Would You Castrate Yourself If It Meant Living A Longer Life?
Keep your gonads or live longer. Oh, the decisions one has to make in life! And it's all thanks to a new study that claims cutting them off can make increase your lifespan by decades. More from ABC:
The study of over 80 eunuchs from the Chosun Dynasty, which ruled in Korea from 1392 to 1897, looked at the world's only known record of eunuchs' lives and compared them to genealogical records of other men of similar social rank. The researchers cross-checked their results with other royal records.
They found that the average lifespan of a Korean eunuch was about 70 years, 14 to 19 years higher than non-castrated men of similar social standing.
Based on this, the researchers speculate how this might explain why women have statistically longer lifespans than men. If could have to do with how the male sex hormones have a negative effect on the immune system and make men more vulnerable to heart problems. They found that the average lifespan of a Korean eunuch was about 70 years, 14 to 19 years higher than non-castrated men of similar social standing.
However, we're not saying you should go and snip of those deadly nuts just yet. As one expert puts it:
"I would not recommend becoming a eunuch," Coles said, "Or taking drugs to reduce your sex hormones." Reducing testosterone levels in men or women would severely affect one's sex drive, he said.
Image via monotoniablog.com
