1,001 Facts That Will Scare the S#*t Out of You: The Ultimate Bathroom Reader (27 page)

Lois White and Gena Duncan, Medical-Surgical Nursing: An Integrated Approach, 2nd ed. (Cengage Learning, 2002).

174

FACT :
Persistent Sexual Arousal Syndrome (PSAS) is a medical condition where a woman experiences “spontaneous, intrusive and unwanted”
feelings of arousal in the genital area without sexual desire
. PSAS can continue for days or months, is not abated by sexual activity, and causes distraction and psychological distress in sufferers.
Congratulations, ladies. Now you know what it’s like to be a man.

Sandra Leiblum, “About PSAS,” Persistent Sexual Arousal Syndrome,
www.psas.dreamhosters.com
.

“Medical Mystery: Persistent Sexual Arousal Syndrome.” ABC News, February 21, 2008,
http://abcnews.go.com
.

175

FACT :
Human males, like rats, moths, and butterflies, give off a scent that has a physiological and psychological effect on the opposite sex. Researchers discovered that androstadienone, a chemical found in male sweat,
raises levels of the hormone cortisol in women
, resulting in enhanced mood and sexual arousal.
My wife does get pretty excited when she sees a moth.

“Male sweat boosts women’s hormone levels,”
Physorg.com
, February 7, 2007,
www.physorg.com
.

176

FACT :
According to one researcher, women have a higher likelihood than men to settle for a
mediocre sex life and unmet emotional needs
. Most keep their dissatisfaction a secret from their partners, often due to a fear of emotional hurt or abandonment.
Mediocre sex is better than no sex at all, isn’t it? That’s what I tell my wife.

Jeanna Bryner, “Women Settle for Mediocre Sex, Scientist Finds,” LiveScience, AOL Health, February 14, 2007,
www.reference.aol.com
.

177

FACT :
A study reveals that a cluster of genes linked to reproduction could predict
the likelihood that a woman will cheat on her mate
. In a survey of romantically involved couples, women whose major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes were similar to those of their mates reported decreased attraction to those partners.
See, West Virginia, nature doesn’t want you to be turned on by your relatives.

Jeanna Bryner, “Genetic Test Could Reveal A Cheating Heart,” LiveScience, AOL Health, February 13, 2007,
www.reference.aol.com
.

178

FACT :
Use of an oral contraceptive might affect a woman’s ability to sniff out a partner. In a study where women were asked to sniff men’s sweaty shirts, those on the pill typically chose odors that were
genetically similar to their own
as being the most attractive. Human beings are inclined to go for genetically dissimilar mates.
Obviously, this doesn’t apply to those people who admitted having sex with their cousins.

Jeanna Bryner, “Genetic Test Could Reveal A Cheating Heart,” LiveScience, AOL Health, February 13, 2007,
wwwreference.aol.com
.

“The Facts of Life: Attraction,” The Independent, September 13, 2008,
www.independent.co.uk
.

179

FACT :
Several traditional herbs are being studied for their aphrodisiac properties, including yohimbe, tribulus, and maca. Combinations of these are sold as “natural Viagra,” but be wary:
their effectiveness is unproven
, and some, like yohimbe, a type of tree bark, can be lethal if consumed in large quantities.
Tree bark? Dude—spring for the Viagra.

“Top 10 Aphrodisiacs,” LiveScience, AOL Health,
www.reference.aol.com
.

180

FACT :
The
average size of an erect penis is five inches
, while the average flaccid penis is three and a half inches. Drugs and devices advertised to increase penis size are dismissed as scams.
But you can’t blame a guy with a three-inch dong for trying.

Rob Baedeker, “Sex: Fact And Fiction,” WebMD,
www.men.webmd.com
.