Key genital measurement linked to male fertility

WASHINGTON DC - When it comes to male fertility, it turns out that size does matter.

The dimension in question is not penis or testicle size, but a measurement known as anogenital distance, or AGD.

Men whose AGD is shorter than the median length -- around 2 inches (52 mm) -- have seven times the chance of being sub-fertile as those with a longer AGD, according to a study published on Friday in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.

That distance, measured from the anus to the underside of the scrotum, is linked to male fertility, including semen volume and sperm count, the study found. The shorter the AGD, the more likely a man was to have a low sperm count.

This offers the prospect of a relatively simple screening test for men, said study co-author Shanna Swan of the University of Rochester Medical Center.

"It's non-invasive and anybody can do it, and it's not sensitive to the kinds of things that sperm count is sensitive to, like stress or whether you have a cold or whether it's hot out," Swan said in a telephone interview.

"If somebody's got a short AGD, particularly if they have problems conceiving, I would say get to the infertility doctor, because the chances are good that something is wrong."

To reach their conclusions, researchers measured the AGDs of 126 men born in or after 1988, a small but statistically significant sample, Swan said.

The study did not address what might cause certain men to have short AGD measurements.

But previous studies, published in 2005 and 2008, looked at the possible link between mothers who were exposed to chemicals called phthalates during pregnancy and the AGD of their infant and toddler sons.

Phthalates are a group of chemicals widely used in industrial and personal care products, including fragrances, shampoos, soaps, plastics, paints and some pesticides.

In these earlier studies, the scientists tested for the presence of phthalates in the pregnant women's urine. They found that women who had high levels of phthalates in their urine during pregnancy gave birth to sons who were 10 times more likely to have shorter than expected AGDs.

Swan, who also co-authored the earlier papers, said they showed the correlation between prenatal phthalate exposure and shorter AGD.

The latest study does not address prenatal phthalate exposure directly, "but it does answer the question of why we should care about AGD," Swan said. "And it does suggest that whatever is altering AGD is also altering sperm count."

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Erectile Dysfunction and Your Heart

There are many factors that can cause Erectile Dysfunction. Erectile Dysfunction is a form of male impotence, which makes it difficult for a man to maintain an erection for a period long enough to perform the sexual act. It can be brought on due to psychological aspects, drugs, diabetes, anatomical problems, and a plethora of other causes.

One aspect, that is important in creating and maintaining an erection, is the cardio-vascular system. This is the heart and the arteries and veins in the body. The heart pumps blood through the arteries and veins and is responsible for keeping the pressure of this blood at levels that are important to the body.

The most important mechanical process of creating and maintaining an erection is the cardio-vascular system. When a man is aroused, the arteries to the penis open up and allow more blood to flow into it. At the same time, the valves in the veins close off to keep this blood (and blood pressure) in the penis. As the man continues to be aroused, the cardio-vascular system keeps pumping blood into the penis and an erection is produced. This continual pressure of blood (pumped from the heart), helps maintain this erection. This how an erection is produced and controlled.

If the cardio-vascular system is weak, there is a chance that this might have an ill-effect on creating and maintaining an erection; especially if there are some restrictions in the vasculature to the penis.

By exercising more, especially cardio-vasuclar-type exercises, such as running or jogging, this can help strengthen the cardio-vascular system and help increase and sustain the pressure required to create and maintain an erection.

If you do suffer from Erectile Dysfunction, it is very important to visit your doctor to find out the underlying cause of this situation. But it is not uncommon for a man to become more physically active to help alleviate the affects of Erectile Dysfunction.

Read Complete article by By Georg Von Neumann at http://www.ayurveda-increaselibido.com/wordpress/?p=11

Guy Sex-Anatomy Facts

Always good to clear the air of any misconceptions with some solid facts about the penis:
• Big guys don’t necessarily have big penises. A 6’5” basketball player could have a tiny gherkin-sized penis while a 5’3” shrimpy guy could be extremely well-endowed.
• Likewise, you know what they say about a guy with big feet? Well it doesn’t mean squat. Big hands and feet have nothing to do with penis-size.
• Hairiness (or lack thereof) has nothing to do with virility. Guys who are hairy or who are bald have a predisposition to be that way – it has nothing to do with testosterone or libido.
• Not all guys masturbate regularly. At least 5% pass on this daily activity.
• A veiny penis is totally normal; it is not a sign of infection, infertility, or impotence.
• Mountain Dew will not decrease sperm count. People used to think that yellow dye 5m and caffeine were responsible for a drop in sperm, but both theories have been debunked.
• Not all guys are circumcised and it’s becoming more popular to leave boys fully intact. In fact, 85% of men in the world are uncircumcised. In the US, every year the number of circumcisions drops, and is now only slightly more than 50%.
• The average erect penis is about 5” long. Any hard on bigger than that is considered big.
• Erectile dysfunction is not a symptom of aging. Older people are more likely to get Erectile dysfunction because of other illnesses that they’ve acquired over time and because of medications that they may be taking. This is why young men can also experience ED and problems with impotence.
• Guys can fake an orgasm too. Unless a woman knows that a guy generally ejaculates bucket-loads, it’s possible for a guy to fake climax – almost as easy as it is for his partner.
Read complete article at http://www.ayurveda-increaselibido.com/2009/07/guy-sex-anatomy-facts.html