Friday, September 30, 2005

Why do men have nipples?

Why do men have nipples? This is a question I have been asking my friends for years. I have been told that I think of the strangest things. Much to my surprise, earlier this year a book came out entitled “Why Do Men Have Nipples?” I couldn’t believe it!
I was somewhat relieved to know that I am not the only person who wondered such a thing.

Billy Goldberg, a New York physician, brought up odd questions and topics at cocktail parties and other social gatherings over the years, then wrote a book.The book contains all sorts of questions … “Hundreds of Questions You’d Only Ask a Doctor After Your Third Martini” which is the subtitle of the book.

Some of the things people have wondered like why your teeth chatter when you’re cold, or if you could really catch a disease from sitting on a toilet seat.

“Chattering teeth is one way the body tries to generate heat. When the body gets too cold, the area of the brain called the hypothalamus alerts the rest of the body to begin warming up. Shivering, the rapid muscle movement that generates heat then begins. Teeth chattering represents localized shivering.”
“During the course of their research, Goldberg and Leyner found reports of gonorrhea, pinworm and roundworm found on toilet seats -- but catching something from it isn’t common. The authors discovered that an office setting might be worse for your health than toilet seats. Charles Gerba, a microbiologist at the University of Arizona, found the typical office desk harbors some 400 times more disease-causing bacteria than the average toilet seat.”

Some other humorous questions included in the book are “What causes morning breath?” and “Why do beans give you gas?”

“Goldberg says morning breath results from anaerobic bacteria, the xerostomia (dry mouth) or the volatile sulfur compounds (which are waste products from the bacteria). Other contributing factors to foul oral odor include medication, alcohol, sugar, smoking, caffeine, and eating dairy products.Beans contain high percentages of sugars that our bodies are unable to digest, Goldberg explains. When the sugars make it to the intestines, bacteria go to work and start producing large amounts of gas.”

Ok, I finally have the answer to my burning question, the question I have asked repeatedly over the years, getting only a snickering reply of “You’ve got to be kidding”.

And why do men have nipples?

“While only females have mammary glands, we all start out in a similar way in the embryo, the authors explain. The embryo follows a female template until about six weeks, when the male sex chromosome kicks in. Men, however, have already developed nipples.”

Hmmm….I guess that is a pretty good explanation. I am still floored that my recurring question became the name of a book!

24 comments:

Ticharu said...

I love that sort of information, please pass the beans, thanks darling!

Becky said...

I remember the author of that book being on a show, I think it may have been the Daily Show, not sure though. It's very interesting though.

Lucy Stern said...

Good information here. You see I never wondered why men have nipples. I just knew that women have bigger breasts for feeding their young. Good post.

Kay Ray said...

So basically men are half a women THAT IS FUNNY!!!

Carl Spackler said...

lee ann you have been coming up with some great blogs lately. you are clearly not alone in wondering why dudes have nipples. hey, would you be interested in doing an interview for my blog? i would give you 10 questions and post the responses on my blog. people want to learn more about this Nannbugg person!

Lee Ann said...

Zombie ~ Oh, sorry! Hope you are feeling better :D

ticharu ~ My pleasure...hehehe

becky ~ I know, the first time I saw him on one of the morning shows, I was shocked when I heard the title...I wanted to call all of my friends immediately to show them I am not strange for thinking that!

Jef ~ Yes, I actually have wondered this and questioned that very thing for years now. I guess my mind is a little unconventional. Yeah, Chandler's third nipple...eck! ahaha

lucy ~ Hi! Thanks for stopping by! Yes, as far as my boyfriend thinks, the bigger the better! ;)Come back by again.

Kay Ray ~ hahaha, so does that mean we are all half lesbians?

Carl ~ Thanks! Absolutely, bring it! I am ready and honored. Are the questions secret until post time? If so, I will send you my email addy. ;)

Carl Spackler said...

yes, questions are confidential. send me your email and i will respond with the questions. hope you have a great weekend!

Hotboy said...

Why don't they surgically enhance peeping toms so they could peep without bothering anyone else? Huge bosoms, a mirror and a Pamela Anderson face mask. Ruin the porn business. Sorry, it wouldn't. Since I discovered the homonym in me, I've gone a bit odd. Hotboy

Dave Morris said...

So you can have something to nibble.

And so we can have something to pierce, other than our penis. (what the HELL is that about???)

mojoala said...

Somebody blogged this same thing! Ya know, I think it was The Everglades.

Lee Ann said...

Hotboy ~ That is an idea! ahaha
I am glad that homonym has made an impression!

Dave ~ Ah nibbling can be fun! I truly do not understand the penis piercing either!

mojo ~ Ah, no way! He has wondered about this same burning question? So, I am getting confirmation that I am not the only one that has wondered that! I will have to check it out. How cool is that! You know what "they" say about great minds...they think alike! hehehe

Lee Ann said...

carslemane ~ Wow! That is interesting. Maybe it means you are an extremely passionate person!

saurav said...

nice informative post....Lee.

onan the bavarian said...

carslemaine - My brother has 3 nipples. Can you post photographic evidence of your over-endowment? By the way, I think we've met.

LA - does your book have any more toilet facts? Also, you're the first American I've known use the word "toilet". When I was in the states I only ever heard "restroom" and "bathroom". Well done!

Rob Seifert said...

Because it feels incredible when they're played with in the right way - boy or girl. With thousands fewer nerve endings in the penis than the clitoris I'd have to count it as a door prize for coming to the human party.

RCS

Fred said...

The things I learn here. I can sleep better tonight. :)

Lee Ann said...

Avik ~ Thank you! ;)

Rob ~ Ah, very clever of you asking for pictures from Carslemane!
I haven't read the book yet, so it looks like I need to...I will keep you updated. When I refer to the bathroom as a place ~ I will say restroom, ladies room,or bathroom. When I refer to the porcelain structure itself, I will say toilet or potty:) Do you guys call it the lew(sp.?)

RCS ~ *blushing* No, really I am glad you can put it out there...no one else has admitted that for some reason! I like your honesty. That human party is the best, right?(still makes me giggle)

carslemane ~ ahahaha, now I am no longer giggling. I am laughing out loud! In fact my boyfriend just came in from the other room because I was laughing so hard.

Fred ~ See, even teachers can learn. Stick around, there is sure to be more fun.

Thanks for the good laugh this morning everyone!

BeckEye said...

I always just thought it was so you could play with them.

I've had a lot of questions about men over the years, but that was never one of them. :)

John Bryson said...

men have nips so chicks can lick 'em.

onan the bavarian said...

carsey - just as I thought!

LA - some Aussies call it the dunny; some Brits call it the Khasi (sp.?). Some Scots call it the cludge. Hotboy calls it his bedroom. But you're right, the usual UK word is loo.

Lee Ann said...

BeckEye ~ Yes, they are fun to "play" with, but I always wondered what their "true" purpose was! Okay, I have always been told that I analyze things too much.

Justice ~ I still cannot believe that...after all these years of asking that question, then for it to be the title of a book!!!!

Madhatter ~ yes, yes, yes.... ;)

rob ~ Dunny, khasi, cludge? I knew I spelled it wrong (Loo). You are too funny, wonder why there are so many names for it?

mojoala said...

I just figured out who blogged this before! It was EXSENO, another of my haunts....

onan the bavarian said...

I have a male friend who used to suckle his kids. When they were babies, of course, and I don't think there was any lactation. They did grow up a bit unusual, though.

I hope this helps.

Joe Tornatore said...

don't cry over non-spilled milk from nippled men.