Men are allergic to ejaculation

Von Laura Pomer | Oct 14, 2022 1:07 p.m

Ideally, following the sexual climax, relaxation and an intense sense of well-being should set in. But not in men suffering from POIS syndrome. For them, an ejaculation “takes revenge” with severe flu symptoms and other unwanted physical reactions. A recent study sheds more light on the phenomenon.

There are only around 60 known cases of men who are allergic to their own ejaculation. So it is in the recently published study documentation¹ to read. However, the responsible researchers consider it “more than possible” that the number of unreported cases is significantly higher. This explains Andrew Shanholtzer, a researcher at Oakland University’s William Beaumont School of Medicine and co-author of the study, in an article by the New York Post. Because even many medical institutions would not know regarding the existence of the so-called POIS syndrome. Many of those affected would be misdiagnosed or not diagnosed at all.

POIS syndrome – what is behind it?

POIS syndrome stands for “post-orgasmic illness syndrome”. Those affected experience violent allergic reactions during the sexual climax, more precisely the ejaculation. Some of these are reminiscent of flu symptoms. According to the study, in addition to coughs, runny noses and flare-ups of fever, muscle weakness is also documented, as well as problems with the speech center and memory function.

Also interesting: These are the symptoms of a “sports allergy”

How an allergy to your own seeds can develop

According to Shanholtzer, it is an allergy to one’s own ejaculate. He suspects the cause to be previous infections or injuries in the area of ​​the testicles, which resulted in tiny amounts of sperm entering the bloodstream of those affected. Their organism therefore identifies their own seed as a foreign substance and has trained its immune cells to attack it. As if they were harmful invaders such as viruses.

Case of a 27-year-old as a basis for study

The study specifically focuses on the case of a 27-year-old man from Oakland. He first noticed when he was 18 that something was wrong. After the orgasm, he had a runny nose, sneezed and had to deal with skin rashes. He also reported swollen lymph nodes on his face. The symptoms were the worse, the harder he had ejaculated. But visits to countless doctors would not have brought any clarification.

Only the research team led by Shanholtzer was eventually able to correctly classify his symptoms and now also alleviate them – at least around 90 percent. This was preceded by a series of therapeutic approaches with various antihistamines (= drugs that block the allergy-triggering neurotransmitter histamine). The drug fexofenadine showed the best effect.

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