Megan Malone says it stopped her doing things she loved.

The scenario: You’re having a rollicking night out with a date, and you’re drunk on the possibility of heading back home with her.

You’re also literally drunk. You feel good and things are going great – that is, until you get back to your place, fumble with your belt buckle and find, after hours of trying, that you just cannot get erect.

Read more: How to maintain your erection

That’s because you have whiskey dick, or the inability to get erect after a night of heavy drinking.

Whiskey dick is a real thing: though booze may make you feel like you’re the king of the sex gods, that feeling belies what’s actually going on in your body.

Alcohol is a depressant, and it will decrease the blood flow to the penis, says Dr Jamin Brahmbhatt, a urologist at Orlando Health.

Plus, if your body is trying to get rid of all the booze in your system, it will be focusing on that, not on getting hard.

But because two of life’s greatest pleasures are cocktails and orgasms, there’s no need to start a personal prohibition movement. The key is to enjoy the two together responsibly.

“What I always tell guys is that having a drink with someone may make it easier for you when it comes to your game,” says Dr Brahmbatt, “but what they don’t realise is that that drink will make it a little more difficult to end your game in the bedroom.”

Here’s what you need to know about whiskey dick – and how to prevent it.

Read more: The vitamin you need so your penis can perform

1. Alcohol isn’t always the enemy

Chances are, you’ve had wild, tipsy sex before without whiskey dick rearing its angry, flaccid head. That’s because in moderate amounts, alcohol can be helpful.

“It acts as a muscle relaxer, which disinhibits [you],” says Dr Jesse N Mills, a urologist at the Men’s Clinic at UCLA. “Some men find they perform better with a little bit of alcohol in their system,” since they let go of their inhibitions.

In the event that you did actually get hard despite drinking heavily, it doesn’t mean you’re home free: after drinking heavily, you might find that if you have an orgasm, it’s significantly less pleasurable than usual, says Dr Brahmbhatt.

Read more: What to do if your orgasms seem less intense

2. Just because it’s called ‘whiskey dick’ doesn’t mean whiskey is the only culprit

Whiskey isn’t the only alcoholic beverage to give you erectile dysfunction – and no, that doesn’t mean you have a free pass to imbibe fruity rum beverages.

The more alcohol you have in your body, the more issues you may have with your sexual performance, and certain beverages contain higher percentages of alcohol by volume, which means you can drink more alcohol without getting as intoxicated.

Think about it this way: a single beer has a lower ABV than straight-up whiskey (or a cocktail with multiple shots in it), so imbibing something like a beer or glass of wine is probably a safer bet, Dr Eric Giesler of Austin Urology, says.

Read more: 8 ways to protect your erection

3. There’s no magic number for how many shots you should have

It would be convenient if a fairy dickmother flew from the sky and told you this would be the drink that renders you flaccid, but when it comes to figuring out your limit, you’re on your own. There’s no hard and fast rule as to how much will actually affect you, either; Dr Mills notes that some men may be able to drink a lot and get erections, as everybody’s threshold is different.

That said, there are some numbers to consider. Moderate drinking, Dr Mills says, counts as two drinks a night for a male. Additionally, chugging more than five drinks in two hours counts as binge drinking, according to the CDC.

While, again, there’s no one-size-fits-all rule for what will affect your penis, they are good numbers to consider if you’re being conscious about overdoing. That’s important, because…

4. Years of drinking can hurt you in the long run

Years of binge-drinking might turn that episode of whiskey dick into a more frequent occurrence.

“Chronic alcoholism not only can permanently impact erections, it can change your hormonal [balance],” says Dr Giesler. In fact, a 2007 study revealed that “chronic and persistent alcohol use” led to sexual dysfunction in men, including erectile dysfunction, low sexual desire, and premature ejaculation.

A study confirmed that long-term alcohol use can impact male hormones, and another substantiated that it can affect fertility and semen quality.

The more you drink, the lower your testosterone will be and the higher your oestrogen levels will be, Dr Mills explains. That can potentially lead to a slew of unfortunate side effects, like a decreased sex drive.

Read more: How erectile dysfunction led to the best sex of this man’s life

5. Don’t panic if it happens just once

If it’s a “whoops, I accidentally got drunk”-type situation, whiskey dick is probably not indicative of a major problem. (It’s also a great opportunity to hone your oral sex skills.)

If it starts to happen more regularly, however, it’s worth talking to your partner. “If a guy has a stable relationship, [he] should have an open dialogue [like], my erections aren’t what they used to be,” Dr Mills suggests.

That said, if you have a hard time getting erect even without booze – or if even the tiniest bit of alcohol causes a problem – you should consider consulting a doctor.

A big red flag that you may have ED? An absence of morning erections, according to Dr Giesler.

Read more: If you’re worried about erectile dysfunction drink this

It might also mean there are other issues at play here. Your penis actually can tell you quite a bit about your health, and Dr Giesler cautions that erectile issues might be warning signs for potential vascular problems.

“The penis is the window into one’s heart,” he says. That poeticism is meant to be taken both literally and figuratively: if there’s any penile issues going on, it’s worth taking a look at your heart health, too.

Ultimately, booze can be “a reward for a day well spent,” says Dr Mills, but “anything over [two drinks a night regularly] should be called into question, and [men] may have other issues that call them to look to alcohol as a way to relieve stress.”

But, “Sex is a great way to release stress, and as long as everybody’s consenting, it’s probably the best way to relieve stress there is.”

This article was originally published on www.menshealth.com

Image credit: iStock  

Mallory Schlossberg

The best news: Sleeping longer may be the key to reaching your health and weight-loss goals.

According to a new study from researchers at King’s College London, people who snooze for an extra hour or so could end up consuming fewer sugars and carbohydrates.

With 21 participants involved, the study was admittedly small; it was also a pilot, meaning more studies would be required to support its findings.

Researchers recruited 42 people: half received a sleep consultation intended to up their time in bed by as many as 1.5 hours each night, while the other half proceeded with their bedtime habits as usual.

Each person got an individualised set of instructions – no caffeine before bed; set a pre-sleep routine that promotes relaxation; don’t go to bed too full or too hungry – and a suggested time to hit the hay.

Read more: Will you really get fat if you sleep after eating?

Over the next week, participants wore motion sensors to bed and kept diaries detailing their sleep patterns and daily diets.

The study found that 86% of those in the sleep-consultation group ended up spending more time in bed, and half of them slept longer: between 52 and 90 minutes longer, to be exact.

That extra sleep may have been less restful, which researchers chalk up to it being a new habit. Among the control group, researchers saw no change.

Notably, the long sleepers also reduced their sugar intake – think: the simple sugars found in fruit juice, for example – by 10g, along with their carbohydrate intake. 

As principal investigator Wendy Hall, of Kings College’s Department of Nutritional Sciences put it, “a simple change in lifestyle may really help people to consumer healthier diets.”

Read more: 7 easy hacks for your best sleep ever

According to the researchers, more than a third of UK adults don’t get enough sleep. In the United States, that number looks much the same: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that one in three adults is not getting the suggested seven-hour nightly minimum. 

Previous research supports the theory that people who sleep for shorter stretches tend to consume more kilojoules than long sleepers, and not getting enough sleep has also been linked to diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease.

Consider this your perfect excuse to pencil in another hour of shut-eye.

^{This article was originally published on wwww.womenshealthmag.com}

^{Image credit: iStock}

Claire Lampen

If you’re noticing that your man seems pretty uninterested in any activity in the bedroom, you might want to check out his activity in the gym. According to a new study published in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, high amounts of super-intense training and workouts (think: triathlon or marathon-level training sessions) may be associated with lower libido in men.

To get this data, the study authors created a survey that asked participants questions about their exercise habits and libido. The first part about exercise asked for information such as history of regular exercise, intensity of training (defined as the number of light, moderate, and hard sessions per week), duration of exercise (hours per session and total hours per week), and more. The second part asked questions about their sexual activity, arousal, desire, attraction, fantasies, needs for intimacy, and infertility issues.

Read more: 5 Low Libido Causes That Have Nothing To Do With Hormones

The authors were able to use data from 1 077 respondents, and categorised the responses about libido into “low” and “normal/high”. Men who fell into the “low libido” category consistently stated that they lacked desire and that their sexual frequency was also low, even for those in relationships.

The findings: While the researchers weren’t able to determine what specific number of exercise hours led to a dip in sex drive, many of the men with low libido noted that they competed in events that would require a lot of intense, long-term training, such as marathons and triathlons.

While the effects of intense exercise on women are well-known (think: issues like athletic amenorrhoea, or missed periods due to intense training), this is one of the first studies to look into how workout habits can affect men. And study author Dr Anthony C. Hackney, professor of exercise physiology and nutrition at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, is coining a term for the male equivalent of athletic amenorrhea: “exercise hypogonadal male condition (EHMC)”. In short, guys who exercise a ton may not produce as much testosterone.

Read more: 4 Surprisingly Common Things That Are Messing With Your Libido

“It relates to energy availability,” Hackney tells Women’s Health. “During periods of a lot of energy expenditure, your body views that as a short-term starvation scenario, so it tries to conserve calories. And conceiving a child takes a lot of energy, so it’s saying let’s stop producing as much testosterone since it’s not a good time to conceive.” And lower levels of testosterone can mean a dip in sex drive and fertility.

But unlike women, who exhibit more of a visual cue that over-exercising is taking a toll on hormones (read: lack of period), men might not be able to pinpoint that something’s up. Some other potential signs? “If he’s starting to experience chronic fatigue or soreness, lasting up to two weeks after a workout, or starting to have a lack of motivation to do his workouts, he could be exhibiting some low testosterone,” says Hackney.

Read more: 3 Easy Ways To Boost Your Ebbing Libido — Almost Instantly

You guy’s best bet to up his sex drive and fertility is to cut back on gym time, but that can be easier said than done, of course, especially if he’s training for a competition. So Hackney recommends he at least try to lower the intensity of workouts. If that doesn’t quite do the trick, he should lower the volume as well, meaning more rest days and fewer consecutive hours breaking a sweat. “In the context of exercise training, intensity is playing with fire,” says Hackney. “Too intense, it will beat you up.” And even if he does cut back, it can still take time (up to several months) for his testosterone and libido to return to normal levels.

The only way to really determine his testosterone levels is to get a blood test, but unless you’re doing so to test for fertility issues, that can be expensive and impractical. If it’s just his bedroom enthusiasm that’s lacking, try talking to him and asking him to ease up.

This article was originally published on www.womenshealthmag.com

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Three out of four women will at some point have a yeast infection, with its itching and burning and annoying clumpy, white discharge – usually remedied with anti-fungal medications (some even OTC). 

Bacterial vaginosis, the most common vaginal infection in women ages 15 to 44, can also cause itching, pain or discharge; it often requires antibiotics.

If you’ve got a down-there itch but no discharge, consider under-the-radar causes.

Read more: 7 common reasons why you have an itchy vagina

Hidden culprits

The combination oestrogen-progesterone birth control pill and contraceptive ring suppress ovulation and therefore also the natural lubrication produced when an egg is released, says gynaecologist Dr Alyssa Dweck, author of The Complete A to Z for Your V.

The fallout? Dryness, which can prompt itchiness. Consider an OTC vaginal moisturiser once or twice a week, and if that doesn’t calm the area, talk to your gynaecologist about alternate forms of birth control, such as the non-hormonal copper IUD or a diaphragm.

Read more: “Is it totally normal if my vagina is always wet or should I be worried?”

Allergies can also make you squirm down below, says Dr Dweck; they’re usually brought on by fragrance in pads or tampons (opt for unscented) or by the latex or spermicide on some condoms.

Occasionally, though, a woman is allergic to her partner’s ejaculate. No, it’s not a sign a breakup is imminent, but you’ll need to see an allergist for a skin test.

If you’re diagnosed, use condoms or pop an antihistamine at least 30 minutes before sex.

^{This article was originally published on www.womenshealthmag.com}

^{Image credit: iStock}

Imagine for a few seconds that you’re a 38-year-old actor who just landed a Hollywood dream job – playing a Marvel superhero.

But there’s a catch: you’ll need to pack on 13kg of muscle, despite your sciatica, so you can realistically kick ass like a bulletproof superhero.

That’s exactly what happened to Mike Colter in 2015. He was holidaying in Paris when he got the news, and he knew the transformation into Luke Cage for a Netflix series wouldn’t be easy.

But in four months, Colter went from 93 to 106kg, despite bouts of overtraining and a torn rotator cuff during filming. And he’s maintained his physique, proving that it’s never too late to turn your comic fat to Marvel-lous muscle.

Here’s how Colter did it – and how you can, too.

Read more: What’s better for building muscle: morning workouts or evening ones?

Put pins in your workout

Unlike many celebs, Colter didn’t have a personal trainer or a nutritionist shadowing him. He consulted with trainer Salim Rahman for a few months but did most of his own research, studying up on the best fitness and workout ideas the Internet had to offer.

His favourite source was Pinterest, where people routinely post new moves and programmes.

“I got great ideas on a weekly basis,” says Colter. This kept his regimen from getting stale, which is key to maintaining motivation and momentum – bellyoff.co.za can offer you similar inspiration.

Bring the iron with you

When you’re trying to find time to train, is your career a villain? Then keep a pair of dumbbells on the job. Do a few curls when you have free time. This is often the only way Colter can work his exercise in.

“I’ve kind of given up on working out when I want to,” he says. So he trains when he can, like during downtime on shooting days.

In one dressing room on the set of The Defenders is a curling bar and a long barbell. The stunt rehearsal area has a bench that Colter uses for dumbbell presses. If you can’t get yourself to the gym, then bring the gym to you.

Read more: Lessons from the Cape Town trainer who gets celebs into Hollywood shape

Accept your limits

Even superheroes need rest days. Colter didn’t realise this when he began his training – and he paid the price. “I was so sore, I couldn’t get back in there,” says Colter, who had been a casual gymgoer before.

“When you’re younger, you can just look at a weight and feel a change. But at 41, I need more rest after I train, and I have to watch what I eat. If I don’t get a good night’s sleep, there’s just no point in working out.”

You shouldn’t obsess on getting to the gym every day: stay focused on your long-term goal, and don’t sweat the short term.

Adapt, adapt, adapt

Even if everyone at your gym is doing a certain exercise, that doesn’t mean you should too. Colter’s sciatica – shooting pain that radiates from the lower back – made him view deadlifts as his supervillain, but he also knew he needed to train his legs.

So he found a different way: the reverse deadlift. To try it, set up as usual but with your legs in front of the bar. (Your butt is directly over it.) Then lift.

Colter says the move feels natural – and best of all, it safely conveys the benefits of a classic deadlift.

Have some fun!

You’re just picking things up and putting things down, so don’t take your gym time so seriously.

That’s how Colter approaches everything, from his fitness regimen to his Luke Cage role to his Men’s Health photo shoot, where he cracked jokes and made fun of himself. (Colter is amused at how often he is mistaken for actors from other shows.)

“It’s tough if you’re the lead guy on something, and everybody is afraid and nervous around you,” he says. “People don’t work well in those situations.”

Go ahead and lift heavy. But otherwise, lighten up.

Read more: Olympian Cameron Van Der Burgh’s gym routine for explosive power

This article was originally published on www.menshealth.com

Image credit: Supplied

Anthony McCarron

If you want to experiment with a new sex position with your partner, you’ve got a lot of options.

But if the thought of attempting some of them gets you more nervous than hot and bothered, you’re not alone, according to a new survey from Superdrug Online Doctor, a UK site of online doctors.

The site surveyed 1 000 people from Europe and the US in relationships to find out which positions make people most anxious in the bedroom.

The most dread-inducing move: “69 standing”.

Fifty-seven percent of women and 43% of men surveyed ranked this scenario as the least comfortable. (Considering the logistics of this one, it’s pretty understandable why!)

This top nail-biting situation was closely followed by trying anal. That said, this one wasn’t quite so unanimous between the sexes.

While nearly 55% of women said they’re least comfortable doing anal, only 30% of men said the same.

Read more: The 5 best sex positions for when you’re feeling stressed

Any anxieties aside, 88% of men actually ranked anal as their top-preferred sexual position, making it the most popular overall (while only 12% of women agreed).

Men in the study were also partial to oral and standing sex. Women, on the other hand, ranked missionary as their top position, closely followed by cowgirl and spooning.

If you’re down to give anal a chance, but it still makes you a little uneasy, you may try giving “anal training” a try, according to experts who spoke with Women’s Health. Lube and a pre-play enema may also help.

But remember: If you’re not comfortable with a position your partner suggests, you can always throw your own ideas in there.

Positions like the reverse missionary are ideal for an orgasmic grand finale, while others like “reverse cowgirl” and “one-legged doggy” have helped some women finally orgasm.

The most important part: that sex is fun and pleasurable – and not so anxiety-ridden.

^{This article was originally published on www.womenshealthmag.com}

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Jessica Migala

The plastic used in many second-hand toys may not meet current safety guidelines, a study finds.

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