Friday Links Roundup 12/16/11 - Condoms, Safe Sex, Sex Education
Friday Links Roundup 12/2/11 - Safe Sex, Condoms, Sex Education
Testosterone Overloaded ‘Macho’ Men More Likely to Practice Safe Sex
In a recent study conducted at the University of Michigan, testosterone loaded guys aged 18 and 19 were found to have a more accepting attitude towards condoms and safe sex practices than low-testosterone males. High testosterone levels are linked to boldness, confidence, and high risk life choices. These results are the first to demonstrate a link between higher testosterone levels and less risk-taking in any domain to date.
According to researcher Sari van Anders, “safe sex behaviors and people who engage with them can be seen in a negative light. The ‘social risk’ of insisting on using a condom might require more boldness and confidence than having unprotected sex.” The new findings reveal that safe sex could feel like a riskier move than unprotected sex does to men.
The study consisted of 78 men answering questions about their health, sexual activity, and attitudes towards condom use. Each man provided a saliva sample to measure testosterone levels.
The results revealed that men with higher testosterone levels had more positive attitudes about safe sex than lower-testosterone men. It’s possible that men get an ego boost (and testosterone boost) from safe-sex practices since it signifies them as knowledgeable about sex and bumps up their social status. Although this study was focused just on attitudes, actual behavioral research is in the works to see whether the testosterone-safe sex link holds up behaviorally.
ONE Condoms will be tracking the development of this research as more findings come to light. ONE wants to make condoms as socially acceptable as toothpaste and safe sex as second nature as wearing a seatbelt. ONE Condoms donates a portion of each sale to HIV/AIDS prevention efforts at home and abroad.
So, tell us fellas. Do you think you high T levels make more accepting of safe sex practices?
Friday Links Roundup 11/4/11 - Safe Sex, Sex Education, Condoms
Friday 8/26/11 Links Roundup - Safe Sex, Condoms & Sex Education
Safe Sex and Condom Use Linked With Teen Masturbation
Believe it or not ONE Condom buffs, in a recent study, teen masturbation seems to have a direct impact on engaging in safe sex practices. The Journal of Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, when studying 820 teens from the ages of 14 to 17 found that 75% of teenage boys have masturbated at least once in their lifetime opposed to 48% of females. Older participants are reported masturbating more than younger (53% of 14 year-olds compared with 69% of 17 year-olds).
The most shocking fact out of this study is that 86% of boys who said they masturbated in the past year had also used a condom the last time they had sex. Whereas only 44% of those who didn’t masturbate said they used a condom. This shows a strong correlation of those who masturbate and their likeliness of engaging in safe sex practices.
This doesn’t mean that masturbation automatically determines safe sex practices however. Despite the sample size being small, a link between the two behaviors has come to light and cannot be ignored.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, masturbation among children and teens is a normal part of growing up and learning about one’s body. More focus groups and research are currently in effect to determine more data on masturbation’s effect on safe sex practices.
What do you think? Is masturbation a healthy sex practice and do you find it associated with sexual self-awareness and overall safe sexual behavior? Tell us what you think. ONE is extremely interested in hearing from you on this topic so don’t shy away from your opinions!
