Until very recently, scientists thought they understood the biology of why men need to take a breather after sex — and before going for round two.
A veritable host of studies has long shown that concentrations of a hormone called prolactin spike in men just after they ejaculate. High levels of prolactin are also associated with a lower sex drive in men. Based on this evidence, it was thought that prolactin must be responsible for what’s known as the refractory period, that most mysterious and ill-defined interval of time it takes a man to become aroused again after experiencing an orgasm.
Research into questions like this frequently produces fascinating findings that help us to understand more about the often strange — and occasionally disturbing — idiosyncrasies of male sexuality. For example, some studies have shown that the shape of a man’s face is linked to his sex drive and perceptions of infidelity. Other research has shown that men are far more likely than women to be into fetishes, as well as, sadly, perverse and illegal sexual behavior such as pedophilia.
