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Masturbating may protect against prostate cancer (Hold Muh ... Oh Never Mind)
New Scientist ^ | July 16, 2003 | Douglas Fox

Posted on 07/16/2003 11:39:00 PM PDT by Timesink

NewScientist.com

 
 

Masturbating may protect against prostate cancer

 
19:00 16 July 03

Douglas Fox, Adelaide

 

It will make you go blind. It will make your palms grow hairy. Such myths about masturbation are largely a thing of the past. But the latest research has even better news for young men: frequent self-pleasuring could protect against the most common kind of cancer.

A team in Australia led by Graham Giles of The Cancer Council Victoria in Melbourne asked 1079 men with prostate cancer to fill in a questionnaire detailing their sexual habits, and compared their responses with those of 1259 healthy men of the same age. The team concludes that the more men ejaculate between the ages of 20 and 50, the less likely they are to develop prostate cancer.

The protective effect is greatest while men are in their twenties: those who had ejaculated more than five times per week in their twenties, for instance, were one-third less likely to develop aggressive prostate cancer later in life (BJU International, vol 92, p 211).

The results contradict those of previous studies, which have suggested that having had many sexual partners, or a high frequency of sexual activity, increases the risk of prostate cancer by up to 40 per cent. The key difference is that these earlier studies defined sexual activity as sexual intercourse, whereas the latest study focused on the number of ejaculations, whether or not intercourse was involved.

  The prostate produces part of the fluid that makes up semen
The prostate produces part of the fluid that makes up semen

The team speculates that infections caused by intercourse may increase the risk of prostate cancer. "Had we been able to remove ejaculations associated with sexual intercourse, there should have been an even stronger protective effect of other ejaculations," they suggest. "Men have many ways of using their prostate which do not involve women or other men," Giles adds.


Macho exaggeration

Giles accepts the possibility that the men who completed the questionnaires could have lied about their habits. But he doubts this skewed the results, since questions about masturbation are unlikely to evoke the same macho exaggeration as questions about, say, number of sexual partners.

But why should ejaculating more often cut the risk of prostate cancer? The team speculates that ejaculation prevents carcinogens building up in the gland. The prostate, together with the seminal vesicles, secretes the bulk of the fluid in semen, which is rich in substances such as potassium, zinc, fructose and citric acid.

Generating the fluid involves concentrating these components from the bloodstream up to 600-fold - and this could be where the trouble starts. Studies in dogs show that carcinogens such as 3-methylcholanthrene, found in cigarette smoke, are also concentrated in prostate fluid.

"It's a prostatic stagnation hypothesis," says Giles. "The more you flush the ducts out, the less there is to hang around and damage the cells that line them."


Sexual repertoire

His findings suggest an intriguing parallel between prostate cancer and breast cancer, as recent studies indicate that lactating reduces a woman's risk of breast cancer, perhaps because this also flushes out carcinogens. Alternatively, ejaculation might induce prostate cells to mature fully, making them less susceptible to carcinogens.

"All these mechanisms are totally speculative," cautions breast cancer expert Loren Lipworth of the International Epidemiology Institute in Rockville, Maryland.

But if the finding is confirmed, future health advice from doctors may no longer be restricted to diet and exercise. "Masturbation is part of people's sexual repertoire," says Anthony Smith, deputy director of the Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society at La Trobe University in Melbourne.

"If these findings hold up, then it's perfectly reasonable that men should be encouraged to masturbate," he says.

 
19:00 16 July 03
 


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To: steve50
Well, steve, I'd advise you (and everybody else) to get it checked. I was healthy as a horse, jogged 40 miles a week for years, never even went to doctors. I had it checked because I had a hard time urinating -- I was 59 at the time. I am now 66. They operated and took my prostate out -- however, in 6 months it went into my spine. I had radiation, then a year and a half later it got in my bladder and pelvis. They seem to have brought it under control with hormonal therapy. I am going on my 7th year now, and I am still battling it. The therapy takes away most of your muscle tone and your body gets almost womanlike, but what the hell, I am alive, happy and my wife loves me.

P.S. everybody, get it checked out.
41 posted on 07/17/2003 4:54:11 AM PDT by Old Phone Man
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To: quack
Rewrite: "When I was twenty I was accosted by myself enough times to keep 20 men cancer free,

or at least put them into remission".

42 posted on 07/17/2003 4:59:12 AM PDT by DainBramage (only a sicko would have read it otherwise)
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Comment #43 Removed by Moderator

Comment #44 Removed by Moderator

To: DainBramage
at least put them into remission".
Is that "r" a typo?

-Eric

45 posted on 07/17/2003 5:24:57 AM PDT by E Rocc (Reality is to liberals what garlic is to vampires.)
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To: TonyRo76
And some "backup":

-Eric

46 posted on 07/17/2003 5:28:52 AM PDT by E Rocc (Reality is to liberals what garlic is to vampires.)
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To: Timesink
What the heck is going ON in Australia? I read a column yesterday about a Safe Injection Center for drug addicts, but the supervisors aren't allowed to smoke, because Smoking Is Bad For You. I think they really ARE taking crazy pills.

http://www.jewishworldreview.com/0703/saunders.html
47 posted on 07/17/2003 5:31:07 AM PDT by nina0113
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To: Timesink
So why were the other threads from differant sources pulled. Some moderator have a morality problem with this news/
48 posted on 07/17/2003 5:31:10 AM PDT by ItsTheMediaStupid
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To: Timesink
Damn I guess Slick Wille won't be getting Prostate cancer anytime soon.
49 posted on 07/17/2003 5:56:53 AM PDT by amigatec (There are no significant bugs in our software... Maybe you're not using it properly.- Bill Gates)
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To: TonyRo76
Thanks for the pic. Wow, she is a hottie! I guess it's now time for a little anti-cancer 'therapy'. LOL
50 posted on 07/17/2003 5:59:17 AM PDT by appalachian_dweller (Character is doing the right thing when nobody is looking. – JC Watts)
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To: Timesink
So now it's "Pee Wee's Workout" show?
51 posted on 07/17/2003 6:05:00 AM PDT by techcor (Admin Moderator wannabe)
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To: E Rocc
kma (:)
52 posted on 07/17/2003 6:05:10 AM PDT by DainBramage
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To: Timesink

I suggest taking this daily also. My PSA tests are below the readable chart. One or both is working well.

53 posted on 07/17/2003 6:11:08 AM PDT by bmwcyle (Here's to Hillary's book sinking like the Clinton 2000 economy)
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To: Timesink; xsmommy; dubyaismypresident; Flurry; NYC GOP Chick

That other may live.

54 posted on 07/17/2003 6:15:53 AM PDT by CholeraJoe (White Devils for Sharpton. We're baaaaad. We're Nationwide)
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To: CholeraJoe
the noble kitten....
55 posted on 07/17/2003 6:17:23 AM PDT by xsmommy
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To: Timesink
If it protects against other diseases too then I'll live forever!
56 posted on 07/17/2003 6:19:30 AM PDT by DonQ
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To: xsmommy; CholeraJoe; Fry
Cats get all the credit but what about this...


57 posted on 07/17/2003 6:21:10 AM PDT by NeoCaveman ("I don't need the Bush tax cut. I never worked a f****** day in my life. Patrick Kennedy D-RI)
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To: dubyaismypresident
The horror, the horror.
58 posted on 07/17/2003 6:22:22 AM PDT by CholeraJoe (White Devils for Sharpton. We're baaaaad. We're Nationwide)
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Comment #59 Removed by Moderator

To: dubyaismypresident
now that is just WRONG, how dare you ! that has to be a fake, no way that is true!
60 posted on 07/17/2003 6:25:54 AM PDT by xsmommy
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