MAKE love and love your prostate. The more frequent you make love, the better and probably the healthier is your prostate. Well that is from the point of view of reducing the risk of prostate cancer. Worldwide, prostate cancer is indeed currently the most common form of cancer in males. In the Philippines, prostate cancer ranks second to lung cancer in prevalence.
Prostate cancer is a malignant growth that originates in the prostate, a small gland that lies under the urinary bladder and surrounds the first part of the urethra. Its secretion forms part of the seminal fluid ejaculated by the male during orgasm.
Typically, prostate cancer does not cause symptoms until it has grown big- that is it now causes obstruction to urine flow and when it has spread - metastasis- to other organs. Signs and symptoms include difficult, frequent and [painful urination, weak or interrupted flow of urine, bloody urine and painful ejaculation.
The painful reality is that, all males- whether one is heterosexual or homosexual- has in his testicles the so-called Leydig cells- the endocrine part of the testes which secretes the male hormone testosterone which is responsible for all the physical manifestations of being a male- low-pitched voice, hairs all over the body- mustache, beard, sideburns, leg and chest hairs, and developed reproductive organs. Upon reaching middle age, testosterone would have its greatest effect on the prostate- benign prostatic hyperplasia-BPH or non-malignant enlargement of the prostate or the much-dreaded prostate cancer. This is one sad reality all males must contend with.
That fear, like the sword of Damocles continues to hound males all over the world, so much so that in the process, researches have been done to figure out what could or might reduce the risk of developing prostate cancer- from what food- lycopene in tomatoes grizzled with olive oil, lowering blood cholesterol and triglycerides and yes- the unending debate as to whether making love or having good sex is good or bad for the prostate.
Eureka! Dr. Francis Yabut, one of the foremost urologists in town shared with us interesting good news, culled from article of Dr. Marc Garnick, editor in chief of Harvard Medical School's Annual Report on Prostate Diseases. Two relatively large studies, reported in 2003 and 2004 yielded good results for sexually active men: high ejaculation frequency seemed to protect against prostate cancer".
As part of Harvard's Health Professionals Follow Up Study, 29,342 men between the ages of 46 and 81 reported their average number of ejaculations per month in their young adulthood (ages 20-29), in middle life (ages 40-49) and in most recent year. Ejaculations included actual making love, nocturnal emissions - involuntary secretion of semen during sleep and self-pleasure activities.
The participants also provided comprehensive health and lifestyle data every two years from 1992 to 2000. The scientists and researchers found that men who ejaculated 21 times or more times enjoyed a 33 percent lower risk of prostate cancer compared with men who reported four to seven ejaculations per month throughout their lifetime.
An Australian study of 2338 men came to a similar conclusion. In all, men who averaged 4.6-7 ejaculations a week were 36 percent less likely to develop prostate cancer before the age of 70 than men who ejaculated 2-3 times a week on average. The study found no connection between prostate cancer and the number of sex partners. However, an earlier study found that men who have sex with many, many women were two-three times more likely to develop prostate cancer than men with only one partner.
The researchers agree that further study is needed to investigate possible protective mechanisms. In theory, emptying the prostate of potentially irritating or harmful substances might be one such mechanism.
Regardless of the reason why, the researchers say, “take comfort in the fact that ejaculation is not only pleasurable, but also may convey health benefits." And with the indulgence of our dear readers, your columnist requests that the findings of the study should be taken with a grain of salt, so to speak so as not to shake their sensibilities in terms of their moral, ethical and even religious beliefs.
In the light of the prevailing statistics of Aids in the Philippines, the order of the day is still one loyal devoted sexual partner, and I’m sure most of you would be quick to add, within the bounds of marriage! Need I say more?