According to a new study, men have the strongest and healthiest sperm when they’re presented with a “novel female stimulus.” In layman’s terms what that means is that men produce their best sperm when they have sex with someone new. Not only is their sperm on the up and up, but their ejaculation behavior is a whole brand of fantastic, too.
The study examined the ejaculation process of 21 straight men between 18 and 23 years of age. The participants watched “sexually explicit videos” for 15 days, every 48 to 75 hours. The men recorded the time they started the video, when they ejaculated, and whether all their sperm was deposited in the cup for studying. After watching six videos of the same women, it was when they were shown the seventh video with a different woman that things took a turn for the better: their ejaculation time was faster and their sperm was healthier. Introducing a new woman to the scenario was a success.
Having bouncing, healthy sperm at all times isn’t a guarantee for men. Just as women can have a hard time producing eggs that are ripe for fertilization, some men also struggle with producing high quality sperm. As the study found, men, even if they’re unaware, can get bored with the same woman and technique, but when they’re given the chance to explore someone new, their body responds in a more competitive way so as to beat out what other sperm they might be up against. If this is always the case, then casual sex basically leads to the best sperm on the block.
But that’s not the only thing that’s affected by casual sex. Here are five other strange facts about keeping things casual in your sex life.
1. Casual Sex Can Lead To Larger Erections
According to a 2001 study, penises benefit from being exposed to new women. Not only were the men in the study more aroused, but their penile circumference increased. The scientists concluded that this was the case because, from an evolutionary standpoint, men’s bodies want to present its best self when they’re with a new woman, in the hopes of keeping the species alive with more babies.
2. Casual Sex Is Linked To A Specific Gene
A 2010 study done by the State University of New York Binghamton found that there’s a gene which may make certain people more likely to engage in casual sex. The gene, which is also associated with cheating, alcoholism, and other impulsive behavior, is called DRD4. According to the research, the gene is responsible for not just making someone more prone to casual sex, but more than 50 percent more likely to be a cheater.
3. Women Are Pickier Than Men When It Comes To Casual Sex
Although men definitely seem to be far more shallow when it comes to dating, especially in the looks category, when it comes to one-night stands, things are the exact opposite. A 2009 study by researchers at Brunel University found that men couldn’t care less about attractiveness when it comes to one-night stands, while women place an even greater important on looks than they do in their dating lives.
4. Women With Wide Hips Are More Likely To Engage In Casual Sex
A 2014 study conducted by Leeds University found that women with a larger hip circumference are more likely to have more sexual partners than women with smaller hips. The study of 148 women, between 18 and 26 years of age, examined the link between casual sex and hip size, finding that women with hips that are 0.8 wider are woman who are more prone to one-night stands.
Upon its publication it was regarded as controversial, because whoa, judgmental much? But the explanation by scientists is that it comes down to reproducing and evolution, and wider hips make for easier births.
5. Depression Leads To Casual Sex
Although there are studies that confirm that casual sex does make people feel good about themselves (narcissistic males, to be exact), the point is they need to be in a good place to begin with.
According to a 2013 study, depressed and even suicidal teens are more likely to engage in casual sex when they reach young adulthood. The takeaway is casual sex isn't going to make you feel better about yourself if you're miserable; instead, it's best to talk to a doctor.
Want more of Bustle's Sex and Relationships coverage? Check out our new podcast, I Want It That Way, which delves into the difficult and downright dirty parts of a relationship, and find more on our Soundcloud page.
Images: Piotr Marcinski/Fotlia; Giphy(5)
