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.

[phoenix0468]

I think what he might be getting at is, sex is not as efficient as assexual reproduction.

[Stone Mountain]

There is no practical difference between using contraception and converting to Islam.

Wow, this is absolutely brilliant! Genius.

[Stone Mountain]

No, my "theory" would be perfected if 90% or so of the population got married, stayed married to those spouses and raised at least four children.

Also, people should be good, not bad.

[phoenix0468]

Yes, but does that sell magazines? You see?

[Stone Mountain]

Seriously. I mean, until I read wideawake, I had no idea I was a Muslim!

[EricT.]

I think what he might be getting at is, sex is not as efficient as assexual reproduction.

Well that sure wasn't what I was getting at.

[phoenix0468]

It's the song right before Long Time on Boston's first album. hehe.

[Stone Mountain]

Women are nothing more than a vessel through which to repopulate the world.

Gosh, that's lovely. You must have women crawling all over you with an attitude like that.

I'm glad I know that women are good for plenty more than a "vessel" for babies.

[phoenix0468]

I won't be crying, I'll be aiming and reloading. Might end up being great sport.

[Stone Mountain]

BTW, Did any one go to the Touchy-Feelies last night?

Damn, missed it. I was at an orgy-porgy...

[phoenix0468]

They won't be nuked. They blow themselves up at a rate that almost equals their birthrates. If they didn't procreate so precariously they would be extinct. Maybe we could use our Western propoganda muscle and make contraceptives popular in the Middle East,then they will become extinct.

[phoenix0468]

Well, there is Monday Night Football too ya know, LOL.

[teenyelliott]

heehee

I am a woman.

'Twas sarcasm.

[phoenix0468]

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.

Another patently false and illogical statement. Not having children does not abandon ones future to any other ideology. Not supporting your culture or ideology fully does that. It has nothing to do with numbers. It could happen that in the future Islam falls on disfavor and Christianity becomes a more popular religious choice. I.E. Conversion can have just as dramatic effect on a culture or religion as birthrates can. 2000 years ago there were 100 or so Christians, today there are over two billion, or more. 1400 years ago there were only a handfull of Muslims, today there numbers count over a billion. It is the religion with the highest conversion rate on earth, and that's why their numbers are growing, more so than birthrates. If Christians would do what their bible tells them to, the religions would be uncontested. As it stands most Christians live very secular lives and hold morals and ehtics much more in line with Wetern European civilization than what is taught in the bible. Of course, the above statement is just as much opinion as your are. But there is just as much truth to it as well.

[Stone Mountain]

Doh! Sad that it wasn't immediately obvious to me that it was sarcasm, but with some of the attitudes displayed on this thread, it's kinda hard to tell! :)

[Stone Mountain]

I also should have realized that no guy is going to call himself "teeny!"

[teenyelliott]

I know.

I refuse to use sarcasm tags. It's fun to see who freaks over it. : )

[teenyelliott]

True. But most people do think I am a guy. Always cracks me up.

[Nihil Obstat]

and what would France, Germany, Italy, UK, and Canada birthrates be WITHOUT muslims?

Very scary

[Last Dakotan]

... and I was right.