Sex, Poop, and Champagne Are Great, but Their Health Benefits Are Overrated
Welcome to our roundup of health news, earlier to worry about this week . We renamed it Dose of Reality because health news isn’t always a cause for concern. Sometimes the benefits are exaggerated rather than the risks. This week we look at research that seems to hold the key to preventing cancer and Alzheimer’s and becoming a better athlete.
More ejaculations, less cancer?
Headline : Men Should Ejaculate To Reduce Prostate Cancer Risk (ATTN).
History : Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men (after skin cancer), so it would be great if we had a way to prevent it. The prostate helps with ejaculation and also produces some of the fluid that makes up semen, so it’s fair to ask if ejaculation has anything to do with prostate health.
The ATTN story centers on a study last year that found that the more men remember to ejaculate during their lifetime, the less likely they are to develop prostate cancer. It’s interesting, and great, that the study was large: almost 32,000 men, although it sucks that 93 percent were white when prostate cancer is especially common among African Americans .
But research just shows a link. That doesn’t prove that ejaculation protects you from cancer. And this is provided that men honestly report their history of sex and masturbation. Be that as it may, previous research has shown that masturbation does not affect cancer risk.
Takeaway : There is not much evidence to support the idea that you can prevent cancer by increasing ejaculation. Diet can help, but the best prevention is to be young and have no family history of prostate cancer .
Is Poop Doping the future of cycling?
Headline : “Get Over Blood Doping, Cyclists May Soon Be Dope Poop” (Washington Post)
History : Our colon contains many bacteria and other microbes that are important to our health, but remember that we still don’t really understand what a healthy microbial ecosystem looks like.
One cyclist (yes, only one) who is also a microbiologist told Bicycling that many athletes have a lot of bacteria called Prevotella , but she found out she didn’t. So she got herself a feces transplant from her fellow cyclist. (This is exactly what it sounds like – The Post called it a “reverse enema.”) She hoped to fix some of her health problems, but found that not only was she feeling better, she was winning the races.
Sounds great, right? But this one-woman experiment doesn’t mean cyclist poop gives you superpowers. Note that when she got better, she could train more often. You expect to be a better cyclist if you train five days a week than when you train two days a week. Meanwhile, we don’t know why cyclists have more Prevotella – perhaps these bacteria really enjoy the gels and electrolyte drinks that cyclists typically consume.
Microbiologist Jonathan Eisen breaks down the story here and calls it “ridiculously irresponsible.” There is no evidence that Prevotella makes you faster, and by the way, do-it-yourself faecal transplants come with real risks.
Takeaway : No, doping is not the future of cycling.
Okay, but champagne will surely prevent Alzheimer’s.
Headline : Drinking Champagne Daily “May Help Prevent Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease” (Cosmopolitan UK).
History : This is an older study that got support on social media this week. The last time it took place in 2015, but the study itself was carried out in 2013. Some stories are so touching that they sometimes rise from the dead, which is why we have this old study that champagne is good for Alzheimer’s at the same time as this new one. that alcohol is bad for Alzheimer’s .
But champagne sounds better, right? I love champagne! This is practically healthy food! So let’s take a quick look at the research . (You can read more from Science Alert or NHS Choices , which both get it right.)
Eight rats drank champagne every day. After six weeks, they did better on the maze than the eight rats who drank soda. That’s all. This is what it is all based on. Researchers think the chemical in champagne may be beneficial for certain parts of your brain, but this study doesn’t tell us if that’s true or not.
Takeaway : Don’t expect champagne to prevent Alzheimer’s. According to the National Institute on Aging , you can lower your risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s by quitting smoking, quitting heart disease and … avoiding excessive alcohol consumption.