On Fri, 13 Dec 2002, Jeff Keller wrote:

> > >Also trying to upregulate my sex life, to increase testosterone levels.
> >
> > "Upregulate" one's sex life!? Spoken like a true scientist with just the
> > proper amount of objectivity. :-)  After all, none of us here would want
> to
> > enjoy it TOO much, now would we? (Er uh, not when speaking of it in
> public,
> > at least. :*)
> >
> > Herb
>
> Who's idea was it that increased sex increases testosterone? Where can I
> find that info????

For the record, "upregulating" one's sex life isn't just about
getting more sex.  It's also about more sexual *stimulation*.
Sex itself is, of course, sexual stimulation, but it's certainly
not the only manner of sexual stimulation.  I recall a classic
experiment documenting how sailors' beards grew faster when at
sea than when on shore leave.  Some scientist actually collected
and measured shaved whiskers.  The theory was that while at sea
the sailors were subject to increasing sexual stimulation, in the
form of the sort of raunchy talk that men indulge in when (they
think) women are not listening, pornography, anticipation of
whoring during shore leave, etc.  This allegedly caused an
increase in testosterone levels, indicated by the increased rate
of beard growth.  When they actually *did* the whoring, etc.
during shore leave, the effect subsided.

Is this entirely off-topic?  Pretty much, but for the fact that
testosterone is a hormone that appears to have effects on other
things that *are* related to diet and nutrition.  Testosterone
supplementation causes fat loss and muscle gain. I'm 49 now, but
not yet too old to remember what it was like to be so horny I
couldn't eat.  I see my dog get this way when a bitch is in heat.
I don't think it's out of the question to suppose that increased
testosterone production could help to kick other hormonal systems
into fat-loss mode.

So, what *does* constitute upregulating one's sex life?  I leave
that as an exercise for the reader.

Todd Moody
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