Why Men Cheat

avatar for Philip A. Stein
Philip A. Stein
http://www.aolnews.com/surge-desk/articl…

Why Men Cheat: Science Says 'New' Women Boost Testosterone
Paul Wachter
Contributor
AOL News Surge Desk


Andrew Sullivan links to a blog post on male sexuality by Christopher Ryan, co-author, along with Cacilda Jetha, of the new book "Sex at Dawn: The Prehistoric Origins of Modern Sexuality." Ryan looks at the eternal question: Why do men, in particular middle-aged men, have affairs?

One's tempted to answer the question -- or a revision of it (why do men sleep with other women -- or men?) -- with Sir Edmund Hillary's response to someone who asked him why he wanted to climb Mount Everest. "Because it's there," he said. Sexual opportunities are out there, too.

And while there are myriad reasons one might stray, the authors have identified a biological one.

[O]ne factor we think deserves more attention is the role of testosterone (T) in middle-aged men's eroticism. In their twenties, men's T levels begin a long decline, often experienced as diminished passion and appetite for life. Suppressed T levels are associated with depression, heart attacks, dementia, and overall mortality rates from 88 to 250 percent higher. One of the few things that can reliably and immediately revive a man's sagging testosterone is exposure to a new woman. One researcher found that even a brief chat with an attractive woman raised men's testosterone levels by fourteen percent within minutes.

Ryan writes that men may confuse this testosterone spike with "love" and make decisions they later come to regret. But that seems to be straying from the scientific into the moralistic. There's no reason to think this spike triggers feelings of "love." It may be simply feelings of titillation, which are sufficient drivers of action.

12 comments

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avatar for Philip A. Stein
Philip A. Stein
14 years ago
So now I can tell my wife I'm going to a strip club for some low T therapy
avatar for georgmicrodong
georgmicrodong
14 years ago
It's not cheating if you didn't promise not to do it in the first place.
avatar for gatorfan
gatorfan
14 years ago
to get to the other side of the road? (where the streetwalker is)
avatar for SnakePlissken
SnakePlissken
14 years ago
"Ryan writes that men may confuse this testosterone spike with "love" and make decisions they later come to regret."

Haha, may?
avatar for troop
troop
14 years ago
no doubt i'm in the minority here.
never been married, never wanted to be.

but whenever i was in a relationship i never cheated on my girlfriends even though i was very tempted a couple times.
avatar for txtittyfan
txtittyfan
14 years ago
Like troop, I have never been married, and have never cheated on girlfriends. I have great platonic girlfriends for social activities, sometimes with benefits.
avatar for samsung1
samsung1
14 years ago
It has been a question raised in each sex scandal (bill clinton, tiger woods, eliot spitzer, etc.) is are these men addicted to sex or addicted to the power they get from having sex?
avatar for rickdugan
rickdugan
14 years ago
I am an admitted serial cheater.

Why? Because I want the strange pussy and because I can.

Why strippers instead of regular girls? Because it is almost guaranteed that no entanglements will develop. I have seen enough side girlfriend and mistress arrangements to know that they are almost always more trouble than they are worth. Resentment, yet another woman constantly seeking attention, the monumental effort needed to hide an ongoing affair - no thank you.

Ridiculous hotel romps with hot young strippers half my age? HELL YES!

avatar for gatorfan
gatorfan
14 years ago
rickdugan, are you are cereal cheater too? Wheaties most of the time but then you can't resist those Lucky Charms!
avatar for rickdugan
rickdugan
14 years ago
lol gator, nope, oddly enough I am more loyal to my cereal than to the Mrs.
avatar for Player11
Player11
14 years ago
Like Rick I am a serial cheater but so is my OTC Fav. She got married back in April and it does not keep her from stripping or seeing me.

Strippers don't care about age, marital status, etc. They will never pressure you to leave a wife or serve you with some stupid ultimatum they won't fuck you until you separate from your marriage. In addition they are not going around telling everyone at work about your drama.

Rick I agree with you side (non stripper) GF can be more hassle than they are worth. When I look on back on that period I think what a bunch of foolishness, I could have been seeing strippers!

When I think of all the fun I have had with strippers vs the frustration with gals years ago at work I messed with the strippers win out no contest. Civilian gals know they are no competetion for strippers. Strippers are young, hot, uninhibited and like to fuck. Where else but a SC can you have a date with a young hot gal who comes after you already half naked? In a singles bar with some stuck up bitch where men outnumber the women? Don't think so.
avatar for rickdugan
rickdugan
14 years ago
Like I have said before (or variations of this), when I die I want to go with a Jack in one hand, my cock in the young pussy of a girl bent over a couch or table, and cigar smoke rings all around my head. Fuck this living in fear of ...whatever. I'll be damned if I live in fear all of my life just to look back in regret when I am old and senile.
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