It seems an unfortunate rite of manhood - a guy gets aroused to the point of bursting, and then makes a few terrible decisions while in that decidedly impaired state. When the evening is over he can often be found holding his head in his hands, wondering what in the world made him think that what he did last night was okay. No matter how careful he usually is with choosing partners, no matter how good his typical penis care is, and certainly no matter what his better judgment tells him, arousal can make a man do insane things.

It’s long been proven by anecdotal evidence, but now there is scientific proof that arousal can actually have a serious effect on a man’s overall health, not to mention his penis health.

Just how powerful is arousal?

Scientists decided to put the power of sexual arousal to the test. Just how strong a factor is arousal when it comes to making terrible choices? The study consisted of two experiments.

In the first experiment, men and women were asked to watch videos or consider hypothetical situations. Some of those videos and situations were erotic; others were not. Then they were asked to answer a series of questions. Those who viewed or thought about the sexually-charged content were much more likely to claim they would engage in risky behavior, such as having unprotected sex. Those who partook of the neutral videos and scenarios were much more tempered and level-headed in their judgment of what was okay and what was not.

In the second experiment, the same video clips were used. But this time, the participants were asked to play video Blackjack upon completion of the videos. Those who had watched arousing videos were much more likely to be more impulsive and make risky plays in Blackjack, while those who watched neutral videos were more likely to be conservative and careful in their card play.

Fighting the arousal downfall

The findings suggest that those who are aroused will make riskier decisions than those who are not led by their sexual excitement. That explains what men have known for centuries - that getting turned on can often lead to making impulsive decisions that might be regretted later.

The good news is that men can counteract the arousal effect somewhat. A man should choose to set his own rules well before he climbs into bed with temptation; one example is deciding he will not have unprotected sex, then following up on that vow with a ready supply on condoms. When the moment of truth arrives, he will have a condom at hand and his vow to himself - made in much more clear-headed moments - and he will be more likely to avoid the bad decision of unprotected sex.

Those who find that their penis really does overrule their head when things get heated will have to put more effort into overcoming the issue. One option is to write down a list of goals for good health, including using condoms or getting tested for infections on a regular basis, then repeating those goals out loud at least a few times a day. Eventually those words will take hold, and they will come to the forefront when arousal makes a man think it might be okay to do something risky or dangerous.

Making good decisions on penis health

Another good decision for the discerning man is using a high-quality penis health crème (health professionals recommend Man 1 Man Oil, which is clinically proven mild and safe for skin). The best penis health crèmes include powerful vitamins, such as A, C and D, which are applied to the penis skin in the form of a strong emollient. Shea butter and vitamin E are perfect for this purpose. The emollient helps the vitamins and nutrients slowly sink into the skin, leaving it supple, hydrated and well-maintained. No matter what other decisions a man might make, he will not regret an investment in a crème that helps ensure top-notch penis health.