Creatine

[The_Eye]

So last month I've been experimenting with some supplements, I took Damiana, Pygeum and Muira Punia . Couldn't notice any changes, for better or for worse.

2 days ago I saw Creatine at a friend's, and took one scoop. That night when masturbating I experienced a major libido boost and I felt a small orgasm .

I was also cranky af and my heart was pounding faster, so I was also a bit scared tbh.... was wondering if anybody tried Creatine as a regular supplement, in small doses...

[Determined-Mind]

Thanks for your feedback, it's interesting.

I noted that creatine could theoretically be interesting for sexual aspects and anhedonia, because:

Groups defined by the Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale also displayed differential relationship between Glutamine/Glutamate and levels of anhedonia, predominantly driven by Glutamine/total Creatine. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31202822/

Glutamate, glutamine, and creatine levels were decreased in the mPFC of SPS rats when compared to controls, which suggests decreased excitatory tone in this region. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20546834/

Based on the few studies available, it may be that taking creatine and glutamine could be beneficial for our symptoms. But after searching the PSSD community on the internet, I haven't seen anyone claiming improvements by taking these substances (maybe nobody takes them together).

When you say "libido", does that mean emotional excitements, genital pleasure sensations or sexual desire?

Do you usually feel genital numbness (no perception of hot, cold or physical contact)?

An absence of sensations of sexual pleasure?

Out of 10, how was your experience with orgasm? Out of 10, what is your usual experience?

When you took creatine, were you still taking Damiana, Pygeum and Muira Puama?

If so, at what dose? Every day? All three at the same time?

I doubt that creatine alone in small doses can be effective. That's why I'm asking you if you're continuing to take your other supplements, because it's possible that a synergistic effect is occurring between all the substances.

[garycooper]

I take creatine regularly but have never experienced such relief.

Was it pure creatine? Sometimes creatine is mixed with other ingredients. It might be those ingredients.

[The_Eye]

Thanks for your feedback, it's interesting.

I noted that creatine could theoretically be interesting for sexual aspects and anhedonia, because:

Groups defined by the Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale also displayed differential relationship between Glutamine/Glutamate and levels of anhedonia, predominantly driven by Glutamine/total Creatine. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31202822/

Glutamate, glutamine, and creatine levels were decreased in the mPFC of SPS rats when compared to controls, which suggests decreased excitatory tone in this region. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20546834/

Based on the few studies available, it may be that taking creatine and glutamine could be beneficial for our symptoms. But after searching the PSSD community on the internet, I haven't seen anyone claiming improvements by taking these substances (maybe nobody takes them together).

When you say "libido", does that mean emotional excitements, genital pleasure sensations or sexual desire?

Do you usually feel genital numbness (no perception of hot, cold or physical contact)?

An absence of sensations of sexual pleasure?

Out of 10, how was your experience with orgasm? Out of 10, what is your usual experience?

When you took creatine, were you still taking Damiana, Pygeum and Muira Puama?

If so, at what dose? Every day? All three at the same time?

I doubt that creatine alone in small doses can be effective. That's why I'm asking you if you're continuing to take your other supplements, because it's possible that a synergistic effect is occurring between all the substances.

Well what has been missing, with me, is penile sensation and orgasm. I mean I can have sex and, with great concentration, come in 5 minutes, but I don't feel the rush of pleasure to my head.

The day I took creatine I was very horny and felt a small rush of pleasure to my head.

Still numb penis tho.

I also felt very aggressive and masculine, even too much, I wonder if it messed with DHT.

I was still taking Damiana, which by itself does nothing to me , 3g x day.

[Determined-Mind]

That's really interesting. If you decide to continue taking 3 g of damiana and add creatine to your diet, keep us posted!

In my opinion, mixtures are more likely to work than substances alone.

For pleasure, it might be interesting to try fenugreek (it's one of the few known plants that could modulate oxytocin and several people have reported sexual enhancements - read 4 testimonials).

There are also some reports of increased sensations with several grams of Maca (6 testimonials)

I also think that Black Cohost could be a good match as it acts on mu opioids :

Twelve weeks of treatment with Black Cohosh Root and Rhizome (Remifemin 20 mg) twice daily with meals : there were significant increases in μ-opioid receptor binding potential (BP) in the posterior and subgenual cingulate, temporal and orbitofrontal cortex, thalamus and nucleus accumbens ranging from 10% to 61 % across regions - brain regions involved in emotional and cognitive function (scientific paper with PET Neuroimaging Studies : https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2915573/).

Moringa Oleifera also seems interesting: it's one of the few plants I've found to modulate melanocortin 4 (which is also modulated by the drug Vyleesi - bremelanotide). This plant is also known to have an action on mu opioids (scientific study).

Otherwise the two other plants that seem to be successful in the PSSD community for sensations of pleasure are :
- Tongkat ali - Eurycoma longifolia : I found 6 testimonials reporting improvements
- Ginkgo Biloba - read here 10 testimonials

Otherwise I have also read some interesting testimonials for sexual pleasure with :
- Hops (4 testimonials)
- Schisandra chinensis (4 testimonials)

I've also read some interesting reports here and Reddit for numbness through the use of genital cream like Man 1 Man oil

Personally, I'm about to receive Nivea Q10+ cream, which costs less and has two interesting active ingredients (carnitine and CoQ10).

[Determined-Mind]

According to the reports I've read on Damiana (6 testimonials), it seems to act on dopamine (unfortunately I haven't found anything about its mechanism of action in the scientific literature).

This may explain why you felt "masculine/aggressive". In my opinion, creatine is interacting with Damiana!

[Determined-Mind]

By the way, if you still have Muira Puama in your cupboards, it could be a good addition - this plant acts on dopamine (but maybe you should reduce your dose of Damiana, it's a lot 3g).

[The_Eye]

Well that's a possibility, I will experiment and let you know.
Btw, for the record I tried
-Schisandra, Hops, Fenugreek,Ginkgo Biloba, Wellbutrin,
L-Acetyl Carnitine, Choline

they all did nothing for my sensation. But fenugreek smells really funny lol .

That cream looks promising !!

[Determined-Mind]

You've tried a lot! Did you try them alone or in combination? What dosage?

I often notice that people who write about the benefits of herbs taken alone take high dosages (much higher than the doses recommended by supplement sellers).

For example, I saw one person take 1.8g of hops/day for 2 weeks and claim to have obtained pleasure benefits. But the brands don't recommend more than 600 mg/day.

I've also seen other people report benefits with 3g of damiana. But I have the impression that the brands say not to go beyond a gelule which is often dosed between 300 and 500 mg.

I think you can get similar benefits while keeping the plant intake safe by combining several plants at the same time.

For example, if you want an increase in your cerebral dopamine, you can certainly take 3g of damiana, but I think you can get similar benefits with :

In the morning :
- 1 damiana capsule (say 500 mg, Swanson brand),
- 1 dopa mucuna capsule (Now) - 800 mg
- 1 muira puama capsule (Solaray, 300 mg)

(1900 mg substances)

Afternoon :
- 1 dopa mucuna (800 mg)
- 1 muira pumaa (300 mg)

(1200 mg substances)

= 3.1 g of substances / day

With this strategy, you stay within the doses recommended for each plant by the manufacturers, but in my opinion it's safer.

What do I mean by "safe"?
Case in point: we know that taking more than 1g of St. John's Wort a day can cause liver damage. And guess what? No brand recommends taking more than 900 mg of St John's Wort / day.

For Damiana, nobody really seems to know much about this plant. To be on the safe side, it's best to take the recommended quantities.

For creatine, it's really interesting. I just did some more research on this supplement.

Already, creatine is produced by our bodies and we don't really get any significant intake from food.

This substance has demonstrated benefits for traumatized people.

There aren't many studies on creatine yet, but it could play a role in improving cognition.

And as said in my first posts, creatine deficiency has been noted in anhedonic individuals.

"The problem" is that relatively little creatine is able to pass into the brain.

A study writes:

"It appears that brain creatine responds to supplementation, but higher or more prolonged dosing strategies than those typically used to increase muscle creatine may be required to induce an increase in brain creatine."

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30086660/

It may therefore be appropriate to try high-dose creatine, such as 20g/day for some days (one study mentions this dose :https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21394604/).

Anyway, I'll be experimenting with creatine myself in the coming months

[The_Eye]

Exactly, I took 20grams of Creatine . But tbh I wouldn't reccomend it. I felt manic.

Regarding Damiana, the brand is Dr Giorgini and it states "max 15 tabs x day" iirc.

I've tried many, many other supplements btw....