Off to the Surgeon--Men without testicles might live longer, study suggests

[trumad]

Want to live to 100? A new study suggests that, for men, your testicles might be holding you back.

Korean eunuchs — men who had their testicles removed — outlived their contemporaries by as many as 14 to 19 years, suggesting that male sex hormones somehow act to shorten the male human lifespan, according to a new historical study of records spanning from the 14th century through the early 19th century.

The finding, reported Monday in the journal Current Biology, argues for something called the "disposable soma theory.” The idea is that since animals have limited access to energy, there is a natural trade-off between reproduction and the maintenance of the body's cells.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/la-sci-sn-men-without-testicles-live-longer-20120924,0,2032896.story

[hlthe2b]

1. Oh, dear... if you thought the circumcision debates were fierce....

my, my

[seabeyond]

8. i was just thinking not worth it, ... but true this. nt

[4th law of robotics]

18. Well going by those debates

Most on here would ought to be fine with castrating boys at birth if one can claim health reasons (or religious or aesthetic).

[Missycim]

2. I wouldn't want to live longer without my "boys"

nt

[Spitfire of ATJ]

29. One good kick could could make you feel like your gonna die with them.

[Missycim]

34. True getting hit in the boys

is pain of two fold, first isn't so bad but the second pain is like "hello I really like it here, I think i am going to stay awhile" lol

[LeftofObama]

3. This could get interesting!

[pintobean]

4. You will be a unique eunuch

[Berlum]

5. "You'll have to pry my nuts from my cold, dead thighs." - Berlum

[liberal N proud]

6. All new meaning to the old snip-snip

[Missycim]

7. How many divorced men will live longer

since they lost them in court?

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

9. Do you really live longer? Or does it just seem that way?

If true, it's a trade-off. I've made my decision.

[auburngrad82]

10. Someone's ex-wife wrote this article nt.

[renie408]

11. Yeah...my husband says, "No, thanks."

[dmallind]

12. This has long been known and is my favorite answer to health loons

who whine endlesly about anyone who weighs more than 150, doesn't bugger up their knees with constant jogging, and eats anything that rabbits don't.

If it REALLY were about living longer, all men would have their balls cut off before puberty.

Of course it really isn't - health nut lunacy is about people gullibly buying into Hollywood body images and scared they won't get laid if they don't have under 6% bodyfat. Always has been.

When they can get six TIMES more extra life than avoiding obesity by one simple snip - something all of a sudden is more important than longevity.

[4th law of robotics]

19. Er, not really the same thing

if you could control the number of testicles you had and how they affected your health by altering your lifestyle then that would be more comparable.

[dmallind]

20. So THAT part of your lifestyle is more important than longevity, but others can't be?

[4th law of robotics]

21. Leaving body parts attached isn't a lifestyle

yeah.

Consider what you're arguing: eating healthy and exercising is in the same category as major surgery that permanently removes part of your body and fundamentally alters who you are as a person (with the hormone changes).

Yeah, not the same at all. One requires surgery, the other does not. That's a pretty big line. Now if people were demanding you get liposuction I could see the comparison being made.

[Blue_Tires]

13. but is that *really* living??

[HappyMe]

14. You first. Let us know how that works out for you. nt

[trumad]

17. How will In write in a high pitched voice?

[JohnnyLib2]

15. Thanks. No, thanks.

[gollygee]

16. It works for cats.

For people, maybe quality of life is a bigger factor than more years.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

33. How would "quallity of life" change?

Okay,...maybe some guys would get feminine characteristics and wouldn't get out much....

[One_Life_To_Give]

22. Will the Dr. Freak if I ask for a Spironolactone script?

Hey Doc the Boys havn't had anything to do for the last ten years. And the Wife's only going to complain if my Girls get bigger than hers.

[dawg]

23. Hell, I should live to 200 then.

I've been needing to re-grow a pair for two and a half years now.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

32. "I've been needing to re-grow a pair for two and a half years now."

Last of the DLC Dems?

[4th law of robotics]

24. I also wonder if they accounted for forms of death

it could be eunuchs were considered unfit for battle (a pretty big cause of death for men) and likewise were seen as less threatening following succession disputes since they couldn't really rule or produce descendants in their own right.

If you take over the guy who could potentially replace you and start producing royal heirs is a bigger threat to eliminate than the guy who couldn't possibly do that and would not be followed due to cultural mores.


Eunuchs were produced because they were "safe" in a dynastic government.

[radicalliberal]

25. After you ...

[radicalliberal]

28. Besides, ...

... I need all of my testosterone for my bodybuilding program. I'm having a hard enough time as it is.

[jberryhill]

26. We have testicles for a REASON!

[Spitfire of ATJ]

31. "We have testicles for a REASON!"

So we can lose our sense of reason.

[MADem]

27. Well, this is true of dogs and cats, why not humans, as well?

Though some might say the undangled life is not worth living...?

[Spitfire of ATJ]

30. An oldie but a goodie

[img][/img]

They seemed so much bigger back in the days of 1024x768....

[Spitfire of ATJ]

35. OKAY! OKAY! Let's compromise!!!

Kicked AND recommended.

Okay?