- N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC):
    - 1800-2400 mg daily in divided doses
- Quercetin:
    - 1000-3000 mg daily in divided doses
- Berberine:
    - 1000-1500 mg daily in divided doses
- Artemisinin (for certain parasitic infections):
    - 200-400 mg twice daily, often used in cycles
- Olive Leaf Extract:
    - 1000-1500 mg daily (standardized to 20% oleuropein)
- Allicin (from garlic):
    - 600-1200 mg daily
- Colloidal Silver (controversial, use with caution):
    - 1-2 teaspoons of 10-30 ppm solution, 1-3 times daily

[Warrior]

Interesting resouce on Vitamin C Q/A: https://orthomolecular.org/resources/omns/v14n12.shtml

How much vitamin C should I take?
 "The amount of oral ascorbic acid (vitamin C) tolerated by a patient without producing diarrhea (loose bowels) increases somewhat proportionately to the stress or toxicity of his disease" and "stressful conditions of any kind greatly increase utilization of vitamin C." In other words, the sicker or more stressed you are, the more vitamin C you will "hold" before getting to saturation (bowel tolerance). Bowel tolerance is indicated by gas, a rumbling stomach, or slightly loose stool.

I have an infection. What can I do?
Whenever "infection" or "-itis" is part of my doctor's diagnosis, I take saturation level (bowel tolerance) vitamin C until the infection is gone. In high doses, vitamin C works like an antibiotic, antiviral, antihistamine, and antipyretic (fever reducer) without the possible dangerous side effects of pharmaceutical drugs. So, if my doctor hands me a prescription for any of these, I go home and take saturation-level doses of vitamin C instead until my symptoms go away. As my dad Andrew Saul says, "Take enough C to be symptom free whatever the amount may be." I know I can always go fill the doctor's prescription, but I am much more comfortable trying a safe, essential vitamin first.

Claude AI on lipsomal vitamin C versus regular vitamin C:

Bowel tolerance primarily applies to regular (non-liposomal) vitamin C.
As doses increase, less is absorbed through the intestinal transporters, and more remains in the gut, potentially causing osmotic diarrhea.

Liposomal vitamin C is designed to bypass the typical intestinal absorption limitations.
The liposomes protect the vitamin C, allowing it to be absorbed differently - potentially through the lymphatic system or by fusion with cell membranes.
This mechanism may indeed allow liposomal vitamin C to surpass the typical bowel tolerance limits.

[Warrior]

So far I think I've also undervalued probiotics and prebiotics.

I used to take kefir but didn't stick with it for long enough.

Going to begin a probiotic section of the immune therapy: raw kefir, saurakraut, & megasporebiotic (of which i have been taking this megasporebiotic for a while, but want to add in kefir, saurkraut, and make sure I'm hitting prebiotics daily which I've probably neglected). I think a solid variety of probiotics will go a long way in an immune therapy. The trick to probiotics is finding the right ones for you, which is obviously tricky. But they're out there.

1. Boost immune system by optimising the classic immune nutrients: D3 serum to 70ng/mL, vitamin C megadosing to bowel tolerance, NAC, & direct glutathione (acetyl glutathione). These are definitely the most important, but others may also include zinc, selenium, glutatmine, melatonin, etc. I also have a POIS friend I met through my YT channel, he has a lot of success with glutathione IV if you can afford it.

2. Stimulate long-term immune activity through immunostimulant herbs including AHCC, andrographis, beta-glucans, medicine mushrooms, etc.

3. Inhibit POIS infections through benign antimicrobials. It's very difficult to identify exactly what pathogens are causing POIS. Using antibiotics for POIS is dangerous and risky without being able to identify what you are killing. Thus, I think testing a wide range of somewhat benign natural antimicrobials for immediate POIS symptoms is useful. For example, raw garlic, monolaurin, propolis, cordyceps, etc. Pathogens also often have biofilms which is why perhaps certain combinations of antimicrobials work better than when administered alone.

3. Smash the gut microbiome with new beneficial bacteria and the corresponding prebiotics for it to feed: raw fermented kefir, raw fermented sauerkraut, megasporebiotic probiotic, & any other good probiotics you can grab ahold of. Larger variety, probably the better. Will be researching this more.

[Warrior]

Officially retiring my B complex (Nature's Own Ultra B 150 Forte). I think it no longer serves me and is unecessary. It still helps me in certain ways, but unfortunately makes me socially apathetic, which I confused for while as POIS symptoms.

Methylation nutrients are still very powerful for POIS. From here on, I will continue to supplement the most important onces (when needed) which have seemingly worked very well for me. I usually only take methyl nutrients 1-2x per week these days:

--B12 (methylcobalamin), Folate (folic acid), & B6
--Choline (by eating eggs)
--SAMe

I now need to confirm at some point that none of these actually cause me the side-effects I was experiencing when taking the B complex. This is why it's just so important to take breaks with supplements lol.

Also it's worth mentioning, whenever I stop taking methyl donors for a while, my tinnitus gets much much more worst. The only fix I have found to my tinnitus is methyl donors (B complex, SAMe etc)