Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Rivals spur men to produce better sperm
New Scientist ^ | June 8th, 2005 | Racel Novack

Posted on 06/09/2005 7:42:58 AM PDT by missyme

Men who view pornographic images of two men and a woman produce better-quality sperm than men viewing pornographic images of just women, an Australian study reveals.

The finding suggests that humans may be capable of subconsciously increasing semen quality when faced with the possibility that their sperm will have to outrun those of other men in a woman’s reproductive tract.

In the study, zoologists Leigh Simmons and Sarah Kilgallon of the University of Western Australia in Perth asked 52 heterosexual men aged between 18 and 35 years to ejaculate into a container after viewing the two types of image.

The volunteers had previously abstained from sexual activity for two to six days. In samples from men who viewed the images containing the two men and a woman - the “sperm-competition” images - 52% of the sperm were motile. This compared with 49% sperm motility in the men who viewed the images of women only – a difference that was statistically significant after taking into account lifestyle factors such as cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption.

But there was also a seemingly contradictory finding. Men who viewed the sperm-competition images had fewer sperm in their ejaculate: 61 million per millilitre compared to 77 million per millilitre for the men who viewed the female-only images. More studies are needed to explain this finding.

Rapid response “It’s a fascinating study. The effect is obviously immediate. This suggests that something [in the body] can be adjusted very, very quickly,” says Jon Evans of the University of New South Wales in Sydney, who studies sperm competition in guppy fish.

The findings might suggest ways to improve the quality of sperm during fertility treatment.

The postcoital struggle between sperm is well known in species in which females may mate with more than one partner. For example, male chickens allocate more sperm to an attractive hen with a large comb than an unattractive one, upping the chances that one of their sperm will get to the egg before those of other contenders. Bulls and boars used for artificial insemination by the farming industry produce better-quality semen if they are allowed to view other animals mating.

However, Simmons is not suggesting that humans regularly indulge in multiple matings. “We need to step away from that in 2005. The risk of sperm competition is very low nowadays, but in the lineage of primates that resulted in humans there was probably sperm competition,” he says

Previous studies have found that men who look at pornographic images depicting groups prefer the sorts of sperm-competition images used in the current study. Men may simply have evolved to find them more erotic so that they can respond appropriately to sperm competition, says Simmons.

The study, which examined the role of lifestyle factors, also suggested that carrying cellphones might be associated with lower sperm counts and a lower percentage of motile sperm. But previous studies in this area have been equivocal.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Chit/Chat; Education; Health/Medicine; Local News; Miscellaneous; Science; Society
KEYWORDS:
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-22 next last

1 posted on 06/09/2005 7:42:58 AM PDT by missyme
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: missyme

Caaaaaacckkkkk! Who funds these studies....no wait....I don't want to know. I think this is a way to further the gay agenda.


2 posted on 06/09/2005 7:45:01 AM PDT by Millee (So you're a feminist......isn't that cute??)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: missyme

This is junk science.


3 posted on 06/09/2005 7:45:18 AM PDT by tahotdog
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: missyme

"Men who view pornographic images of two men and a woman produce better-quality sperm than men viewing pornographic images of just women, an Australian study reveals."


Sounds like an agenda driven study to me.


4 posted on 06/09/2005 7:46:44 AM PDT by cripplecreek (Anyone who thinks we believe Hillary on any issue is truly a moron.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: missyme

stupid.


5 posted on 06/09/2005 7:47:43 AM PDT by ken21 (if you didn't see it on tv, then it didn't happen. /s)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: tahotdog

Come on how could looking at porn and jerking off be junk science? Surely Galileo and Newton used the same methods.


6 posted on 06/09/2005 7:52:11 AM PDT by justshutupandtakeit (Public Enemy #1, the RATmedia.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: missyme

As long as they keep that sperm in the testing facility we are all safe.


7 posted on 06/09/2005 7:52:46 AM PDT by carolinacrazy (What?!...That could never happen in a.... world.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: missyme
There is nothing more precious than watching a threesome porn just before conceiving your first child. Special.
8 posted on 06/09/2005 7:54:43 AM PDT by carolinacrazy (What?!...That could never happen in a.... world.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: tahotdog

A wad.


9 posted on 06/09/2005 7:55:16 AM PDT by carolinacrazy (What?!...That could never happen in a.... world.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: tahotdog

A load


10 posted on 06/09/2005 7:55:30 AM PDT by carolinacrazy (What?!...That could never happen in a.... world.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: missyme

I am happily married which explains why under a microscope my sperm are in beach chairs sipping beers.

we are also childless


11 posted on 06/09/2005 7:59:11 AM PDT by Mikey_1962
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: missyme
Sorry, but such studies will not persuade me to eschew my sapphic smut. Especially the smut with the whips and chains and the...

Er, I said to much, didn't I? BTW, how do they determine the quality of the sperm? I hope it's not a taste test!

12 posted on 06/09/2005 8:00:03 AM PDT by JAWs
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: missyme
I'm not so sure they can assume that the sperm gathered in these "experiments" is normal at all.

I mean, what sort of "normal" man would be willing to watch porno, beat off, and hand over the result while it's still hot? They may entice some men off the street with a monetary reward, but what sort of guys are we talking about here?
13 posted on 06/09/2005 8:01:24 AM PDT by zygoat
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: zygoat

Barfing my breakfast over here.


14 posted on 06/09/2005 8:10:52 AM PDT by RushCrush (Never give in! Never, never, never, never! Never yield in any way great or small.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: missyme

Typicaly when pornographic images of two men and a woman rearly does the "product" end up in the womans reproductive track.


15 posted on 06/09/2005 8:21:11 AM PDT by Moleman
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Moleman
rearly

Was that a Freudian typo? <G>

16 posted on 06/09/2005 8:24:28 AM PDT by JAWs
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

Comment #17 Removed by Moderator

To: missyme
....asked 52 heterosexual men....

I'm certainly glad the writer pointed that out.

18 posted on 06/09/2005 8:52:05 AM PDT by JoJo Gunn (Help control the Leftist population. Have them spayed or neutered. ©)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: missyme

I don't believe a word of this.

Geesh!


19 posted on 06/09/2005 8:54:28 AM PDT by Skooz
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: missyme

And I paid for this garbage "research." Dammit I'm ticked off.


20 posted on 06/09/2005 9:49:07 AM PDT by FierceKulak
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-22 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson