Oh man sorry to hear that. Did you come back to baseline? I’m trying arginine for mental sides. Was planning to try gycline but may reconsider. To be honest, nothing really improves my visual/mental sides and nothing really makes it worse. It’s pretty much stayed the same since I crashed (taking three pills).
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Exacerbation of symptoms. I actually took Bentain Anhydrous which is Trimethylglycine. I’ve read that Betaine releases estrogen from cells. Which is a no brainer as to why this worsens me as I believe I have an analogous condition to PFS, but with the estrogen receptor.
For PFS, this release of estrogen could cause negative feedback on the HPTA, resulting in less gonadotropin output, thus less T. Which would initially would make you feel better. However, upon normalization of hormone levels- use your imagination as to what would happen.
Edit: No I did not come back to baseline. It made me permanently worse.
I had forgotten that they changed the ingredients. I believe you are right, I think it was the old formula I was taking. I haven’t taken it in years because the caffeine and other ingredients in it started making my blood pressure go up. Also, the improvements that I had taking the N.O. Explode were not nearly as good as the improvements I’m having now. Refrac period never got closer than 24 hours then, but it was consistent and when it did reset, it was very strong.
As to the present, my working out has been sporadic. I haven’t been consistent like I was years ago. The only thing I am doing is taking the amino acids. Nothing else, not even a vitamin.
@Eric1231 I’ll just take a picture of everything I’m taking when I get a chance. I look for the cheap name brand. I don’t buy the expensive stuff and I try to get pure powders without added ingredients if possible.
Latest update. I’m still taking the 4 acids that I last posted. I missed them yesterday just due to being busy. I really hate being too personal on here but just to give an idea how things are improving, I had sex this morning. My refractory period reset in one hour and I had sex again. It is now afternoon, my refrac period has been reset now for several hours and I could have sex again when I get home. 3 times in a day has never happened since PFS set in. My refrac period used to be (before PFS) about 5-10 minutes, but there are 2 things I have to consider now. I’m nearly 20 yrs older so I’m not a spring chicken anymore. Two, I could possibly have low testosterone which would make it a little weaker, I just haven’t had time to get it checked yet. In saying that, I’m extremely happy with a one hour refrac time.
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@alteredlife, In early August, when you first noticed things were getting better, what exactly were you taking?
-
Which specific amino acids and what were they conjugated with?
(L-Arginine AKG, and L-Citrulline Malate or L-Citrulline AKG?) -
What form were you taking of each?
(pill or powder?) -
How much of each were you taking?
(frequency, and weight or volume?)
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- First week I started off with the Citrulline and Arginine which are raw powders.
- 2nd week I added the Leucine which is raw powder as well.
- 3rd week I added the BCAA’s, powder as well, and the Carnipure/Carnitine which is a pill.
Week one started on August 6th and I stopped all of this on Sept 5th to get ready for my blood test. The only other things I was doing consistently was juicing fresh beets and taking 2 teaspoons of MCT oil daily. I’ve been taking the MCT oil though for a year or two so I’m not attributing it to anything. But, just in case, I consistently take it. I take nothing else, no vitamins, not even really eating healthy. After, the blood test, I finished up the containers of the citrulline and arginine, but haven’t been back on the BCAA’s or carnitine yet.
All 3 blue containers and the Leucine are powder. The Tryptophan, Tyrosine, and Phenylalanine are capsules. The Carnipure/Carnitine and Proline/Lysine are pills.
I saw the biggest improvements when I was on arginine, citrulline, bcaa’s, and carnitine. Any improvements I get so far don’t seem to go away when I discontinue the supplements.
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Thanks for that great info. Could you share what improvements you’ve experienced?
Thanks for responding!
It says “L-Arginine AKG” (alpha-ketoglutarate) on the container. Only pointing this out because nearly all of the amino acids in NO Xplode are conjugated with AKG. Also, AKG has its own metabolic effects and is available as a stand-alone supplement. Fantasizing about possible mechanisms for a moment; a-ketoglutarate is an essential cofactor in a reaction that removes repressive histone modifications from many androgen-AR target genes. Could also be better bioavailability of L-Arginine AKG that makes the difference.
The Citrulline in the picture is raw form. I’ve never seen that before. I tried a 2x/day double the recommended dose of powdered L-Citrulline Malate, which is also supposed to drastically raise L-Arginine, for around a month and it didn’t do squat. Was hoping for at least a minor improvement in erection quality.
Meanwhile, my libido, erections, mood, cognitive ability, and emotional state were doing better than ever since crashing during my time regularly taking NO Xplode. It could have just been coincidence I guess.
Because you were only taking the L-Arginine AKG, Raw Citrulline, Beet Juice, and MCT when you noticed the improvements, I’m surprised you didn’t focus on those for longer before adding/removing items. They could have instigated a lasting positive effect.
So:
1 scoop powdered L-Arginine AKG and 1 scoop Raw Citrulline every day. Also, Beet Juice and MCT oil, if those had any effect.
Yes, I’m only taking the recommended amount, may gradually increase a little in the future and just see what happens. The reason I started adding others though was because when I took the citrulline and arginine for two days the first time and then had the full 3 day recovery, the next week I started out with just those two again and didn’t recover by that Thursday like I did the week before. However, I did notice an improvement. That’s when I just jumped in head first and started researching and adding other things. It’s been a steady improvement since then, that is only taking months, not years. Also, reversing all symptoms, so far.
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Don’t think I replied to you directly but all of my symptoms are reversing. Libido is back and stronger than it’s been in all the years I’ve had this condition. I can have sex multiple times a day. Gynecomastia, best I can tell has nearly completely subsided. Very dry and cracked hands have nearly completely healed. I am purposely using soaps that used to irritate them badly and make them literally bust open and start bleeding within an hour and it doesn’t phaze them now. I sleep better and my brain fog is back to what it used to be. I have had some muscle gains, but haven’t even been working out consistently. The relentless fat that would not go away no matter how much weight I lost has changed some.
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That’s great, thanks for the info.
I’m hearing from a few people that their conditions are improving, this feels like quite a good, hopeful time.
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Glad to hear you’re recovering. Did you experience any muscle sides like wasting?
Also regarding BCAAs, don’t whey powders already provide a spectrum of more than enough of them?
Yup whey protein does contain a lot of beneficial AA
Hey @alteredlife on a side note, are you experiencing any acne issues by taking any of your AA? I have had two massive underground zits on face over the past couple weeks (the painful kind). I suspect its the carnitine since it metabolizes dht more effectively. I dont want to discontinue taking it because it’s been working really well for me.
@Mercked I didn’t have wasting, just muscle atrophy.
There is a lot of things that have AA’s in them. I’ve taken protein powders in the past that never helped me that I was aware of. With not knowing the underlying problem of what PFS does, I don’t trust my body is making them as it is supposed to. So, I am taking pure powder forms (as I can) and getting great results. Also, you don’t know that any supplement like protein powder is giving you enough daily.
@Pete1989 It’s funny you say that. I took the Carnitine Tartrate last night for the first time and woke up this morning with one of those nasty oily zits on my chin. lol
But here is something interesting. I haven’t taken any acids in about two weeks now. Last night my drive was down for the first time since starting this regimen. No big deal, maybe I was just having an off day. Right before I went to bed though, I took citrulline, arginine, tyrosine, phenylalanine, and for the first time carnitine tartrate that I just got in the mail. I woke up in the middle of the night humping my wife’s leg. lol I know, too much info. My drive shot through the roof.
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I definitely share your enthusiasm on the carnitine tartrate, it has produced really positive results. It helped me get my sleep back in order, no more sleep aids no more weed, kicked both a week ago and can fall asleep on demand now. The sexual benefits are obviously a huge plus, the other huge plus is the gains it gives me with regard to working out. Big proponent of carnitine but continuing to use it in moderation because I don’t want to build a tolerance to it
Can I ask how much you’re using, Pete?
I only take 500mg a day.
Pete - is tartrate different than ALCAR?
@Greek I’ve been alternating between 1g and 500mg daily. I cut it out completely on the weekends since I dont work out on the weekend.
@Mcbbould both are very similar however yield slightly different benefits. Everyone I talk to in person who is knowledgeable and educated on the topic of supplements says that carnitine is one of best things you can take. Mind you, those people aren’t in the same position we’re in but it seems to be effective for me nonetheless. To answer your question, read this:
https://www.lifemasterynutrition.com/l-carnitine-tartrate-vs-acetyl-l-carnitine/
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Very informative, thank you. Maybe I’ll add tartrate to my stack as well (article says you can do both). I take about 2 grams of alcar. Also, thanks to @alteredlife suggestion I’ve started taking arginine before workouts and I love the warm tingly feeling it gives me. Not sure if it’s a placebo, but I feel like I can feel the blood flowing to through my body.
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Muscle wasting = muscle atrophy, from what I can see from googling. What symptoms do you experience? I wonder if we might be talking about the same thing.
Do you get general weakness and stiffness, and cramping pain when you try to work out the muscles that are affected by fin like I do? It feels like the muscles in my left arm, left leg and glute need to work twice as hard exerting the same load as my right side. Then they’ll start to ache immediately that feels like DOMS. I get it in my left leg and glute just by squatting my bodyweight. I have trouble flexing those muscles affected as if those fibers are unresponsive and that I cannot recruit them to work properly.