Sex & The Bodybuilder
10 Quickies You Need To Know
1) The Push for More Pleasurable Condoms
Condoms prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, and play an important role in promoting world health. The Gates Foundation, in an attempt to increase condom use, has vowed to fund projects that develop more user-friendly condoms. They have challenged manufacturers to make condoms that transfer more heat and sensation, are easier to apply, don’t break as often, and are more readily available. Decreased pleasure from condom use is the number one reason for unprotected sex in both genders. New condom design should address pleasurable sensations in men and women. (Journal Sexual Medicine, 10:3151-3154, 2013)
2) How Fast Do You Get Hard?
Sudden death is the first symptom in one-third of people with coronary artery disease. Risk factors of heart disease, such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes and physical inactivity, identify only half the people who suffer heart attacks. Sexual problems are also good predictors of heart problems. Several studies found that erectile dysfunction was a good predictor of future heart attack. A study from the University of Florence in Italy found that the rate men can develop an erection— called flaccid penile acceleration— is also a good marker of heart disease. Try to pay better attention to your penis. (Journal Sexual Medicine, October 23, 2013)
3) The Forest Returns
In the heyday of Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor, most women had a healthy bush that signaled men that they were nearing the Promised Land. That changed in the 1990s. Bald became the norm and dense pubes seemed like a throwback to a bygone era. The pendulum is swinging back again. Several popular young porn stars are sporting healthy bushes and the healthy-looking natural look is the rage among urban ingénues. Twenty years ago, shaving pubic hair was scandalous. Now, growing it back again is a statement of independence and daring. Go figure. (The New York Times, December 8, 2013)
4) High Estrogen Levels Linked to Erectile Dysfunction
High blood levels of estrogen often lead to erectile dysfunction and decreased testosterone levels. Japanese researchers, in a study on rats, found that testosterone therapy did not improve the capacity of erections in animals with high estrogen levels. Some testosterone is converted to estrogen in a process called aromatization. Giving testosterone to men with high estrogen will only make the problem worse unless the men are also given drugs to limit aromatization. (International Journal of Impotence Research, 25: 201-205, 2013)
5) Weight-Loss Drinks Improve Sexual Performance
Obesity is linked to poor sexual performance. Obese men often have problems getting and maintaining erections, suffer from depressed sex drive, and are less sexually attractive. Low-calorie weight-loss drinks help people lose weight, so they might improve sexual performance in overweight men. A study from Singapore found that obese men fed meal-replacement drinks for 12 weeks lost weight and abdominal fat and also showed improvements in erectile function, sexual desire, quality of life, testosterone, and blood vessel health. If you are overweight, substituting a meal-replacement beverage for one or two meals per day will improve sexual performance. (International Journal of Impotence Research, published online November 7, 2013)
6) Large Penis Size and Vaginal Orgasms
Vaginal orgasms are more common with deep penetration, which requires a large penis. This finding by Stuart Brody from the University of the West of Scotland has caused a stir among sex scientists. Brody found that stimulation of the clitoris, shallow vagina and deep vagina affect different nerves, which explains the differences in the orgasmic sensations. Women who experienced more satisfying deep vaginal orgasms preferred men with larger penises. Critics counter that if this were true, evolutionary biology would ensure that most women would have vaginal orgasms because of a long-term preference of women for men with large penises. The overemphasis on large penis size comes more from media hype than biological necessity. (Journal of Sexual Medicine, 10:2875-2876, 2013)
7) Men and Women Ogle Women’s Bodies
Women complain that men don’t look at their faces; they look at their breasts and rear ends— a practice that psychologists call objectification. Researchers from University of Nebraska-Lincoln, led by Sarah Gervais, confirmed this. They used eye-tracking technology on college men and women to see where they focused when looking at attractive and unattractive women. When looking at shapely women, members of both sexes first focused on the chest and waist rather than the face. Men ogled women’s bodies more than women. This could be a cultural phenomenon. Our Brazilian friends tell us that admiring a strange woman’s body is perfectly acceptable in their country, while American men risk getting slapped. (Sex Roles, published online November 15, 2015)
8) Men Enjoy Casual Sex More than Women
Hogamus higamous, man is polygamous; higamus hogamous, woman monogamous. Most people agree with this old ditty. It’s no secret that men and women have different sexual mindsets. Billy Crystal summed it up very well in the movie “City Slickers” with this line: “Women need a good reason to have sex with a man; all men need is a place.” Women are sexual beings just like men but their motivations and goals are different. Men see sexual activity as a worthy goal in itself, while women integrate sex with love, emotional intimacy and involvement. A study from the Kinsey Institute at Indiana University found that women were twice as likely to reach orgasm in committed relationships than during casual sex. Much has been said about sexual equality in casual sex hookups. Unfortunately, women aren’t wired that way. (Paper presented at International Academy of Sex Research annual meeting. August 2013)
9) Sexual Casualties in the Emergency Room
Athletes accept injuries as part of playing sports. Sexual Olympians should expect the same thing. Swiss researchers reported statistics on nearly 500 sex-related cases of patients admitted to hospital emergency departments during an 11-year period. Nearly 70 percent of patients were male. Urogenital infections were the most common causes of seeking emergency medical treatment. About 10 percent of the cases were due to traumatic injuries suffered during sex and 12 percent were due to headaches, stroke and temporary amnesia. Only two cases of heart attack were reported during sex. Sexual activity can be dangerous but accounts for only 0.1 percent of emergency room admissions. It can cause joint and muscle injury, heart attack and even brain injury, but like playing sports, sex is worth it! (Emergency Medical Journal, 30: 846-850, 2013)
10) Size Matters for Predicting Heart Attack
Most men take pride in having large cajones. Tony Montana, the gangster played by Al Pacino in “Scarface” said, “All I have in this world is my balls and my word, and I don't break them for no one.” A study from the University of Florence in Italy showed the downside of large testicles— they increase the risk of heart attack. Obesity, smoking, alcohol abuse and elevated levels of luteinizing hormone (control hormone for testosterone), combined with large testicles, increased the risk of heart attack even more. The link between testicle size and heart attack was not strong. Guys with big balls are more likely to die from violence, accidents and doing dumb things. (Journal Sexual Medicine, 10: 2761-2773, 2013)
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