Hugh Hefner spat spotlights men's sexual health
(CBS) Hugh Hefner is better known for selling sex than sexual dysfunction, but his ex Chrystal Harris told "The Howard Stern Show" that the 85-year-old publisher lasted "like two seconds" in bed.
Hef defended himself in a series of tweets, according to Reuters. "Crystal lied about our relationship on Howard Stern but I don't know why," he tweeted. "Maybe a new boyfriend?"
Is the man behind Playboy - who once called Viagra "God's little helper" in a New York Times Interview - a premature ejaculator?
Who knows? One thing's for sure, millions of men are. One in three men experience PE in their lifetimes, according to the Mayo Clinic. What causes it? The problem can be caused by anxiety, relationship problems, abnormal levels of hormones or neurotransmitters, thyroid or prostate problems, and in rare cases nerve damage are factors.
But some experts think Harris' claims are far-fetched.
"As men age, their reflexes slow down, the nerve endings in the penis are less sensitive, and they have usually learned to control their ejaculations," said Dr. Barbara Keesling, a professor of human sexuality at Cal State Fullerton, told MSNBC.
But age can contribute to sexual difficulties.
Between the ages of 40 and 70, the percentage of sexually potent men falls from 60 to 30 percent - some estimates report 30 million men suffer from erectile dysfunction.
WebMD reports that the penis undergoes changes as men age. It often takes them longer to become aroused due to falling testosterone levels, and the penis itself undergoes changes in appearance, size, and sensitivity.
But despite these changes, a lot of old men are still happy with their sex lives. One study involving 2,000 older men from Minnesota showed significant declines in erectile and ejaculatory function - but only small decreases in sexual satisfaction.
WebMD has more on sex and aging.
