OBESITY AND SEX

Obesity adversely affects sexual prowess: Research

If medical research is to be believed, then matrimonial ads will now need to have a different look. Beside the education in their careers and the balance in their banks, obese prospective grooms will need to pack potency in their pants and fertility in their hormones.

Studies have shown that obesity in males is strongly linked to a drop in fertility rates owing to abnormal semen parameters among heavier men. In fact, endocrine studies have demonstrated reduced androgen (male harmone) levels accompanied by abnormally elevated oestrogen (female hormone) values in obese men. What does this mean? Young and middle-aged overweight men, along with their altered lifestyle factors, have a scientific hypothesis for their sexual dysfunction.

The word obesity is derived from the Latin term 'obesus' which means 'one who has become plump through eating'. While the obvious negative effect of obesity on an individual's health has been known for long, these new revelations should send alarm signals to the 'big fat' obese man.

Have we really understood why the male testes hang outside the body while the ovaries in women are intra-abdominal? The reason is that spermatogenesis (sperm production) is adversely affected by the higher body temperature and thus the testes are pushed out to be in a lower thermal environment. In obese men, the abnormal fat deposition around the abdominal area and in specific in the scrotum, tends to increase the local testicular heat. This, along with the obesity induced decreased physical activity dampens testicular function.

Superseding this reduced fertility is the added woes from the extra hip and waist fat, which makes successful impregnation difficult. The abnormal pad of fat tends to steal blood flow away from the normal pelvic circulation which needs to be enhanced during coitus, resulting in an unsatisfactory performance. In fact, the incidence of erectile dysfunction is higher in obese patients and this is compounded by girth-restricted reduced coital frequency.

Remember, these scientific observations are an indication and not the rule. So while the sexual prowess of men is governed by many factors, obesity can introduce a punctuation mark which is avoidable and also somewhat correctable.

Of course, the shoe cannot be only on one foot and similar changes vis-a-vis fertility, have been seen in obese women who develop abnormal menstruation and improper ovulation but being 'passive', the effect on female potency still needs to be studied.

The leaf that I want to pluck from this wisdom fable is that young men who are in their active reproductive phase now would stand to lose points in the 'partner' race if they were to become obese.

Fatso! No matter what else you may have in your armamentarium to help "throw your weight around", in these days of open bedroom dialogues, you would not always be able to 'rise' to the occasion for the 'Olympic medal'. Window dressing for the matrimonial 'cocktail' is fine but if you let yourself  loose on the calorie wagon, you could be Ek Tha Tiger.

(Dr Hemant Thacker is a consultant physician & cardiometabolic specialist in south Mumbai hospitals)


Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Obesity-adversely-affects-sexual-prowess-Research/articleshow/16521197.cms