To libido or not? That is the question. (was: thin or healthy?)

[Guest guest]

I admit SOME of my choices made in a libidinous state have not been my

brightness moments – in fact the complete opposite come to think of it. That

does not mean that ALL my choices have not been positive. I have learned the

hard way to exercise impulse control.

No sexual urge would seem to be indicative of something seriously unhealthy

either medically or psychological. Of course there is too much of a good thing

–it’s unhealthy to be addicted to anything.to

This seems to be one of those QOL choices; however, there might be real health

benefits from sex.

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From the book “The Real Age Diet,” Roizen, MD (ISBN 0060196793)

“The more orgasms you have a year the younger you are. The average

fifty-five-year old American has sex 58 times a year. Increasing the number to

158 through mutually monogamous and safe sex can make your RealAge as much as 8

years younger.” (page 72-73)

From WebMD:

http://webcenter.health.webmd.netscape.com/content/article/85/98532.htm?lastsele\

ctedguid={5FE84E90-BC77-4056-A91C-9531713CA348}

Frequent Ejaculation May Be Good for Prostate

Sexual Activity Doesn't Raise Prostate Cancer Risk, May Have Protective Effects

By Warner

WebMD Medical News Reviewed By , MD

on Tuesday, April 06, 2004

April 6, 2004 -- Frequent ejaculation, whether it happens during sexual

intercourse, masturbation, or a dream, isn't likely to increase men's risk of

prostate cancer. In fact, new research suggests it may have the opposite effect

and help protect the prostate.

Researchers say it's too soon to recommend that men change their sexual habits

in an attempt to lower their prostate cancer risk. However, the study raises

interesting questions about the role of ejaculation and sexual behavior in the

development of prostate cancer.

Previous studies have linked frequent sexual activity to a higher risk of

prostate cancer, but this new, large study found ejaculation frequency was not

associated with prostate cancer risk except in the highest category. Men who

ejaculated most often actually had a 33% lower lifetime risk of prostate cancer,

and this relationship grew stronger as men grew older.

For example, men who reported 21 or more ejaculations per month in their 40s had

a 32% lower risk of prostate cancer later in life compared with those who

reported between four and seven ejaculations per month. Men who reported more

than 21 monthly ejaculations in the previous year had a 51% lower risk of

prostate cancer.

Overall, an average of 21 or more ejaculations a month during a man's lifetime

decreased the risk of prostate cancer later in life by 33%. And each increase of

three ejaculations per week during a man's lifetime was associated with a 15%

reduction in prostate cancer risk.

Ejaculation May Lower Prostate Cancer Risk

The findings, published in the April 7 issue of The Journal of the American

Medical Association, are based on data collected from nearly 30,000

predominately white men aged 46 to 81.

At the start of the study, men provided information on ejaculation frequency in

their 20s, 40s, and in the previous year (1991). Ejaculation frequency included

sexual intercourse, masturbation, and nighttime ejaculations that can occur

during sleep. The men were then monitored for eight years.

Researchers found most categories of ejaculation frequency were unrelated to

prostate cancer risk. But when they looked at men in the highest category of

ejaculation frequency, they found evidence of a protective effect.

" When you look at the data in a little bit more detail, you do see that not only

is there not an increased risk, but there is potentially even the possibility of

a slight decrease in risk with high ejaculation frequency, " says researcher

Leitzmann, MD, an investigator at the National Cancer Institute in

Bethesda, Md. Leitzmann conducted the research during a post-doctoral fellowship

at Harvard University.

Leitzmann says researchers suspected that ejaculation frequency might be a

marker of a healthier, more active lifestyle. But when they accounted for diet,

exercise, and other risk factors for prostate cancer, the link between frequent

ejaculation and lower prostate cancer risk remained.

Study Raises Biological Questions

Researchers say the findings raise several questions about the biological role

of sexual activity and ejaculation in the development of prostate cancer.

Leitzmann says that until now, sexual activity had been associated with prostate

cancer risk due to the hormone hypothesis. The male sex hormone testosterone is

known to spur the growth of prostate cancer cells and it also fuels the male sex

drive. Therefore, it had been proposed that very sexually active men had a

higher risk of prostate cancer because they had higher testosterone levels.

But he says this theory has its shortcomings because testosterone levels alone

do not predict prostate cancer risk and they do not appear to correlate with

sexual desire as much as previously thought.

Instead, researchers say ejaculation may protect the prostate through a variety

of biological mechanisms that merit further research, such as:

• Flushing out cancer-causing substances. Frequent ejaculation may help flush

out retained chemical carcinogens in the prostate glands.

• Reducing tension. The release of psychological tension that accompanies

ejaculation may lower nervous activity associated with stress and slow the

growth of potentially cancerous cells in the prostate.

• Promoting rapid turnover of fluids. Frequent ejaculation may help prevent the

development of mini-crystals that can block ducts within the prostate gland,

reducing cancer risk.

The Fine Print

Although researchers found frequent ejaculation appeared to lower the risk of

developing prostate cancer, it's unclear how ejaculation may affect men destined

to develop or already in the early states of prostate cancer. Men who reported

high ejaculation frequency throughout their lives and in the last year appeared

to have a higher risk of developing advanced prostate cancer, but researchers

say the numbers were too small to draw any firm conclusions.

Since the study consisted of white men predominantly, researchers also say that

the study results only apply to middle-aged white men. Black men are more likely

to develop prostate cancer than white or Asian men.

Resnick, MD, chairman of the department of urology at Case Western

Reserve University in Cleveland, says it's always been a question of whether

prostate function as indicated by sexual activity might affect prostate cancer

risk either positively or negatively.

" There have been some studies in the past that showed individuals that have been

more promiscuous, had more sexual partners, or had an earlier onset of sexual

activity had higher incidence of prostate cancer, " says Resnick. " But those are

old studies. "

He says this study offers new information that sexual activity may not be

negatively associated with prostate cancer, and it's reasonable to believe that

a " use it or lose it " principle may apply to overall prostate health.

But researchers stress that until more is known about the role of ejaculation

and prostate cancer, researchers say men shouldn't change their sexual behavior.

" This one study doesn't warrant any recommendations. Men shouldn't go out and

start changing their habits, " says Leitzmann.

According to the American Cancer Society, prostate cancer is the most common

type of cancer found in American men, other than skin cancer. They estimate that

about 230,900 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed this year in the

U.S., and close to 30,000 American men will die of this disease.

The exact cause of prostate cancer is unknown, and the only proven risk factors

for the disease are increasing age, family history of the disease, and race or

nationality (prostate cancer is most common in North America and Europe). A diet

high in fat or red meat and lack of physical activity are also thought to

increase the risk of prostate cancer. Many experts believe that regular

screenings for prostate cancer by a doctor can help find prostate cancer early

-- when it's curable.

SOURCES: Leitzmann, MD, investigator, National Cancer Institute.

Leitzmann, M. The Journal of the American Medical Association, April 7, 2004;

vol 291: pp 1578-1586. Resnick, MD, chairman and professor, department of

urology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland. American Cancer Society.

(Of course I do understand your point about what some people refer to

> as 'testosterone dementia').

>

> Rodney.

>

>

>

>> There are undesirable side effects if going to extremes. Some of

>> these

>>> include: loss of libido (esp for men), . . .

>>

>> What's undesirable about a loss of libido? Sounds like a benefit

> to

>> me. Libidos make men act in ways counter to their own interests.

>>

>> I can say that because I'm an old man.

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