Many guys hate to admit it, I am not one of those, but guys have monthly cycles of hormone balance. While there has been little scientific publication on the topic, it is a topic considered in anthropological circles and even discussed in most A&P classes. The reason that I bring this up is that I am definetely in my "time of the month." I am irritable for no reason, my athletic performance is down, I am bloated, and just feel like crap. Here is what I found on the topic:
MEN HAVE CYCLES, TOO
Although little research has been done on the topic, men have monthly cycles, too. As far back as the seventeenth century, the Italian scientist Sanctorius weighed men daily over long periods of time and discovered that men underwent a monthly weight change of about one or two pounds. More recently, a Danish endocrinologist kept daily records of hormones excreted in his urine. When analyzed, those records showed that his hormones rose and fell in roughly a thirty-day rhythm. Interestingly, beard growth also shows a rhythm of approximately thirty days; in other words, the amount of beard a man grows daily increases and decreases in a monthly cycle.
In 1929, a researcher carefully followed the moods of seventeen men and showed that men, like women, have emotional cycles of about a month to six weeks in length. According to the researcher's findings, men tend to be more apathetic and indifferent during the low period of their emotional cycles and more likely to magnify small problems into big ones. During the high period of their cycles, men have more energy, a greater sense of well-being, lower body weight, and less need for sleep.
In the early 1970s, Ms. magazine reported that a Japanese bus and taxi company used this knowledge of male monthly cycles to reduce accidents involving its vehicles. After charting the cycles of each of its drivers, the company rearranged routes and schedules to best match the men's low and high periods. The result: After two years, the company experienced a one-third drop in its accident rate.
Men, like women, may benefit from following the Japanese company's example and charting their individual monthly rhythms. Use the chart and Cycle Changes list on page 120. If you are married or living with a woman, both of you may find it interesting and helpful to chart your cycles together to see if they are in or out of sync with each other.
Cycle Changes
Here is a sampling of the physical and psychological sensations that may vary in intensity at different phases of your monthly menstrual cycle. When charting your cycle, you may wish to expand this list to include additional physical or emotional changes:
PSYCHOLOGICAL
Beneficial
Creativity
Optimism
Self-confidence
Exuberance
Feeling attractive
Feeling sexual
Contentment
Enjoying being with people
Excess energy
Disruptive
Irritability
Anger
Tension
Anxiety/Feelings of doom
Depression
Insomnia
Nightmares
Feeling unattractive
Crying spells
Feeling unsocial
PHYSICAL
Migraine headaches
Mouth sores
Weight gain
Weight loss
Swollen ankles or hands
Bloating and edema
Breast tenderness
Increased athletic performance
Decreased athletic performance
Heart palpitations
Backache
Fatigue
Acne
Fainting
Loss of appetite
Increased appetite
Reluctance to exercise
Cravings (for alcohol, salt, or sugar)
Sleepiness
More accident prone
SHORTER MALE CYCLES
In addition to its monthly rhythm, beard growth has a second – and weaker weekly rhythm in men. Beards tend to grow the most on Sunday and the least on Wednesday although the difference is not great enough for most men to notice. Because beard growth seems to be triggered by testosterone levels (which rise during sexual activity), this weekly increase and decrease in beard growth may be the result of increased sexual activity on the weekend.
One of the most perplexing and shorter male cycles involves the rise and fall in sperm count. A man's total sperm count peaks every two to five days; for most men, the peak comes every three or four days (which is also, by the way, the same rhythm exhibited by male rabbits). What causes the sperm count to rise and fall in such a rhythm or how it affects sexuality is still being explored.
This being said, ladies, be patient with us guys when we too are pissy for no reason!
Yay!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/9541154@N03/2034931485/
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