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Wednesday, May 31, 2006

Is the Sex Drive Hereditary?

Yesterday a new study was released which seems to indicate that the human sex drive is hereditary. Of course it could be argued that there is some sex drive to be found in everyone, or some of us wouldn't be here. From an evolutionary standpoint, it would eliminate certain lines. Perhaps it has!

Although most of us really would like to believe that our parents and grandparents never had sex, the truth is, we often know more than we wish we did.

I remember being in my teens when my dad's father was taken aside by his cardiologist and told that he had to knock off making love to my grandmother if he wanted to live longer. My grandfather was in his 80s. "Doc," he said, "I'd rather die happy."

We cringed when we heard that story, but we also had a grudging admiration for the old man (and woman!).

And although my parents are very modest, and not showy people, I've seen the gleam in Dad's eye when he looks at Mom. So, I assume he's following in his father's footsteps. But they were never overt about it. We never came home to find Mom and Dad under (or on top of) the kitchen table, and they never flirted wildly. But we knew.

Since Mom and Dad were always circumspect, it could be argued that the kids wouldn't have a strong sex drive, and yet we do (I am confident enough to speak for my brothers, too). So I would agree that sex drive may not always be patterned off what we see, but what we've inherited. Apparently scientists agree.

This indicates that there may, indeed, be couples that are sexually mismatched and there may be no amount of meds which will help that built-in, core function. Interestingly, this study comes out shortly after the announcement that Viagra sales have dropped significantly. It's as if men thought they'd try it to make up a supposed deficit, and then decided it simply wasn't worth bothering with.

It would be very interesting to do a study on the sex drives of adults who were adopted as babies and raised completely apart from their biological families.

35 comments:

The Lazy Iguana said...

I think everyone's sex drive is high. Lets face it, the deed is not exactly something one does not want to do.

Any person who claims their sex drive is low is not doing it right. That or they have some kind of problem like E.D. or horomone imbalance.

Sex drive is PROGRAMMED into animals. What do you see stray dogs doing? How many times to you hear a car racket in the middle of the night? Guess what that is all about - either two males fighting over a female or two cats getting it on.

The lack of "drive" is not really a lack of drive so much as a reaction to modern life. Being is a state of stress all day zaps energy, and makes people crabby. This does not mean the drive is not there.

Saur♥Kraut said...

Lazy Iguana, but... if you allow things to intrude in your sex life, no matter what the excuse, isn't that saying that sex isn't as important to you? I know people who have more sex when they're stressed.

michelle said...

Saur,
I plead the 5th on this one.

Ed said...

So if sex drives are inherited, once again we are thwarting Darwinism with Viagra. Instead of becoming stronger as a animal species, we are diluting ourselves with weaker species that are allowed to procreate.

Not sure if I believe it can be inherited but I do believe it is genetic. To me that might explain why some men (and I suppose women) tend to be rapists and others not. Also why I feel they should be locked up and the key disposed.

Fred said...

Everytime I even kiss The Missus, I hear a loud "ewwww" from the kids.

Sex drives vary by individual. I've seen instances of issues within the same family, which leads me to believe it's not hereditary.

As for my partner, we're just fine. Life is good.

High Power Rocketry said...

Honestly, I was attracted to women since I was about 2. It never really stopped, just changed form . When very young, I liked girls who had cool hair or something. Then it became romantic, later sexual as well, and that is where you find me today. I am certain it is genetic, I never even had a chance to get exposed to it when I was 2, yet I already had crushes on girls. My first kiss was at age 5, and at that point I had no idea about the birds and bees still.

However, I think many people alter they way they behave later to fit in better. But a person who decides to be gay to fit in? Not likely: I am certain that is genetic, as it was for me.

mckay said...

my sex drive is in Park. there are times when it gets quite revved up and i feel like taking the ol gal out for a spin around the race track, but lack of a driving buddy (aka partner) makes it difficult to say the least.

so i keep her waxed and clean under the car cover, which keeps the mileage low and she's on the way to becoming a classic. guys dig classics, right?

sheesh.

*shakes her head and walks away muttering*

Anonymous said...

I have a pretty high drive, but never saw my parents or even tlked about it. Some of my friends had a lot of porn around and you can't deny that ads today use sex to sell as well as TV. It's such a sensative topic on something so many either will or will not admit to wanting. What fascinates me is what people WON'T talk about.

~Jef

Eddo said...

Wow, once again Suar we are discussing similar topics, albeit yours is more positive than mine...

Is Alex a girl?...

I was the same way when I was younger, I had a girlfriend at the age of 5 and I remember doing the whole, "You show me yours and I will show you mine routine" I also remember kissing her a lot and then later I had multiple girlfriends all through junior high and high school. Now that I think about it, I was doing much better then than I am now!

Saur♥Kraut said...

Eddo, actually, it's a good question. I dunno~! I've always thought Alex was a guy until a couple months ago. I've never asked. Alex? I think we ALL had more girlfriends/boyfriends than we do now. Life gets in the way, even if we're single. Yours is a little bleak since it focuses on predators and STDs, but it's a good (and necessary) discussion!

Everyone, more in a little bit. Citizens hasn't received my homeowners insurance YET and I need to overnite another check or I'll be without insurance thru hurricane season. *groan* We all hate our lack of choice for homeowners insurance. There's not much that can be done right now, though.

BarbaraFromCalifornia said...

Actually, I think that the sex drive of women is underrated, to be frank. Some of us have a very healthy, passionate sex drive, and others not so much so. Whehter this is inherited, or learned behavior, from growing up in a repressive environment is an interesting question.

You and I are on a similiar wave length, Saur. I have a post up today on the art of sensuality...

Thanks for the interesting post.

Saur♥Kraut said...

Jef, I dunno, is there anything that people don't talk about? ;o)

McKay, :D I got a real chuckle out of that. Thanks! You made my day.

Alex, did you see Eddo's comment and my comment to him? Inquiring minds want to know! ;o)

Reverb, not TMI! No worries, just answer what you like. Many people are very open about their sex lives, including my own parents. I just believe in "don't ask/don't tell" when it concerns my own parents. However, they've always been very frank with me and I'm sure they would be. I was brought up knowing about, and discussing, sex and where babies came from since I was about 3 or 4, I'd say. So it's not a taboo subject for me.

Fred, or maybe it IS hereditary and certain kids inherit certain genes. After all, not all sibs look alike! Then again, the only way to TRULY know (IMHO) is to do a study involving kids who were raised apart from biological parents, interviewing both the bio parents and the kids (seperately). Because there is a possibility that the brain adapts to the sexual choices/patterns instead of being the cause of them.

Ed, its questionable whether 'rape' is equivalent to a sex drive, as it's an act of violence and the excitement is more from the violence than the sex act itself.

Michelle, ;o)

Barbara, a good point. I think it can be inherited, but repressed.

Anonymous said...

i think that women in the old day were considered "promiscuous" if they had a strong sex drive. whereas men who did it all the time were just normal. so that has set up society somewhat, i think anyway. women who are horny are considered sluts. but its ok for men. i've heard male friends use an excuse for not wanting to date a woman they are with is that she has been with too many guys. and them being one of the guys, that really pissed me off.

as for me? my drive is very mismatched right now, since i'm currently single.

you have alex listed under gentlemen. is that not correct?

my parents never did anything, or acted like they even had ever done anything, us three girls were the only evidence. i grew up thinking sex was dirty and icky, and not something to talk about. i had a lot of misperceptions. i think i still do. oh well. moving on.

lazy iguana, hmmmmmmmm is he single???????????????????

just kidding

The Lazy Iguana said...

If you allow things to get in the way of your sex drive, it is not so much saying sex is not important as it says "the lifestyle you have choosen is not natural".

Constant stress is NOT what humans evolved to cope with. Cavemen would have brief moments of stress (OH CRAP! Saber toothed tiger!!) followed by calm (I killed the cat, crisis over OR the cat killed me, crisis over).

Modern man on the other hand has stress ALL DAY. Yea, there are no large cats trying to eat you, but for some every work day is 8 hours of constant stress. And the morning drive is another hour of stress. And the drive home another hour. Then there is getting home. Lets add another two hours of stress. Then the bills. and so on.

Before you know it, 12 - 16 hours of your day is constant stress.

Ahhh. The wonders of modern life. I have AC and there is no shortage of food - but still I stand a good chance of having a heart attack before age 50.

Kristie said...

sure, i feel like sharing. I feel i have a pretty strong sex drive and i could believe its inherited (i unfortunately know that my parents have a healthy sex life as well). My now-pseudo-boyfriend seems to have a strong sex drive as well. But from what i understand about his parents, (well he didnt know his dad & now he's dead so) there isnt much of a sex drive there. So i am not sure about the inhereited part there. I feel my partner and i are well matched. Altho, i think i have a bit of a stronger drive than him. I tend to be more like the man in the relationship than him as far as how often i wanna do it.

michelle said...

mckay,
I cannot stop laughing!!!

Just so you all know I talked to Saur today and she thinks I took the easy way out of answering. I told her, "I answered, you just don't like my answer."

To make Saur not think I am a dweb...I still love my hubby and show him in every way!

High Power Rocketry said...

Eddo I am not a girl. I know you would have liked to hear that though...

Alex is short for Alexander. As in the great. As in I have sex with women, copiously.

Saur♥Kraut said...

Alex, OK, then. I was right. *phew* I'd hate to insult you in any way. The last sentence had me giggling out loud.

Michelle, I should hope so! You two are married! ;o) Oh wait, maybe that's when it all starts to go downhill... KIDDING!

KristieD, thanks for being brave, hon! You know, a lot of my girl friends say the same thing (about having the stronger drive). It's more common than you'd think. I also believe intelligence is often linked to sex drive, and I'm friends with a famous relationship guru who privately says the same thing.

Lazy Iguana, very true! Stress is a real killer. And there's no doubt that studies show it hampers the sex drive. I just wonder if it will hamper the sex drive of someone that has a really strong one(?) I doubt you're ever under stress (being the Lazy Iguana, after all) so you probably haven't experienced it.

Kathleen, who knows? I hear something and it interests me, and it ends up here!

Susie, excellent (and very astute) observations!

Tim said...

What is your sex drive?

Very high. Primarily becasue of my forced abstinence (lack of agreeable female person)

Do you think it's inherited? Not specifically. I don't think there's a sex-drive gene in the DNA. It's a part of human nature and we're following the command of the creator to "be fruitful and multiply".

And, do you feel like you're well-matched with your partner?

I thought I was, but apparently was mistaken, since I'm divorced. There's much more (as you well know) to being a proper match for your partner than just the sex part (though none more fun...).

However, I do think the sex will be better between partners if there are other mutual interests in the relationship.

Lila said...

Well, my parents never kissed and told, so neither will I! ;-P

michelle said...

Well that is as close as I will get to kissing and telling. What answer WILL you be happy with?

Saur♥Kraut said...

Michelle, honey, I'm happy with all your answers. ;o)

AP3, a good answer, too! BTW, my stepdaughter "Bugs" just came by, glanced over my shoulder, and said "I like all the Pezes" (referring to your wonderful family).

Green, thank you! Yeah, divorce can rise up and smack us upside the head, can't it???

Suzy-Q said...

I don't think I can answer this without blushing, so I will just be quiet. :o)

Miss Cellania said...

My sex drive is way out of proportion to my opportunites. 8-(

Nuff said.

Lila said...

RABBIT, RABBIT!

Bugs has good taste -- like a BUNNY~!

D-Dub said...

I think sex drive is in proportion to how you see yourself and how you think others see you.

If you feel good about yourself you are more likely to want to get your freak on. It helps if your partner feels the same way about you and them self.

My dad (single late 60's) is still throwing down. We haven't talked about it but I've heard stories.

Arggg mental image! I need therapy.

Thanks for the topic Saur.

Anonymous said...

Yes. Heredity can play a part in it of course. But I find that when I workout with the weights on a regular basis my drive increases substantially, even now that I'm in my mid forties. I believe that with increased muscle mass more testosterone is required to maintain it, and the more testosterone, the better the sex drive. Just a theory.

We were more mismatched in sex drive when we were just youngsters, believe it or not. I, of course, wanted it all the time. She was more finicky. It caused some friction but we made it through.

I don't know what happens to women when they hit forty, but I like it!!!

Oh sure, the Mrs. and I are not "in heat" like we were in our late teens and early twenties, but in a way it's even better now. No longer do I have that "Wham, Bam, Thank you Mam" mentality about it. No. I now want to savor her like the fine wine that she is, which means it lasts much longer than it used to. I would never have thought, as a young man, that it would be like this at this point in our lives. What a pleasant surprise and what a gift sex is.

Pr 5:15 Drink waters out of thine own cistern, And running waters out of thine own well.
Pr 5:16. Should thy springs be dispersed abroad, And streams of water in the streets?
Pr 5:17 Let them be for thyself alone, And not for strangers with thee.
Pr 5:18 Let thy fountain be blessed; And rejoice in the wife of thy youth.
Pr 5:19 [As] a loving hind and a pleasant doe, Let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; And be thou ravished always with her love.

Pretty racy, eh? Can you guess what the "fountain" and the "well" are? And some of you didn't think it was even mentionde in the Bible!

Bryan said...

Oops. Don't know how that happened. That last post was mine.

Brianne said...

I'm not sure, but I certainly love the picture you chose! Reminds me of my sailor in Hawaii. ;o)


The sex-drive thing is a real bummer when you both happen to be 7,000 miles apart.

Three Score and Ten or more said...

I aint answerin no dam questions, but after 48 years, I still get excited just watchin my lady walk across the room. If there is enough reumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis and neuropathy and stuff, it slows you down, but she is still the lady of my heart.

Suzy-Q said...

PS that photo is one of my favorites.....

Saur♥Kraut said...

Auntie Jo, I love that pic, too. It's a classic!

3 Score & 10, I really like that. You are still so obviously in love. Your posts about when you met are sooo sweet.

Brianne, yeah, he IS a long ways away!

Levi, I love The Song of Solomon. It's very beautiful! I think you have the right idea, entirely.

Batman, good points! Yeah, picturing your dad gettin' it on can be mentally scarring. Take an aspirin and call me in the morning.

AP3, exactly! Although it comes from "cute as a bug".

Miss C, but entirely understandable. ;o)

Anonymous said...

Why did this blog end in 2006? I have a very strong sex drive and i wonder if my uncle and grandfather passed down the genes to me. It's hard to believe that my sister and I were born, because my mother seems to be against everything that has to do with sex.I feel sorry for my dad because my parents drifted apart and were not close for most of my childhood. I hardly saw them kiss. I am glad I have passion in me and I am not sure if it is passed down through the family. I always wonder why nobody will talk about sex openly. It's completely natural and humans have been sexually active for thousands of years. It's sad that people think it's weird to talk about it. Maybe it is the area that I live in and the town keeps quiet about sex. I just want to meet some mature girls who can match my sex drive. While being safe, of course. I do not want to be a dad this soon. I still have a lot of young years in me.

Unknown said...

My mother hated sex, & so do I. I`m an only child, & maybe the reason for our lack of interest in sex was to protect the gene pool.

Saur♥Kraut said...

Catherine, that's very interesting. Thanks for sharing this