1 00:00:00,320 --> 00:00:02,960 Speaker 1: Brought to you by the reinvented two thousand twelve Camray. 2 00:00:03,240 --> 00:00:10,000 Speaker 1: It's ready. Are you welcome to stuff mom never told you? 3 00:00:10,200 --> 00:00:17,439 Speaker 1: From house to works dot Com. Hey there, and welcome 4 00:00:17,480 --> 00:00:21,079 Speaker 1: to the podcast. This is Kristen, This is Molly, So Molly. Today, 5 00:00:21,840 --> 00:00:25,799 Speaker 1: I'm gonna go into the oh zone. I don't talking 6 00:00:25,800 --> 00:00:27,680 Speaker 1: about and do you. Today we're going to discuss the 7 00:00:27,720 --> 00:00:30,840 Speaker 1: explosive discharge of neuro muscular tensions at the height of 8 00:00:30,880 --> 00:00:33,760 Speaker 1: sexual arousal that is usually accompanied by the ejaculation of 9 00:00:33,760 --> 00:00:36,320 Speaker 1: semen in the male and by ivaginal contractions in the female, 10 00:00:36,560 --> 00:00:40,519 Speaker 1: in other words, the orgasm. Yes, today we're gonna talk 11 00:00:40,520 --> 00:00:43,720 Speaker 1: about orgasms, but don't don't get too excited out there. 12 00:00:43,720 --> 00:00:46,760 Speaker 1: We're gonna try and make it as boring as possible. Yeah, 13 00:00:46,800 --> 00:00:48,559 Speaker 1: we're gonna We're gonna take the spice out of this. 14 00:00:48,760 --> 00:00:53,360 Speaker 1: We're gonna go neuroscience and evolution with these puppies. No, 15 00:00:53,360 --> 00:00:56,960 Speaker 1: no getting crazy in the studio at ten thirty on 16 00:00:57,000 --> 00:00:59,640 Speaker 1: a Thursday morning, Christon, we're gonna go. We're gonna go 17 00:00:59,680 --> 00:01:02,800 Speaker 1: sign typic. We're not gonna go Cosmo. We're gonna go 18 00:01:02,920 --> 00:01:07,240 Speaker 1: a little national geographic, little more scientific Americans little textbookie, 19 00:01:07,480 --> 00:01:11,440 Speaker 1: little textbook. So but it will still be fun, of course, Yeah, 20 00:01:11,480 --> 00:01:15,560 Speaker 1: because I mean it's a very unique thing that can 21 00:01:15,600 --> 00:01:20,600 Speaker 1: happen in the body, and uh, what's really going on 22 00:01:22,040 --> 00:01:25,360 Speaker 1: in an orgasm in your brain? In your brain? First 23 00:01:25,520 --> 00:01:27,959 Speaker 1: we talk about what what's happening in the body, Yes, 24 00:01:28,200 --> 00:01:31,480 Speaker 1: talking about the body, and then will show how the 25 00:01:31,520 --> 00:01:34,800 Speaker 1: body sends all these messages to the brainy. So, Kristen, 26 00:01:34,840 --> 00:01:38,080 Speaker 1: when I gave you that line about explosive discharge of 27 00:01:38,160 --> 00:01:42,480 Speaker 1: neuro muscular tensions, that was from that was from the dictionary. Yes, 28 00:01:42,560 --> 00:01:45,039 Speaker 1: that was old Merriam Webster. Yes, that's how they define 29 00:01:45,040 --> 00:01:48,400 Speaker 1: an orgasm. But what's actually happening with the body is 30 00:01:48,480 --> 00:01:51,120 Speaker 1: when you have an orgasm, in both males and females, 31 00:01:51,440 --> 00:01:56,880 Speaker 1: your rectum starts contracting, uh approximately every point eight seconds. 32 00:01:57,480 --> 00:02:02,480 Speaker 1: Fun fact out there and some contractions going on. But 33 00:02:02,560 --> 00:02:06,160 Speaker 1: that's really the only world toes. But everything else there's 34 00:02:06,240 --> 00:02:10,120 Speaker 1: voluntary less voluntary muscle control. You're losing a little bit 35 00:02:10,160 --> 00:02:14,880 Speaker 1: of control. Yeah, that's sort of one definition, I guess. Okay, 36 00:02:15,040 --> 00:02:17,720 Speaker 1: so it actually had a loss of bodily body control, 37 00:02:17,919 --> 00:02:20,639 Speaker 1: but that is actually also happening. Um, and we've got 38 00:02:20,639 --> 00:02:23,519 Speaker 1: the spasm. Ng. Yes, you're just saying curl toes. We've 39 00:02:23,520 --> 00:02:25,639 Speaker 1: got muscles all over the body starting to spasm of 40 00:02:25,680 --> 00:02:29,520 Speaker 1: their own free will. Okay. And then we've got all 41 00:02:29,560 --> 00:02:33,280 Speaker 1: these pleasure chemicals saturining the brain. We've got released of oxytocin, 42 00:02:33,600 --> 00:02:38,480 Speaker 1: nor penephren and serotonin. And in women, they've got the 43 00:02:38,520 --> 00:02:42,160 Speaker 1: muscles in the vagina and the uterus contracting. So lots 44 00:02:42,200 --> 00:02:45,600 Speaker 1: of muscle contractions. But why do they all contract I 45 00:02:45,639 --> 00:02:48,440 Speaker 1: think we should talk about the nerves. The nerves, Yeah, 46 00:02:48,480 --> 00:02:54,000 Speaker 1: this is all we have nerves to think for orgasms. 47 00:02:54,240 --> 00:02:57,160 Speaker 1: She isn't really that surprising because all of our sensations 48 00:02:57,240 --> 00:03:01,080 Speaker 1: of touch and feeling and all that are related to nerves. 49 00:03:01,600 --> 00:03:07,720 Speaker 1: UM and our genitalia contain an insane amount of nerve endings, 50 00:03:07,760 --> 00:03:12,320 Speaker 1: which is a large part of why um orgasms are 51 00:03:12,400 --> 00:03:19,239 Speaker 1: so intensely pleasurable. For instance, Molly, the claris alone has 52 00:03:19,240 --> 00:03:26,400 Speaker 1: more than eight thousand nerve endings, eight thousand packed into 53 00:03:26,760 --> 00:03:31,119 Speaker 1: yeah um. And though all of those nerves are connected 54 00:03:31,280 --> 00:03:34,360 Speaker 1: to larger nerves that run up to the spinal cord 55 00:03:34,400 --> 00:03:38,920 Speaker 1: that connected the brain that shoot those fireworks off up top, 56 00:03:39,240 --> 00:03:42,000 Speaker 1: but we also have um four major nerves that are 57 00:03:42,040 --> 00:03:46,200 Speaker 1: involved um in this brain body feedback, starting with the 58 00:03:46,280 --> 00:03:50,520 Speaker 1: hypogastric nerve that transmits sensations from the uterus and the 59 00:03:50,560 --> 00:03:53,120 Speaker 1: cervics and women and from the pro statan men. And 60 00:03:53,200 --> 00:03:56,640 Speaker 1: we've got the old pelvic nerve that's sending messages from 61 00:03:56,680 --> 00:03:58,640 Speaker 1: the vagina and the cervis and women and from the 62 00:03:58,640 --> 00:04:02,360 Speaker 1: rectum in both sexes. And next up we've got the 63 00:04:02,400 --> 00:04:06,320 Speaker 1: old pudendal nerve. It's going from the clutterists and women, 64 00:04:06,320 --> 00:04:10,440 Speaker 1: and from the scrotum and penis in men. And then 65 00:04:10,520 --> 00:04:14,040 Speaker 1: we have this might be the most interesting nerve to 66 00:04:14,080 --> 00:04:17,440 Speaker 1: talk about in the discussion, Molly, the vagus nerve that 67 00:04:17,560 --> 00:04:22,000 Speaker 1: goes from the cervix, uterus and vagina to the brain, 68 00:04:22,080 --> 00:04:26,560 Speaker 1: but it bypasses the spinal cord. And only recently scientists 69 00:04:26,880 --> 00:04:32,480 Speaker 1: have started to understand how the vegas nerve can contribute 70 00:04:32,520 --> 00:04:35,200 Speaker 1: to orgasms by bypassing the spinal cord, because I used 71 00:04:35,240 --> 00:04:37,080 Speaker 1: to think that all the messages had to be sent 72 00:04:37,200 --> 00:04:40,400 Speaker 1: up through the spinal cord to the brain, but indeed, 73 00:04:40,520 --> 00:04:43,960 Speaker 1: but it's not the case. So depending on where you're 74 00:04:44,000 --> 00:04:48,520 Speaker 1: receiving pleasure during sex in the nether regions, that message 75 00:04:48,520 --> 00:04:50,760 Speaker 1: goes up the nerve through the spinal cord with the 76 00:04:50,760 --> 00:04:53,200 Speaker 1: exception of the vagus nerve to the brain, and the 77 00:04:53,240 --> 00:04:55,520 Speaker 1: brain is like, oh yeah, this is good, and that's 78 00:04:55,520 --> 00:04:57,840 Speaker 1: what can trigger the orgastic. I'm gonna release all these 79 00:04:58,520 --> 00:05:03,160 Speaker 1: chemicals and and about to feel real good. So that's 80 00:05:03,200 --> 00:05:08,200 Speaker 1: why orgasms may feel differently depending on where you're being stimulated. 81 00:05:08,240 --> 00:05:11,240 Speaker 1: So to borrow a page from Cosmo, even though Kristen said, 82 00:05:11,240 --> 00:05:12,760 Speaker 1: we're not really going to talk about Cosmo, this is 83 00:05:12,800 --> 00:05:15,680 Speaker 1: why you'll get that advice to try all sorts of 84 00:05:15,720 --> 00:05:19,400 Speaker 1: different things, because who knows which nerve is is most 85 00:05:19,440 --> 00:05:22,760 Speaker 1: effective at at getting the message up to the brain, right, 86 00:05:22,800 --> 00:05:26,440 Speaker 1: you get different types of sensations and going back to 87 00:05:26,800 --> 00:05:30,160 Speaker 1: UM the vagus nerve. There was a study in two 88 00:05:30,160 --> 00:05:33,479 Speaker 1: thousand four by a team of researchers at Rutgers University 89 00:05:33,520 --> 00:05:37,880 Speaker 1: that UM that kind of goes along with our capabilities 90 00:05:37,920 --> 00:05:42,360 Speaker 1: of having an orgasm through UM different types of stimulation. 91 00:05:42,440 --> 00:05:47,000 Speaker 1: They found that women who had severed spinal cords were 92 00:05:47,040 --> 00:05:53,559 Speaker 1: still able to reach an orgasm by UM stimulating different 93 00:05:53,600 --> 00:05:56,560 Speaker 1: parts of your body. Like one woman even just UM 94 00:05:56,800 --> 00:06:00,200 Speaker 1: used a vibrator on her neck and was able to 95 00:06:00,480 --> 00:06:03,080 Speaker 1: come to an orgasm, and they think that this has 96 00:06:03,080 --> 00:06:05,880 Speaker 1: a lot to do with UM activating the vaguest nerve 97 00:06:05,920 --> 00:06:07,840 Speaker 1: because they did m R I scans on their brains 98 00:06:07,839 --> 00:06:10,880 Speaker 1: and obviously since their spinal cords were severed, the messages 99 00:06:10,880 --> 00:06:13,679 Speaker 1: aren't running up via spinal cord, but it was actually 100 00:06:13,720 --> 00:06:16,479 Speaker 1: the vagus nerve that was sending all these messages. And 101 00:06:16,560 --> 00:06:19,000 Speaker 1: some people who have lost a limb can actually have 102 00:06:19,600 --> 00:06:24,159 Speaker 1: UM experience an orgasm through their phantom limb. Some people 103 00:06:24,200 --> 00:06:27,880 Speaker 1: can experience it through different um you know, other sensitive 104 00:06:28,080 --> 00:06:32,160 Speaker 1: places on their body outside of the genitalia. But you know, 105 00:06:32,560 --> 00:06:36,720 Speaker 1: originally Kristen orgasm kind of hard to study because you've 106 00:06:36,720 --> 00:06:38,640 Speaker 1: got to you've got to rely on someone's word that 107 00:06:38,720 --> 00:06:41,640 Speaker 1: like they had one UM, there wasn't a lot known 108 00:06:41,680 --> 00:06:45,680 Speaker 1: about it, but you mentioned brain scans, yes, And you know, 109 00:06:45,760 --> 00:06:47,520 Speaker 1: I've got to I've got to wonder if the guy 110 00:06:47,560 --> 00:06:50,640 Speaker 1: who embedded brain scanning ever thought that people who are 111 00:06:50,640 --> 00:06:53,760 Speaker 1: being sexually pleasured would be hooked up to his machine, 112 00:06:54,839 --> 00:06:57,200 Speaker 1: because that's what that's what they've done. They have hooked 113 00:06:57,200 --> 00:06:59,840 Speaker 1: people up Like let's take this one study that happened 114 00:07:00,000 --> 00:07:03,080 Speaker 1: in the late ninety nines and mid two thousand's okay, okay, 115 00:07:03,200 --> 00:07:06,760 Speaker 1: we're in the Netherlands to set the scene, and we've 116 00:07:06,760 --> 00:07:08,760 Speaker 1: got many women coming in to be part of this 117 00:07:08,839 --> 00:07:12,560 Speaker 1: sex study. And they used pet scans to illustrate the 118 00:07:12,560 --> 00:07:15,520 Speaker 1: different areas of the brain that light up and shut 119 00:07:15,560 --> 00:07:18,240 Speaker 1: off during sexual activity. So basically, you would come in 120 00:07:18,240 --> 00:07:20,800 Speaker 1: for this test and they would just you know, scan 121 00:07:20,880 --> 00:07:23,640 Speaker 1: you while you're arresting, get sort of the baseline brain picture. 122 00:07:24,280 --> 00:07:26,880 Speaker 1: They would get your scan while you're being sexually stimulated, 123 00:07:27,280 --> 00:07:29,040 Speaker 1: and then they would get your scan while you're having 124 00:07:29,040 --> 00:07:30,880 Speaker 1: an orgasm, so they could just watch how the brain 125 00:07:31,040 --> 00:07:34,760 Speaker 1: changed through all of that. Now we already knew these 126 00:07:34,760 --> 00:07:39,360 Speaker 1: researchers already knew going into this that UH an orgasm 127 00:07:39,400 --> 00:07:42,920 Speaker 1: will stimulate the reward circuit in the brain that basically 128 00:07:43,480 --> 00:07:48,200 Speaker 1: UH responds to pleasurable sensations and is also linked to 129 00:07:48,520 --> 00:07:51,000 Speaker 1: you know, kind of what lights up during heavy drug use, 130 00:07:51,520 --> 00:07:55,360 Speaker 1: um and shopping and shopping, and so different parts of 131 00:07:55,360 --> 00:07:57,960 Speaker 1: the brain associated with it. With this would be the amygdala, 132 00:07:58,000 --> 00:08:01,680 Speaker 1: which regulates our emotions, the nucle the cucumbents, which controls 133 00:08:01,760 --> 00:08:05,200 Speaker 1: for dopamine, release the v t A which will actually 134 00:08:05,240 --> 00:08:08,240 Speaker 1: release the dopamine, and then we've got the cerebellum that 135 00:08:08,280 --> 00:08:13,200 Speaker 1: controls muscle function, hence all of those contractions, crazy contracts 136 00:08:13,200 --> 00:08:16,240 Speaker 1: on spasms. And then we've got the pituitary gland, which 137 00:08:16,240 --> 00:08:19,440 Speaker 1: is going to release beta endorphins which are gonna decrease 138 00:08:19,520 --> 00:08:24,160 Speaker 1: your pain and uh amp your oxytocin uh and also 139 00:08:24,280 --> 00:08:27,280 Speaker 1: your vasopressin, which is going to lead to feelings of 140 00:08:27,600 --> 00:08:30,680 Speaker 1: bonding and trust. So all the you know, those are 141 00:08:30,720 --> 00:08:34,920 Speaker 1: just kind of that's just kind of the basic brain circuitry, 142 00:08:35,040 --> 00:08:37,800 Speaker 1: uh that's lighting up during all of this. But these 143 00:08:38,000 --> 00:08:41,640 Speaker 1: guys in the Netherlands found some more interesting areas that 144 00:08:41,679 --> 00:08:44,199 Speaker 1: are lighting up and shutting down. Yeah. What I thought 145 00:08:44,280 --> 00:08:46,800 Speaker 1: was interesting is first they go through all the ways 146 00:08:46,840 --> 00:08:49,560 Speaker 1: that men and women are similar when it comes to 147 00:08:49,640 --> 00:08:52,400 Speaker 1: sex and orgasm. So you've got this region behind your 148 00:08:52,480 --> 00:08:57,160 Speaker 1: left eye, the lateral orbitofrontal cortex, which shuts down. Um, 149 00:08:57,200 --> 00:08:59,880 Speaker 1: that's the seat of reason and behavioral controls. So like 150 00:09:00,040 --> 00:09:03,200 Speaker 1: be sad you lose control to go back to Cosmo. 151 00:09:03,240 --> 00:09:05,640 Speaker 1: They're always telling you, you you know, stop thinking about the 152 00:09:05,760 --> 00:09:08,360 Speaker 1: dishes and all the stuff you should be doing. You know, 153 00:09:08,400 --> 00:09:09,920 Speaker 1: you've got to sort of just be in the moment. 154 00:09:09,960 --> 00:09:14,080 Speaker 1: You can't have that reason going crazy. UM, let that 155 00:09:14,360 --> 00:09:19,920 Speaker 1: let that lateral orbitofrontal cortex just calm down, shut off. UM. 156 00:09:20,080 --> 00:09:24,679 Speaker 1: And because you lose that that control. Kristen brought up 157 00:09:24,760 --> 00:09:27,559 Speaker 1: drug use. But basically, the brain during an orgasm looks 158 00:09:27,600 --> 00:09:31,760 Speaker 1: like the brain of a person taking heroin, which is 159 00:09:31,880 --> 00:09:36,280 Speaker 1: the possibly the worst UM kind of drug message I 160 00:09:36,360 --> 00:09:39,280 Speaker 1: think I've ever heard. UM. So men and women both 161 00:09:39,280 --> 00:09:42,880 Speaker 1: have you know, these kind of heroin brains if you will, 162 00:09:43,240 --> 00:09:47,000 Speaker 1: during orgasm. But there is one major difference UM for 163 00:09:47,200 --> 00:09:51,319 Speaker 1: women during orgasm, and that is activation in the part 164 00:09:51,320 --> 00:09:55,079 Speaker 1: of a brainstem called the periaqueductal gray or the p 165 00:09:55,360 --> 00:09:59,120 Speaker 1: A G. That is that that lights up and this 166 00:09:59,240 --> 00:10:04,040 Speaker 1: controls are fight or flight response. And also we have 167 00:10:04,160 --> 00:10:07,960 Speaker 1: decreased activity in the amygdala and the hippocampus, which deal 168 00:10:08,040 --> 00:10:11,080 Speaker 1: with fear and anxiety and so kind of all of 169 00:10:11,120 --> 00:10:17,680 Speaker 1: this contributes to feelings of heightened trust and UM, feeling 170 00:10:17,720 --> 00:10:22,080 Speaker 1: more relaxed with your with your lover and feeling safe. 171 00:10:22,480 --> 00:10:24,600 Speaker 1: And you know, probably if you want to take it 172 00:10:24,840 --> 00:10:26,800 Speaker 1: a step beyond what the researchers say it you know, 173 00:10:26,840 --> 00:10:28,880 Speaker 1: it goes back to this old stereotype that women needs 174 00:10:28,920 --> 00:10:31,760 Speaker 1: to be in love to have sex. That you know, 175 00:10:31,840 --> 00:10:36,000 Speaker 1: because these parts of the brain are not as active 176 00:10:36,559 --> 00:10:38,200 Speaker 1: that you know, we couldn't just be with a stranger 177 00:10:38,240 --> 00:10:42,600 Speaker 1: because that fireflight thing is it's activated. Um. And then 178 00:10:42,720 --> 00:10:45,560 Speaker 1: we also have the area of the cortex associated with 179 00:10:45,600 --> 00:10:49,000 Speaker 1: pain also activated, just in women rather than men. So 180 00:10:49,040 --> 00:10:52,480 Speaker 1: it's kind of interestingly there's obviously this kind of neurological 181 00:10:52,840 --> 00:10:56,760 Speaker 1: fine line between pleasure and pain, which sort of been 182 00:10:56,800 --> 00:10:59,240 Speaker 1: it's a lot to unpack odd finding. Let's say it 183 00:10:59,240 --> 00:11:01,839 Speaker 1: for another podcast. Yeah, Now, they did ask the women 184 00:11:01,920 --> 00:11:05,400 Speaker 1: Kristen to fake an orgasm, and a faked orgasm, as 185 00:11:05,400 --> 00:11:08,520 Speaker 1: you might guess, looks nothing like a real one um 186 00:11:08,520 --> 00:11:10,120 Speaker 1: in the brain. That is, as that's about to say, 187 00:11:10,120 --> 00:11:12,040 Speaker 1: in the brain, not necessarily to the to the fella 188 00:11:12,440 --> 00:11:16,240 Speaker 1: or the lady um. When you fake an orgasm, the 189 00:11:16,280 --> 00:11:19,640 Speaker 1: brain activity increases in the cerebellum in other areas related 190 00:11:19,640 --> 00:11:22,200 Speaker 1: to controlling movement. So basically, you know, you've got to 191 00:11:22,280 --> 00:11:26,560 Speaker 1: maybe curl some toes, spasm some muscles, but you're thinking 192 00:11:26,559 --> 00:11:29,200 Speaker 1: about you're like, okay, here's when orgasm looks like I 193 00:11:29,240 --> 00:11:33,559 Speaker 1: shall now duplicate it. Basically, the exact opposite brain function 194 00:11:33,640 --> 00:11:36,000 Speaker 1: is going on when you're when you're faking then when 195 00:11:36,040 --> 00:11:39,200 Speaker 1: you're not, which that makes sense, that's why it's fake. Right. 196 00:11:39,360 --> 00:11:41,679 Speaker 1: It would be interesting, you know, if if there ever 197 00:11:41,720 --> 00:11:44,400 Speaker 1: comes a day when pet scanners are available for general 198 00:11:44,440 --> 00:11:47,040 Speaker 1: public use, if if people would start to buy them 199 00:11:47,080 --> 00:11:51,520 Speaker 1: and hook them up during sex up relations A little bit. 200 00:11:52,120 --> 00:11:55,559 Speaker 1: But while we're talking about all of these uncontrollable things 201 00:11:55,559 --> 00:11:57,520 Speaker 1: that are going on in our brain and our nerves 202 00:11:57,600 --> 00:12:01,280 Speaker 1: and wonderful feelings and since stations, I do think we 203 00:12:01,360 --> 00:12:06,360 Speaker 1: need to also mention, uh, something called an orgasmia, which 204 00:12:06,400 --> 00:12:10,640 Speaker 1: is a condition where someone is not able to reach 205 00:12:10,760 --> 00:12:13,280 Speaker 1: an orgasm, and that might have to do with taking 206 00:12:13,679 --> 00:12:18,520 Speaker 1: antidepressants that can interfere with the brain's production of dopamine 207 00:12:18,760 --> 00:12:23,760 Speaker 1: and therefore my block those pleasurable feelings from happening. Um 208 00:12:23,800 --> 00:12:27,360 Speaker 1: and in some cases doctors just aren't exactly sure why 209 00:12:27,720 --> 00:12:31,000 Speaker 1: why it happens. But Kristen, let's not leave the Netherlands yet, 210 00:12:31,320 --> 00:12:33,800 Speaker 1: because those same researchers who found all those things we 211 00:12:33,920 --> 00:12:37,000 Speaker 1: just discussed on the pet scanners have used MRI scanners 212 00:12:37,040 --> 00:12:40,960 Speaker 1: on women who experience an orgasmia, and their brain scan 213 00:12:41,080 --> 00:12:44,319 Speaker 1: showed that they did recognize that they're being sexually stimulated. 214 00:12:44,360 --> 00:12:46,600 Speaker 1: You know, there was pleasure be had, and what they 215 00:12:46,720 --> 00:12:49,040 Speaker 1: did then was they sort of talked them down and 216 00:12:49,080 --> 00:12:51,880 Speaker 1: calmed their brains a little bit. Um. So they do 217 00:12:52,000 --> 00:12:55,199 Speaker 1: think that there are techniques that women can use to 218 00:12:55,760 --> 00:12:58,640 Speaker 1: once they know how their brain works, to actually reach 219 00:12:58,679 --> 00:13:01,680 Speaker 1: an orgasm. We're not going to go this is a 220 00:13:01,679 --> 00:13:04,960 Speaker 1: pretty big topic. I think that we'll revisit uh inability 221 00:13:05,040 --> 00:13:07,719 Speaker 1: to have an orgasm, how to have an orgasm better 222 00:13:07,760 --> 00:13:10,800 Speaker 1: at some later date. We're just trying to focus on 223 00:13:10,840 --> 00:13:13,240 Speaker 1: the brain right now. Yeah, and my my big question 224 00:13:13,360 --> 00:13:20,400 Speaker 1: right now, Molly, is why, I mean, taken together, orgasms 225 00:13:20,400 --> 00:13:24,520 Speaker 1: are strange creatures. You know, we basically they're these moments 226 00:13:24,520 --> 00:13:28,000 Speaker 1: of total release where the body loses control. You go 227 00:13:28,080 --> 00:13:32,120 Speaker 1: through the series of muscle spasms, and you know, it's 228 00:13:32,200 --> 00:13:35,160 Speaker 1: just an odd thing. So why, I mean, why do 229 00:13:35,160 --> 00:13:37,400 Speaker 1: we even have How do we even have it in 230 00:13:37,440 --> 00:13:40,120 Speaker 1: the first place, Because you know, there might be another 231 00:13:40,160 --> 00:13:45,679 Speaker 1: way to reproduce, to have an orgasm. Women don't need 232 00:13:45,720 --> 00:13:48,520 Speaker 1: to have an orgasm to reproduce. So now, as I said, 233 00:13:48,520 --> 00:13:50,360 Speaker 1: I think we're gonna go to our other way to 234 00:13:50,440 --> 00:13:54,080 Speaker 1: try and make this topic a little bit boring. Evolution. Evolution, 235 00:13:54,400 --> 00:13:57,000 Speaker 1: I mean when we're talking about the why of an orgasm. 236 00:13:57,240 --> 00:14:01,160 Speaker 1: For men, it's easy, Okay, man needs to have an 237 00:14:01,240 --> 00:14:04,920 Speaker 1: orgasm in order to ejaculate and therefore spread his seed 238 00:14:05,640 --> 00:14:08,880 Speaker 1: for an evolutionary reason to do it. Basically, if we want, 239 00:14:09,040 --> 00:14:11,040 Speaker 1: you know, if we go back to the idea that 240 00:14:11,080 --> 00:14:13,240 Speaker 1: men need to spread their seed far and why to 241 00:14:13,679 --> 00:14:17,520 Speaker 1: um continue their line. Obviously, the fact that sex feels 242 00:14:17,520 --> 00:14:20,240 Speaker 1: good is a really good incentive to go out there 243 00:14:20,320 --> 00:14:23,800 Speaker 1: and spread your line. But women, they just need to 244 00:14:23,840 --> 00:14:27,280 Speaker 1: have some babies. Yeah, women don't have to obviously do 245 00:14:27,360 --> 00:14:32,240 Speaker 1: not have to have an orgasm in order to get pregnant. 246 00:14:32,760 --> 00:14:36,120 Speaker 1: So the question then, Kristen, is do we have orgasm 247 00:14:36,160 --> 00:14:38,920 Speaker 1: is based on pure luck? Or like men, is there 248 00:14:39,080 --> 00:14:42,320 Speaker 1: some evolutionary reason for us to have them too? Yeah? 249 00:14:42,320 --> 00:14:46,600 Speaker 1: There are all sorts of theories as to why women 250 00:14:47,040 --> 00:14:51,840 Speaker 1: biologically need to have orgasms. And the first one and this, uh, 251 00:14:51,880 --> 00:14:54,880 Speaker 1: there's really no proof to this, but I think one 252 00:14:54,880 --> 00:14:59,280 Speaker 1: of the more popular theories is something called sperm retention theory, 253 00:14:59,600 --> 00:15:03,760 Speaker 1: and these researchers essentially hypothesized that when the vagina and 254 00:15:03,800 --> 00:15:08,920 Speaker 1: the uterus contract mid orgasm, uh, it allows it to 255 00:15:09,520 --> 00:15:12,240 Speaker 1: suck up more sperm and to hold it in there 256 00:15:12,680 --> 00:15:16,760 Speaker 1: and not drip out post coitousa have a better chance 257 00:15:16,840 --> 00:15:21,360 Speaker 1: game pregnant, which helps evolution. Yes, well, I mean which 258 00:15:21,440 --> 00:15:24,360 Speaker 1: you know, which meets goals of evolution basically, keep more 259 00:15:24,400 --> 00:15:28,080 Speaker 1: sperm in your body therefore gives there's a better chance 260 00:15:28,160 --> 00:15:30,120 Speaker 1: of you know, a little guy swimming up there to 261 00:15:31,000 --> 00:15:34,440 Speaker 1: unite with an egg. And then kind of piggyback on 262 00:15:34,480 --> 00:15:37,600 Speaker 1: the sperm retention theory. Uh, there's also the idea that 263 00:15:37,640 --> 00:15:40,480 Speaker 1: an orgasm just tuckers us out, just tuckers a woman out, 264 00:15:40,760 --> 00:15:42,880 Speaker 1: and we're just gonna lay around for a long time 265 00:15:42,960 --> 00:15:45,840 Speaker 1: following sex, and so we won't stand up, and so 266 00:15:45,880 --> 00:15:49,040 Speaker 1: gratty's not working. It's magic. Yes, so you're laying flat, 267 00:15:49,600 --> 00:15:53,160 Speaker 1: sperm has got nowhere to go but towards an egg. Yeah, supposedly, 268 00:15:53,680 --> 00:15:57,280 Speaker 1: but like I mentioned, there is really no proof that 269 00:15:57,720 --> 00:16:04,280 Speaker 1: either these musical contractions or lying on your back keeps 270 00:16:04,520 --> 00:16:07,800 Speaker 1: sperm inside of the body, so it doesn't actually lead 271 00:16:07,800 --> 00:16:12,640 Speaker 1: to pregnancy, well not necessarily necessarily necessarily doesn't necessarily increase 272 00:16:12,800 --> 00:16:16,160 Speaker 1: your chances of that um And then this next one 273 00:16:16,360 --> 00:16:19,800 Speaker 1: makes sense. Uh, orgasms feel good, therefore makes women want 274 00:16:19,840 --> 00:16:25,920 Speaker 1: to have sex. Yea, that is just common sense. But 275 00:16:25,920 --> 00:16:28,640 Speaker 1: but the thought is is that if if women had 276 00:16:28,680 --> 00:16:30,880 Speaker 1: no pleasure during sex, then maybe the men who wanted 277 00:16:30,880 --> 00:16:32,840 Speaker 1: to spread their seats so far and wide would have trouble. 278 00:16:32,880 --> 00:16:36,560 Speaker 1: So this also meets a goal of of problems. I mean, 279 00:16:36,600 --> 00:16:40,640 Speaker 1: you know, continuing the species. And speaking of continuing the species, 280 00:16:40,800 --> 00:16:45,000 Speaker 1: there's also the idea that perhaps orgasms allow women to 281 00:16:45,080 --> 00:16:47,320 Speaker 1: choose the best mate. I mean, let's face it, it it 282 00:16:47,520 --> 00:16:50,440 Speaker 1: is not for anyone who is picked up not to 283 00:16:50,560 --> 00:16:55,840 Speaker 1: keep going back to one of my least favorite magazines. Uh, 284 00:16:56,000 --> 00:16:59,040 Speaker 1: you know, anyone who's picked up a Cosmo knows that, 285 00:16:59,240 --> 00:17:02,440 Speaker 1: you know, every month there tips in there for how 286 00:17:02,520 --> 00:17:04,919 Speaker 1: to achieve an orgasm as a woman. It is not 287 00:17:05,000 --> 00:17:06,960 Speaker 1: the easiest thing in the world for him, you know, 288 00:17:07,040 --> 00:17:11,840 Speaker 1: to do. So they say, well, you know, the maybe 289 00:17:11,880 --> 00:17:15,560 Speaker 1: it allows a woman to choose the best mate because uh, 290 00:17:15,680 --> 00:17:17,800 Speaker 1: you know, he has to be able to kind of 291 00:17:17,800 --> 00:17:21,359 Speaker 1: know what to do um in order to mean it happen. 292 00:17:21,600 --> 00:17:23,639 Speaker 1: It's part of the whole package you've always talked about 293 00:17:23,680 --> 00:17:26,560 Speaker 1: as to why women subconsciously choose mates, you know, looks 294 00:17:27,320 --> 00:17:32,200 Speaker 1: ability in the bedroom. Yeah, it's evolved, just like these series. 295 00:17:32,640 --> 00:17:34,280 Speaker 1: Let's go back to suction because I don't think we 296 00:17:34,320 --> 00:17:36,520 Speaker 1: talked about it enough. Yeah, there's the idea that we've 297 00:17:36,520 --> 00:17:40,080 Speaker 1: got this like kind of physical section with the muscle contractions. 298 00:17:40,080 --> 00:17:43,080 Speaker 1: But then there's also the thought that the hormone oxytocin 299 00:17:43,160 --> 00:17:47,919 Speaker 1: that is released in the brain during orgasm also helps 300 00:17:47,960 --> 00:17:51,680 Speaker 1: retain sperm in the body. Now, let's talk about love. 301 00:17:52,080 --> 00:17:56,760 Speaker 1: Let's talk about love, because you know, when all those 302 00:17:56,800 --> 00:17:59,640 Speaker 1: chemicals are released, you feel closer to your partner. And 303 00:17:59,760 --> 00:18:02,880 Speaker 1: if you feel close to your partner than evolutionarily speaking, 304 00:18:02,920 --> 00:18:06,120 Speaker 1: you'll be more likely to stick around, stick together, raise 305 00:18:06,160 --> 00:18:09,080 Speaker 1: a family, give your jour in the best shot they've 306 00:18:09,119 --> 00:18:11,960 Speaker 1: got in the big bad world. And those pleasure chemicals 307 00:18:11,960 --> 00:18:14,080 Speaker 1: you get from an orgasm help you do that. I've 308 00:18:14,119 --> 00:18:15,760 Speaker 1: got like al Green in my head now, I know 309 00:18:15,960 --> 00:18:22,000 Speaker 1: I wish more love songs talked about evolution and suction. Um. Now, 310 00:18:22,040 --> 00:18:24,919 Speaker 1: this next theory, though, is the one I'm putting if 311 00:18:24,960 --> 00:18:28,280 Speaker 1: I if I were a betting gale, Molly, this is 312 00:18:28,320 --> 00:18:30,639 Speaker 1: the one I put all my money on. You're the 313 00:18:30,640 --> 00:18:33,120 Speaker 1: thrifty nickel. I bet you don't bet money. I only 314 00:18:33,160 --> 00:18:38,560 Speaker 1: bet it on solid, solid gambles. The initial development hypothesis 315 00:18:39,040 --> 00:18:41,639 Speaker 1: this was got a lot of buzz in the nineteen seventies, 316 00:18:42,280 --> 00:18:46,480 Speaker 1: and it has recently received some some more attention. The 317 00:18:46,520 --> 00:18:52,080 Speaker 1: initial development hypothesis states that women have orgasms because men 318 00:18:52,119 --> 00:18:58,040 Speaker 1: do too. Yeah, why not, because basically the hormones that 319 00:18:58,080 --> 00:19:05,000 Speaker 1: determine your sex aren't developed in the earliest stages of pregnancy, 320 00:19:05,080 --> 00:19:09,439 Speaker 1: in the fetus doesn't have a gender. However, during that 321 00:19:10,000 --> 00:19:14,440 Speaker 1: ungendered that neutered if you will, fetal stage, the nerves 322 00:19:14,520 --> 00:19:19,159 Speaker 1: that are laid down for future sex organs are exactly 323 00:19:19,200 --> 00:19:21,480 Speaker 1: the same in all fetuses. We all have all of 324 00:19:21,480 --> 00:19:24,320 Speaker 1: these you know nerves when where in that you know, 325 00:19:24,520 --> 00:19:27,879 Speaker 1: that tiny mass of cells. So when a fetus becomes 326 00:19:27,920 --> 00:19:30,119 Speaker 1: a female instead of male, we still have the same 327 00:19:30,320 --> 00:19:34,360 Speaker 1: nerve pathways that allow for an orgasm during sexual intercourse. 328 00:19:34,720 --> 00:19:38,920 Speaker 1: So the very very earliest stages in the womb, everybody's 329 00:19:38,960 --> 00:19:41,359 Speaker 1: got the same shot of being able to uh to 330 00:19:41,520 --> 00:19:46,680 Speaker 1: have an orgasm. Interesting, but Kristen, if that theory is correct, 331 00:19:47,240 --> 00:19:49,639 Speaker 1: it's possible that if we don't have to, if we 332 00:19:49,680 --> 00:19:51,600 Speaker 1: don't need to have an orgasm, if we just kind 333 00:19:51,600 --> 00:19:54,720 Speaker 1: of do by some happy accident, then maybe eventually might 334 00:19:54,720 --> 00:19:58,040 Speaker 1: lose the ability. It might become like a vestigial organ Eventually, 335 00:19:58,080 --> 00:20:01,440 Speaker 1: evolution could just wipe that out. However, though I will 336 00:20:01,520 --> 00:20:05,879 Speaker 1: counter that with uh, it is always probably going to 337 00:20:05,920 --> 00:20:09,920 Speaker 1: be necessary for a male. Do you have an orgasm 338 00:20:09,960 --> 00:20:14,520 Speaker 1: in order to, you know, to ejaculate? Proceed? So if 339 00:20:14,560 --> 00:20:17,440 Speaker 1: all the stuff is taking place before gender even comes 340 00:20:17,480 --> 00:20:21,399 Speaker 1: into the picture, it's always going to be necessary. That 341 00:20:21,440 --> 00:20:24,080 Speaker 1: makes you an optimist, well, Molly, of all the things 342 00:20:24,080 --> 00:20:27,240 Speaker 1: in this world, why not be optimistic about orgasms? And 343 00:20:27,280 --> 00:20:28,800 Speaker 1: I'm gonna agree with you, Chris, and I'm going to 344 00:20:28,840 --> 00:20:31,240 Speaker 1: stay optimistic to you. But that is the question laid 345 00:20:31,240 --> 00:20:33,639 Speaker 1: out in the article we've been using for part of 346 00:20:33,640 --> 00:20:37,840 Speaker 1: this podcast, our female orgasms essential to continuing the human species? 347 00:20:38,240 --> 00:20:40,479 Speaker 1: We said some reasons why or why not? We've broken 348 00:20:40,600 --> 00:20:47,080 Speaker 1: orgasm down to its evolutionary and neuroscience origins. I mean, 349 00:20:47,880 --> 00:20:49,679 Speaker 1: do you think we've made it boring enough for everyone? 350 00:20:50,000 --> 00:20:52,520 Speaker 1: I mean, I think it's pretty exciting. You know, I 351 00:20:52,560 --> 00:20:56,240 Speaker 1: am a science stork, Molly, so I'm really happy to 352 00:20:56,280 --> 00:20:58,480 Speaker 1: know what exactly is going on in our in our 353 00:20:58,520 --> 00:21:03,040 Speaker 1: brains and bodies. During during the ozone, say you're say 354 00:21:03,080 --> 00:21:06,840 Speaker 1: the name of your favorite nerve again, Prudendal Kristen really 355 00:21:06,840 --> 00:21:11,040 Speaker 1: loves the pudendal nerve let's move along money. So uh, 356 00:21:11,320 --> 00:21:13,280 Speaker 1: usually we asked for anecdotes, but I don't really want 357 00:21:13,280 --> 00:21:15,240 Speaker 1: to hear about other people's orgasts. That really need to 358 00:21:15,280 --> 00:21:18,280 Speaker 1: hear your your orgasm stories. But I'm sure you have 359 00:21:18,359 --> 00:21:20,119 Speaker 1: found something to email us about in the course of 360 00:21:20,160 --> 00:21:23,080 Speaker 1: this podcast and we would like to hear that. So 361 00:21:23,359 --> 00:21:26,800 Speaker 1: our email address is mom stuff at house stuffworks dot com. 362 00:21:26,840 --> 00:21:30,080 Speaker 1: And to get off this topic, let's let's read some 363 00:21:30,080 --> 00:21:36,840 Speaker 1: some listener mail. Kristen, I got an email here from Ben. 364 00:21:37,160 --> 00:21:40,760 Speaker 1: He says, Hey, lady, I'm from the UK and I 365 00:21:40,840 --> 00:21:42,679 Speaker 1: must say that I'm loving the podcast. This is my 366 00:21:42,720 --> 00:21:46,280 Speaker 1: favorite house stuff Works podcast, even better than Chuck and 367 00:21:46,359 --> 00:21:49,840 Speaker 1: Josh on stuff you should know. Then that's a great 368 00:21:49,840 --> 00:21:51,680 Speaker 1: way to start off an email. I'm not gonna lie. 369 00:21:51,960 --> 00:21:54,960 Speaker 1: Sorry Chucking Josh. The only minor thing I noticed listening 370 00:21:54,960 --> 00:21:57,440 Speaker 1: to the women in the Olympics podcast. Molly mentioned that 371 00:21:57,800 --> 00:21:59,800 Speaker 1: you do tricks while ski jumping, but you do not 372 00:22:00,119 --> 00:22:03,119 Speaker 1: do tricks and ski jumping. That event is aerials, in 373 00:22:03,119 --> 00:22:06,560 Speaker 1: which both men and women have competed since nine four 374 00:22:06,560 --> 00:22:09,040 Speaker 1: in Lilahammer. Sorry to be a stickler for the details, 375 00:22:09,040 --> 00:22:10,560 Speaker 1: but I just thought I would let you know since 376 00:22:11,800 --> 00:22:14,280 Speaker 1: you now love ski jumping and I think that we 377 00:22:14,280 --> 00:22:16,879 Speaker 1: should know Molly. At this point, speaking of skiing and 378 00:22:17,000 --> 00:22:19,320 Speaker 1: women and the Olympics, Lindsey Von won the goal through 379 00:22:19,359 --> 00:22:21,560 Speaker 1: the downhill skiing. Yeah on the day we're recording. It 380 00:22:21,600 --> 00:22:24,199 Speaker 1: happened last night. Yeah, it's pretty awesome. It was awesome. 381 00:22:24,240 --> 00:22:27,240 Speaker 1: So yeah, thank you Ben for the correction. So next, 382 00:22:27,320 --> 00:22:29,360 Speaker 1: I want to give a shout out to both Tarn 383 00:22:29,440 --> 00:22:31,560 Speaker 1: and Meigs who wrote out that we need to be 384 00:22:31,600 --> 00:22:36,200 Speaker 1: looking out for Olympian at Clara Hughes of Canada. Tarn 385 00:22:36,280 --> 00:22:39,000 Speaker 1: writes that there's one woman who always gets on on 386 00:22:39,040 --> 00:22:40,919 Speaker 1: camera despite how great the team is, and that is 387 00:22:40,920 --> 00:22:43,840 Speaker 1: Clara Hughes. She has won many speed skinning medals in 388 00:22:43,880 --> 00:22:46,600 Speaker 1: different races, but also an Olympic gold medal in cycling. 389 00:22:47,119 --> 00:22:51,160 Speaker 1: And Meigs wrote about how she donates her entire life 390 00:22:51,160 --> 00:22:53,280 Speaker 1: savings to the n g O Right to Play, making 391 00:22:53,280 --> 00:22:55,399 Speaker 1: her a great positive amount of for girls and boys 392 00:22:55,800 --> 00:22:58,159 Speaker 1: because she didn't earn media attention on the basis of 393 00:22:58,200 --> 00:23:01,960 Speaker 1: sex appeal. Awesome, So it's pretty cool. Well, folks, thank 394 00:23:02,040 --> 00:23:04,880 Speaker 1: you for writing in and again our email is mom 395 00:23:04,960 --> 00:23:09,120 Speaker 1: Stuff at how Stuff works dot com if you would 396 00:23:09,200 --> 00:23:12,640 Speaker 1: like to send us your thoughts, and as always during 397 00:23:12,640 --> 00:23:14,359 Speaker 1: the week, if you want to keep up with us, 398 00:23:14,440 --> 00:23:16,959 Speaker 1: we've got a blog. It's called how to stuff And 399 00:23:17,040 --> 00:23:18,800 Speaker 1: if you would like to read the articles that we've 400 00:23:18,840 --> 00:23:23,439 Speaker 1: been referencing in this episode, it is They are what 401 00:23:23,640 --> 00:23:26,600 Speaker 1: happens in the brain during an orgasm, and our orgasms, 402 00:23:26,840 --> 00:23:31,480 Speaker 1: female orgasms necessary to continue the human population, or something 403 00:23:31,520 --> 00:23:35,080 Speaker 1: along those lines. You can find those articles at how 404 00:23:35,160 --> 00:23:40,880 Speaker 1: stuff works dot com. For more on this and thousands 405 00:23:40,880 --> 00:23:44,600 Speaker 1: of other topics, does it how stuff works dot com. 406 00:23:44,840 --> 00:23:47,600 Speaker 1: Want more how stuff works, check out our blogs on 407 00:23:47,640 --> 00:23:54,520 Speaker 1: the house. Stuff works dot com home page. Brought to 408 00:23:54,560 --> 00:23:57,600 Speaker 1: you by the reinvented two thousand twelve camera. It's ready, 409 00:23:57,840 --> 00:23:58,280 Speaker 1: are you