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.

[Steve Van Doorn]

You bastard!

[RandallFlagg]

Sorry for the double. These work 'puters have hickups.

[Physicist]

I assume that's a dig at me.

No, but if you think it fits, by all means take offense.

Seriously, there is a strong inverse correlation between I.Q. and reproduction in our society. The stupider people are, the more likely it is that they will have kids. And unlike religion, intelligence is genetically heritable. So my "scientific" reason for having more kids is to spam the gene pool with genes that at least score well.

But the real reason is that I just love 'em. Love making 'em too. (...he said, in a halfhearted attempt to bring the thread back on track.)

[El Gato]

But, I would be interested to know if the high birthrate in Islamic countries dilutes/minimizes the radical strain.

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.

[XJarhead]

But humans are about the only creatures that have sex when the female is not fertile.

Then why does my dog hump my leg?.

I'm just saying....

[SoothingDave]

What does it portend that everyone seems to take a demographic argument personally? Are we incapable of viewing trends and commenting on aggregate behavior?

SD

[teenyelliott]

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

[ArrogantBustard]

I think that one of our great advances is that people now can honestly say "I won't be a parent...I may beat my child to death".

Some folks who say that are honest ... and many are making excuses. Raising children properly isn't easy.

[GOP Poet]

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.

This is a good point. I wish I had this at my fingertips, but it was a study done on the benefits of meditation. I always think of nuns and priests and monks or those that serve God with celebacy when I read these studies on the benefits of sex.

Basically the article I am thinking of lists some similar benefits for those that meditate and I think this is important for those that may be in a situation that sex is not an option or are hindered because they in someway are behaving in a moral and decent manner, in a highly sexualized society.

There are ways that God has provided to get some similar benefits (not all of course) with meditation. If I find the article I will reference.

The article does not reference of course the possible draw backs of sex with the wrong person at the wrong time, such as Aids, Herpes, HPV, Crabs, Unplanned pregnancy, extreme heartache,improper partner spiritually. But who am I to dampen a light moment? :-)

Just wanted to put in a word 9and a shout out :-) for those that may not have sex as an option and may feel a little angry that they are being robbed of some of these life enhancing benefits for behaving righteously.

[swain_forkbeard]

I got your scientific reasons right here.

[mysterio]

Feel free to make a substantive argument as you disagree.

The utter absurdity of the initial claim warrants only mocking. I think I'll just continue to do that.

[GOP Poet]

Okay. I'm just going to have to ask you to take my picture down right now. People will talk . . . :-)

[Pyro7480]

Are you telling us that you only have had sex for reproduction and intentional attempts at reproduction?

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

[El Gato]

Then why does my dog hump my leg?.

Cause he's neurotic? He needs some help from the "Dog Whisperer".

[GOPJ]

Strange, but it almost looks like a setup - an article on the positives of sexuality is posted and the first 10 comments are posted in seconds - less time than it would take to read the article ... and the comments are anti-sexuality. With a religious slant... Odd.

A person who only read the first few comments would come to the conclusion that conservatives don't enjoy sex - where in fact the opposite is true.

Women in married monogamous relationship are the most sexually satisfied... I suspect gay men are the least sexually satisfied -- if one looks at the number of devices, drugs and assorted "things" needed to get them going, an obvious conclusion is that for them to feel anything they've got to be artificially hyped ...up... (no pun intended)

[mysterio]

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

This is the stupidest thing I think I've ever read here. You just beat the "if you wear a rubber, you're an Islamic terrorist" comment, in my opinion.

[Warren_Piece]

The stupider people are, the more likely it is that they will have kids. And unlike religion, intelligence is genetically heritable. So my "scientific" reason for having more kids is to spam the gene pool with genes that at least score well.

Very interesting. Being unable to make children from scratch, I "ordered delivery". My kids are Korean, my wife and I are are caucasian. My children share their birthmother (but probably not birth fathers).

That makes my family a living study of nature/nurture . Things are furthur muddied because I do not believe in tying any aspect of a person to their race. So, although my kids are extremely intelligent and academically advanced (thus feeding the Asian sterotype), they are also slothful and self-centered (definitely NOT Asian sterotypes). They like video games and country music, and hate Korean food.

Color me a strong beliver in nurture over nature.

[GOP Poet]

I love the Dog Whisperer. I wonder if he FREEPS. I need a Cat Whisperer big time!

[oyez]

Who are your calling Squirrel?

[traditional1]

HA !