Watching Three-somes boosts sperm count

Ace Pace · Post by **Ace Pace** » Tue Jul 05, 2005 3:44 am

According to Nature

Published online: 8 June 2005; | doi:10.1038/news050606-5

Mixed-gender pornography boosts sperm

Michael Hopkin

Men facing images of sexual competition may be more fertile.

It might sound unlikely, but men looking at explicit pictures of two naked men with a naked woman have been shown to produce higher-quality sperm than those watching pornographic images featuring women only.

Although this seems to go against common perceptions about male sexual preferences, it is consistent with the theory of sperm competition, says study leader Leigh Simmons of the University of Western Australia, Perth. This states that males (of many species, including humans) should produce better sperm when faced with a female who has other mates, because this stimulates them to boost their chance of procreation.

The findings may help fertility clinics to obtain the best possible sperm samples from their clients, by providing specialized images of intercourse for men to view. This might help prospective fathers maximize their fertility, Simmons suggests. Though he adds that some women may disapprove of their partner viewing such material.

The report, published online by Biology Letters, also suggests that men who keep their mobile telephone near to their testes may be harming the quality of their sperm. Before viewing the explicit photos, volunteers in the study were asked to complete a lifestyle questionnaire including details of their alcohol intake, smoking and telephone use. Those who kept a phone in a pocket or clipped to their belt seemed to show lower levels of sperm motility, the researchers note. But experts caution that it is hard to interpret this information, because the study was not designed to look at this effect.

Animal behaviour

The sperm competition theory has previously been tested in animals such as sticklebacks, which produce more sperm after watching fellow males court a female. But studies in humans are difficult to carry out because of the ethical difficulty of evaluating sexual situations, Simmons says.

He and his colleague Sarah Kilgallon recruited 52 heterosexual men for their study, and supplied them with a set of explicit pictures featuring either two men and a woman, or three women. They asked the men to watch the pictures privately, and collect a sperm sample for analysis.

The researchers found no consistent difference in sperm number between men who viewed the different images. But sperm quality did differ. After controlling for factors such as smoking and drinking, the researchers found that 90% of the difference in sperm motility, a key measure of fertility, could be explained on the basis of which pictures the men were given. "There was a real change in response to the images," says Simmons.

Some theorists, such as Robin Baker in his book Sperm Wars, have argued that such images improve sperm quality because the viewer would expect to encounter sperm competition if he were actually part of the situation depicted.

It is an intriguing result, says Tim Birkhead, who studies sperm competition at the University of Sheffield, UK. "The results now need to be checked with a much larger sample," he adds.

Simmons says that further experiments and animal studies should be carried out to investigate the effects of mobile phones on fertility. At least one previous study has shown a possible link between phones and sperm count. But experts have cautioned that confounding factors, such as the fact that phone-users may have more stressful lives, make the results difficult to analyse.

So THATS what I've been doing wrong...

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Tue Jul 05, 2005 3:46 am

Uh, Ace, have you been strenuously testing your fertility?

Kreshna Aryaguna Nurzaman · Tue Jul 05, 2005 3:50 am

It might sound unlikely, but men looking at explicit pictures of two naked men with a naked woman have been shown to produce higher-quality sperm

....and a pair of self-gouged eyes.

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Tue Jul 05, 2005 4:26 am

Kreshna Aryaguna Nurzaman wrote:
It might sound unlikely, but men looking at explicit pictures of two naked men with a naked woman have been shown to produce higher-quality sperm
....and a pair of self-gouged eyes.

Okay, you contemplate the sexuality of Gungans and Ferengi, and the concept of seeing man-dangly-bits scares you?

Kreshna Aryaguna Nurzaman · Tue Jul 05, 2005 4:32 am

Petrosjko wrote:Okay, you contemplate the sexuality of Gungans and Ferengi, and the concept of seeing man-dangly-bits scares you?

It is called 'out of character', amigo. ;)

Besides, it's my sign of courtesy, considering those two men would mourn over their dangly bits if they realize how small they are compared to mine.

(alright, now I start sounding like Robert) :P

Ace Pace · Post by **Ace Pace** » Tue Jul 05, 2005 4:34 am

*glares*

Stop hijacking this sticky thread!

Robert Walper · Post by **Robert Walper** » Tue Jul 05, 2005 8:06 am

Ace Pace wrote:*glares*

Stop hijacking this sticky thread!

The thread hasn't been stickified...and my remaining conclusion on your comment isn't particularily...sanitary.

Kreshna Aryaguna Nurzaman · Tue Jul 05, 2005 3:27 pm

Back on topic, then, how it would explain human (and animals like Lion) tendency to eliminate sexual competitors?

Robert Walper wrote:
Ace Pace wrote:*glares*

Stop hijacking this sticky thread!
The thread hasn't been stickified...

I guess a thread would remain on top without being stickified as long as we keep squirting our opinions on it. Of course, how long the thread would stay on top depends on the quality of the materials being ejaculated by the participants. I believe a solid and viscous argument would have sufficient adhesiveness to keep the thread sticky, although we may need to restrain ourselves from thrusting our opinion too hard because the outcome may be too thick to swallow.

frigidmagi · Post by **frigidmagi** » Tue Jul 05, 2005 5:07 pm

Back on topic, then, how it would explain human (and animals like Lion) tendency to eliminate sexual competitors?

Because we don't give a damn about our sperm count and we do about being sure that it's our kid and thus our genetics being passed on?

Cynical Cat · Post by **Cynical Cat** » Tue Jul 05, 2005 5:27 pm

Taking out a competitor is a much more effective way of ensuring the offspring is yours than boosting your sperm count.

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 2:01 am

Cynical Cat wrote:Taking out a competitor is a much more effective way of ensuring the offspring is yours than boosting your sperm count.

Said it before, I'll say it again- fighting and fucking all day long, man, lions got it good.

Comrade Tortoise · Post by **Comrade Tortoise** » Fri Jul 08, 2005 2:02 pm

Doesnt shock me... probably stimulates sperm production in order to beat the competition from those two other men.

Caz · Post by **Caz** » Wed Sep 07, 2005 7:09 pm

Indeed, this is information of the utmost importance.

frigidmagi · Post by **frigidmagi** » Wed Sep 07, 2005 7:28 pm

Indeed, this is information of the utmost importance.

Not really no, best way to win a race is still to be the only guy running in it after all.

Stofsk · Post by **Stofsk** » Wed Sep 07, 2005 8:02 pm

So THAT'S why I like seeing a woman get DPed... even TPed. It makes my sperm jealous, which is a big "DUH!" revelation.

Caz · Post by **Caz** » Wed Sep 07, 2005 8:47 pm

frigidmagi wrote:
Indeed, this is information of the utmost importance.
Not really no, best way to win a race is still to be the only guy running in it after all.

I wouldn't know. I'm lacking in the sperm-producing department. :[

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