What are the scientific reasons for having sex?

The Register (UK) ^ | 10 oct 06 | Dr Stephen Juan

[white trash redneck]

What are the scientific reasons for having sex?

Asked by Jill Howard of Alexandria, Virginia, USA

The reasons for not engaging in sex include transmission of diseases, heart attack due to exertion, and many others. The reasons for engaging in sex are numerous. Among these are:

• Sex helps boost the immune system. According to Dr Carl Charnetski of the Department of Psychology at Wilkes University in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, people who reported one or two sexual "episodes" per week enjoyed higher levels of Immunoglobin A. This is an antibody that helps fight disease.

• Sex helps boost longevity. In one study cited by Dr Charnetski, men who had more orgasms over a 10 year period boosted their longevity compared with those who had fewer.

• Sex helps ward off cancer. In another study cited by Dr Charnetski, men who had more ejaculations over a 35 year period had 33 per cent less prostate cancer compared to those with fewer ejaculations.

• Sex results in a more youthful appearance. According to a study by Dr David Weeks, a clinical neuropsychologist at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital in Scotland and co-author of Superyoung (1999), men and women who reported having sex an average of four times per week looked approximately 10 years younger than they really were.

• Sex helps reduce stress. Numerous studies show that it does this through lowering anxiety levels, boosting relaxation, and aiding sleeping.

• Sex helps fight depression. A study by Dr Gordon Gallup of the Department of Psychology at the State University of New York at Albany found that women who regularly engage in heterosexual sex in which they come in contact with semen were significantly less depressed than those women that did not. he causal relationship is unclear. Dr Gallup speculates that "possibly because when absorbed through the vagina, semen may have an effect on mood in women". However, Dr Gallup is quick to point out: "Regardless of the findings, this study does not advocate that people abstain from using condoms. Protecting oneself from an unwanted pregnancy or a sexually transmitted disease is far more important."

• Sex helps coping with middle age. This is the inference drawn from research by Dr GA Bachmann at the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Brunswick, New Jersey and published first in 1995 in the International Journal of Fertility and Menopausal Studies and continuing in The Journal of Sexual Medicine in 2006.

• Sex is good exercise. Exercise helps circulation, lowers cholesterol, and releases helpful endorphins.

• Sex helps in losing weight. Well, at least a little. One burns approximately four to five calories per minute or perhaps 300 calories per hour during sex (depending upon how, shall we say, "vigorous" the sex is). About 7,000 to 8,000 excess calories must be burned to lose one kilogram of fat (3,500 to lose one pound). You do the calculations.

Stephen Juan, Ph.D. is an anthropologist at the University of Sydney.

[Warren_Piece]

The "scientific reason" is "I've got wood."

But is it measureable and repeatable? After all, we're being scientific here.

[Pyro7480]

How right you are in post #254.

[MadIvan]

I'm a little confused as to why someone thought there was a requirement to advertise sex, per se. It sells itself.

Regards, Ivan

[Eagle Eye]

Read again what I said about primary reason and secondary reasons. Reading comprehension is good.

So I re read what you wrote:

You notice that even with all the facts listed, the author neglects the reproductive aspect of sex. From the "modern" standpoint, sex is all about pleasure and these benefits, apparently.

I see nothing about primary and secondary reasons although you might think that you implied them.

While reading comprehension is desirable, it still comes down to GIGO.

[mysterio]

Ok, let's explore your argument that using rubbers is akin to handing America over to Islamic terrorists.

Might I bring up that Islamic countries often marry girls off ultra young so they can have lots and lots of babies? So if you or I would be hesitant to marry off an 11-12 year old daughter, would that also make us as bad as the Islamic terrorists?

[wideawake]

It's an hilarious sketch. And the sad thing is, in 100 years, there may be no one around to appreciate the humor because a mullah has ordered the program destroyed.

[Tijeras_Slim]

FREERIDER PING!

Now go do that voodoo that you do so well!

[Eagle Eye]

Very few are accepting his premise because of his logical fallicies and the simple bizarreness of the original statment.

[Robert A Cook PE]

You're a cat whisperer? Really?

Are you close to Houston?


Confusus say, "Beware of cat whiskerers, for they may come lick your pussy willow and tickle your fancy, never pawsing for rest nor relief....."

[NRA2BFree]

Of course there is - there is a practical comparison.

The practical effect of converting to Islam is to abandon your future to Islam.

The practical effect of having minimal or no children is to abandon your future to Islam.

The process is different, but the consequence a generation from now is the same.

No, you are wrong. What you're trying to do is to label everyone who doesn't have children as future ISLAM converts, and that is nuts. You obviously don't understand Americans who will NEVER accept ISLAM as their "religion." Period. Under any circumstances. We've got nukes. We've got guns. I've got a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ and if you think for one moment that I would ever turn my back on Him to accept a cult of death, satanic religion, then you're nuts. I can assure you that there are millions of Americans who would agree with me too.

[GOP Poet]

Oh man. Do I ever need you. :-) Shall I FReepmail? Or shall we mix cat problems up with the benefits of sex--HAHA? If I could come up with sexy cat pictures, maybe we could get away with it, but I don't want to be accused of high jacking a thread, ESPECIALLY this one :-).

[Pyro7480]

Ah, I see now. You were responding to my earlier post. I was referring to this (post #44):

I would clarify the above by saying that the primary end of sex is procreation. But a secondary end is the unitive (aka the pleasurable) aspect of that act.

[teenyelliott]

heehee

[durasell]

I AM a woman. And I have given birth. I can say what I want. : )




Flame proof!

[Pyro7480]

I don't know about "logical fallacies," but sometimes the truth is bizarre. Read John 6 and people's reaction to the words of Jesus there.

[WV Mountain Mama]

LMAO!!!!

[wideawake]

The utter absurdity of the initial claim warrants only mocking.

Are Muslims reproducing at a greater than 100% growth rate?

Are Westerners reproducing at a less than 100% growth rate?

Perhaps you think mathematics is absurd, but I assure you that you owe many of the creature comforts you enjoy - like Internet access - to those of us who have bothered to learn math.

[wideawake]

What you're trying to do is to label everyone who doesn't have children as future ISLAM converts

Not at all. I am pointing out that when such people die, there place will be taken by the children of people who did decide to have a replacement level children.

And practically the only population of any size on this planet who do decide to have a replacement level of children are Muslims.

They have abdicated the next generation to those who do reproduce at replacement levels.

[durasell]

It seems to increase it. As they have more people, each has less. That makes them restive, as it does everywhere, which the Mad Mullahs and Angry Ayatollahs take advantage of, and feed.



It also increases options, at least to some degree, I'd think. This would be true in a western society.

[wideawake]

Very few are accepting his premise because of his logical fallicies

There is no logical fallacies. It is itself a logical fallacy to claim that a fallacy exists simply because its existence has been asserted.