testosterone to blame for men’s shortened lives

[natina]

Historical study of castrated men offers evidence that testosterone to blame for men’s shortened lives

Scientists said Monday they have new evidence about why women live longer than men, from a study of historical data showing castrated Koreans far outlived their non-eunuch contemporaries.
The study, published in the scientific journal “Current Biology,” used detailed genealogical records of the Imperial nobility during Korea’s Joseon dynasty, which spanned more than 500 years from the late 1300s to the early 1900s.
According to the data, most men, including kings and royal family members, died in their late-40s or early-50s.
But noble-class eunuchs — men who were castrated either by accident or because of social benefits — lived, on average, to the ripe, old age of 70.
Study author Kyung-Jin Min of South Korea’s Inha University, told AFP the reason is probably that manly hormone, testosterone:
“Testosterone is known to increase the incidence of coronary heart disease and reduce immune function in males,” he said.
Castration “removes the source of male sex hormones,” the study notes, adding the practice has already been proven to help many male animals live longer.
Castration also cuts off the possibility of reproduction, which Kyung-Jin noted could also be a factor.
According to “one of the leading theories of aging, aging occurs at the expense of reproduction,” he said, because the body has limited energy that can be used either to keep up reproductive function, or else to keep up everything else.

But although the eunuchs could not father children biologically, they married, adopted and raised children, and generally lived lives very similar to their non-castrated peers.
“In order to eliminate socioeconomic factors that could have affected lifespan, the lifespan of the eunuchs was compared to the lifespan of men from other Yan-ban (noble class) families with a similar socioeconomic status,” Kyung-Jin said.
And “to exclude genetic factors that could have affected the lifespan, we compared the lifespan of eunuchs with multiple Yan-ban families.”
Modern men looking to extend their lifespan could consider “testosterone reduction therapy,” but Kyung-Jin said it’s probably premature.
For one thing, it is not clear if it would have an effect if the therapy were started at an older age — the eunuchs were all castrated as children.
And for another, the therapy could have side effects that some men may feel make that longer life less worth living.
“We may need to consider the side effects of it,” Kyung-Jin said, “mainly, reduction of sex drive in males.”

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/09/2...ortened-lives/

[flabbybody]

I think I'll keep my boys and die a few years younger

[GrimFusion]

Yeah, not worth it. I'm already gambling against fate by smoking as much as I do.
The way my life has played out so far, the earlier I go the better.

[robertlouis]

I think I'll keep my boys and die a few years younger

Yep. Who wants to be a 95 year old tenor?

[natina]

Castration Can Increase Lifespan, According To Study Of Eunuchs
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012...n_1909992.html

[JenniferParisHusband]

Yep. Who wants to be a 95 year old tenor?

Tenor? That's some wishful thinking. No one writes music for Castrato's anymore.

[danthepoetman]

I’ve seen other studies saying pretty much the same thing, Natina.
Testosterone is a tough hormone. You loose your hair, it starts coming out profusely almost from anywhere else on and out of you, your nose, your ears, etc., your back curves toward the front and your belly starts swelling like the universe in expansion, your shoulders fall, your muscular mass, tendons and joints start hurting and when young tiny birdy girls see you they murmur amongst themselves in high pitch voices “gross!”… Well, ok, I exaggerate a little, but all in all, it’s not a too too pretty picture.

On a serious note, numbers indicates that the average life span of women, which used to be a lot longer than that of men (by 10 years or more), is decreasing a little since more women are working. But there’s a lot to bet men and women never will have the same, not as long as men are men, I suppose… Seeing these drawings, a few scary thoughts cross your mind, though. Testosterone is tough on you, but in principle, it puts limits on coquetry and therefore drives you to the end of its effects. It’s a bit of a circle: you wouldn’t want to loose the balls because they make you what you are and vice versa. Any desire to step out of it translate something very special or different.

(Am I making any sense? Am-I-ma-king-a-ny-sen-se???)

[sissichef38]

I've always wanted to be castrated, but still not sure of 2 things. 1) is too late at age 40? 2) which is better, the burdizzo or the elastrator? Obviously surgery (my preferred route) is safer, but to have a surgen do it to a male who wants it is extremely difficult.

[danthepoetman]

Sissichef, your nuts…

Seriously, man, if it’s by sex drive, just remember that after, you won’t have the same drive one bit and you’ll probably sorely regret it. Besides, burdizzo and elastrator are designed for farm animals, no? Man, this is dangerous! Don’t risk your health for a fantasy. This is one of these cases where you should stop and reason with your desire. You’re not a transsexual, are you? Why in hell would you want to do something like that?

[Prospero]

You'll end up looking like this happy man... an aged Eunuch from the final days of the Chinese Imperial era....