Spreading myths is fine as long as you are doing it intentionally just for fun! In fact, the normal human psychology compels us to relish myths and nurture them while staying in a social group. But sometimes, this "fun activity" may put you in an embarrassing position when your viewpoints will be challenged by those who know the exact truth. And you are likely to see a decline in your social repute in such a case. And this will tend to get more intensified if the myths are related to scientific facts like health, food or diet!
It's true that today's men are in an equal competition with women for being the center of gossips, but that does not permit anyone to spread myth about important issues like men's health. But such misconceptions are in the air and are trying to make your way into your minds.
Here are some of the most common myths about men's health:
Myth #1: If You Shave Every Day, the Beard will Grow Thicker and Rougher
Fact: Frequent shaving does not make your beard thicker! It is the size and shape of the hair follicle that determine the thickness and the texture of the beard hair. So the thickness, coarseness, thinness or fineness of your beard do not depend on your shaving habits.
Myth #2: Men With Bigger Shoe Size Have Longer Penis
Fact: Though this may break a lot of women's heart, but yes, this is a myth. Two urologists from St. Mary's hospital in London conducted a study involving 104 men and found no statistical relevance between the shoe size and the penile size.
Myth #3: Wearing a Hat or Using a Blow Dryer Causes Baldness in Men
Fact: Apparently there is no evidence suggesting that baldness can be caused due to the above stated reasons. The male pattern of hair loss involves decrease in the size of the hair follicles, which in turn, results in finer and shorter hair and eventually baldness.
Myth #4: Men Need to Worry About Prostate Cancer Only
Fact: Although a lot of men die due to cancer of the prostate gland, but lung cancer happens to be the leading cause of death in men. Besides, men are also prone to get breast cancer. Surprised? but yes it's true, men also get breast cancer. The risk increases with age. Other risk factors include family members (male or female) with breast cancer, a genetic condition associated with high estrogen levels, chronic liver disorders, alcoholism and obesity.
Myth #5: Men Who Wear Briefs Have Lesser Sperm Count
Fact: This has been a belief since a long time now, but there is no evidence of the same. Although low sperm count can be related to prolonged high temperature, but you cannot definitely associate low sperm count with the use of briefs!
Myth #6: There is No Bone in the Penis Hence There is Nothing Like a "Penile Fracture"
Fact: There is no "penis bone," but you can tear the tunica albuginea, which is a fibrous sheath that gets stretched during an erection. This is called a "penile fracture" and it most commonly occurs during sexual activity. In most of the cases, the treatment involves surgery. Fortunately, penile fractures are rare.
Myth #7: Working Out Till You Sweat and Feel Pain will Only Get You Results
Fact: Working out is good but working out beyond your body's capacity will not only cause pain but will also cause injury. Perform workouts intelligently and don't hurt yourself.
Myth #8: Men Don't Need to Worry About Osteoporosis
Fact: Although it is more common in women who experience menopause, men too are prone to this health problem in which the skeleton weakens and the bones become fragile and susceptible to fracture. The risk increase as the life expectancy in men increases while the other risk factors for osteoporosis include age, low levels of testosterone, alcohol abuse, smoking, gastrointestinal disease, use of steroid medications and immobilization.
Myth #9: Men Don't Have Fertility Cycles
Fact: Although the experts don't really believe that a time of the day or the season has anything to do with male fertility cycle, but it has been noticed in several cases that men usually have higher sperm count in the mornings and during the winters.
Myth #10: Masturbation Yields the Strongest Orgasm
Fact: Well, it can be a myth or a fact for a person! This is more of an individualized point - some feel more contented when they reach their orgasm with masturbation when compared to intercourse and vice versa for others ... so you cannot really term this as a myth or a fact.
Myth #11: Oysters Increase Libido
Fact: A study conducted on the same subject projected that oyester and some other slimy sea foods increased the sex drive in men, but the Food and the Drug Administration refuses to believe in this, as no other study proved the same point. So despite the study, science continues to say that this is only a myth and not really a fact.
Myth #12: Erectile Dysfunction is All in Your Head
Fact: Although majority of men think that erectile dysfunction is just in their heads, but it's not true in all the cases. Men who have crossed 40 years of age, do face this problem, but it's also true that many younger men too face a similar problem. It should not be taken lightly as it may be an indicator of a vascular problem or a cardiac problem. This calls for fixing up an appointment with a doctor.
Myth #13: Cholesterol is Always Bad
Fact: While we know an increased cholesterol level is linked with cardiac problems, elevation in all type of cholesterol is not bad. The low density cholesterol and the very low density cholesterol (LDL and VLDL) are the real trouble makers, while the high density cholesterol (HDL) rather counteracts the bad ones! Also known as the good cholesterol, the HDL helps in scavenging the bad cholesterol out from the body.
Myth #14: Bicycling Doesn't Affect Fertility
Fact: Sitting on the bicycle seat for 30 minutes and above especially when dressed in tight cycling shorts raises the scrotal temperature, affecting the sperm production temporarily. This is the reason why prolonged hot tub baths and sauna baths are not recommended for guys who have been trying for conception. One can be careful while choosing a saddle - it shouldn't be too narrow and should be adjusted to a height where the weight is on the butt bone.
Myth #15: When it Comes to Weight, Only an Excess Affects Sperm
Fact: As it is known that obesity decreases the sperm count, this is not the complete fact. Being underweight, also affects the sperm count. Whether underweight or overweight, both these conditions are linked to malnutrition and hormonal imbalance which can drop the sperm count in men considerably.
Myths related to health issues can prove to be dangerous for an individual's well-being. And you cannot derive any fun while spreading these gossips. It's better to stay updated with the latest developments and to communicate the same to the others. And for the sake of having fun, you are free to choose other topics like celebrity affairs and breakups!
