Physician Dr Rasheed Adedapo, chief medical officer and founder of Heritage Men’s Clinic, says that number is key to maintaining prostate health. A larger team, which is certainly not monogamous, may be required to reach the finish line monthly.

Many listeners tuned in to Classic FM’s The Discourse must have been bemused, and not a few confounded when the good doctor recommended side chics filling in for madam if the 21 times sexual activity in a month is not met. Post-interview, comments on social media have been anything but mild.

With many men giving the doctor’s recommendation thumbs up, women inclined towards monogamy are screaming quackery!

Discussions have centred on a few issues raised in the interview, the most being the possibility of men getting a happy ending 21 times monthly just so as to keep their prostate in fine health.

… data suggest that the frequency of ejaculation has no effect on lower urinary tract symptoms, peak urinary flow rates, or prostate volume; the apparent protective association appears to be an artifact caused by the confounding effects of age.

There was also a little confusion: Is it 21 times or 21 days of pleasure monthly? Three times daily for seven days could get a man to the target, which is vastly different from once daily over 21 days. Both scenarios present vastly different challenges.

The other issue has to do with teamship. If Madam is unable to support her man to achieve the monthly target, what could be done? Dr. Adedapo recommends including a side chic(s) in the team, and by so doing, Madam will not be overburdened. If she doesn’t please you, I advocate to my patients that you can have a side chick. The side chick could be on contract, but you just know that you need to do your 21 times to avoid prostate cancer. And physiologically, our DNA shows that men are actually known to be polygamous. Men are wired to be polygamous.

Sweet music to men, who have long dreamt of a scientific reason, even if it is pseudo, for justifying their peccadilloes.

Hey, not so fast.

Understanding benign prostatic hyperplasia (BHP) and prostate cancer could provide insight into whether men need to take the doctor’s advice to heart.

BHP is simply an enlarged prostate, which is a precursor to prostate cancer. Note that not all enlarged prostate leads to cancer. The Mayo Clinic defines BPH as a health issue that becomes more common with age. It’s also called an enlarged prostate. The prostate is a small gland that helps make semen. It’s found just below the bladder. And it often gets bigger as you get older. An enlarged prostate can cause symptoms that may bother you, such as blocking the flow of urine out of the bladder. It also can cause bladder, urinary tract or kidney problems.

There you have it. Age is the major reason the prostate enlarges. Indeed, in some circles, it is reasoned that if a man undergoes castration early in life; that is, removal of both testes, chances of BHP and prostrate cancer are (very) slim.

Frequency of sexual activity and prostatic health: fact or fairy tale? research led by Steven J Jacobsen sort of punctures the 21-day fantasy. About 2,115 people were recruited to participate in a study to evaluate whether the symptoms associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia can be aggravated by infrequent sex. And its conclusion, reproduced below, was unequivocal.

These cross-sectional data suggest that the frequency of ejaculation has no effect on lower urinary tract symptoms, peak urinary flow rates, or prostate volume; the apparent protective association appears to be an artifact caused by the confounding effects of age.

In other words, as men age, their prostate will grow, no matter how active they may be in the other room.

Africans are more predisposed to BHP and its complications than other races. Which brings to the fore the question: If a higher number of ejaculations is not BHP’s cure-all, what else could men over 50 do?

Exercise, as many studies have shown.

Although some researches support the 21-day ejaculation theory, a healthy lifestyle has been shown to have a more profound positive impact on men’s health. Active, no-smoking, little-to-no-alcohol, wholesome social life, at whatever age, benefits men’s health far more than sex. Indeed, if the foregoing lifestyle is practised, it goes without saying that the sexual aspect will be healthy (read: enhanced), too.

Twenty-one climaxes in a month will remain a tantalising fantasy for many men, understandably. Reason sex-enhancing drugs of all shades are in demand.

Polyandry/Polygamy: Anyone?

Beyond health is the broader issue of side chic and polygamy, and their place in the evolution of society. Dr Adedapo says polygamous tendencies are embedded in men’s DNA. Some men would nod in delightful agreement, while most womenfolk would wrinkle their nostrils in disagreement. Such a sweeping generalisation, even from a respected physician, is a flawed postulation. It will be interesting to see the DNA analysis that shows polygamy is ingrained in men.

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This view is patriarchal at best. It is based on the belief that men own the world, and that is why they need a lot of sex to be healthy. If women cannot meet the demand, then many more women are required to sate a man’s desire.

Is it possible, just possible, that women have a higher sex drive than men, but because of societal strictures, they create a façade around their desires? If a future study proves women have a higher sex drive and they also need a lot of sex, perhaps 42 (real) climaxes monthly to be healthy, can we also recommend ‘side cocks’ (side chic-side cock, no pun intended) for the womenfolk? There is no way one man can satisfy a woman with such a drive, right?

Can we, indeed, go as far as recommending polyandry, say, one woman to at least four men, for women who can manage it?

Adewole Ojo

Adewole Ojo is the Editor-in-Chief of Meiza Nigeria. He can be reached on adewole.ojo@fourpoints.ng.