Study Suggests Marathon Runners Have 'Better Reproductive Potential'

A new observational study conducted by the University of Cambridge and the Institute of Child Health in London suggested that endurance runners may have a better reproductive potential because of their digit ratio, appearance, and performance on the track, according to NHS Choices. The study, published on peer-reviewed medical journal PLOS, explored the correlation between a person's running ability and male reproductive health.

It involved 439 Caucasian men and 103 women who participated in the Robin Hood half marathon in 2013 and whose ages ranged between 19 and 35. In the study, runners wore electronic chips which recorded the exact time they hit the finish line. The runners' left and right hands were also taken during the event to measure digit ratios.

The researchers found that "among the men, there was a 'significant positive correlation' between right and left hand 2D:4D ratio and marathon time, with higher levels of performance associated with a lower, more 'masculine' digit ratio." They maintained that the results "support the theory" that a man's running ability could translate to a good perceived reproductive potential in men, and its link to testosterone exposure in utero.

The researchers said that women were hardwired into thinking that a male's running ability equated to his ability to provide for a family, in the hunter-gatherer sense of the word. Before the human race learned how to farm, a man's hunting ability was believed to be "an important way of demonstrating male resourcefulness and seems to be linked to fertility, offspring survivorship and number of mates."

The results of the study added another layer to sexual compatibility. According to The Guardian, facial symmetry, body shape, scent, and even one's limbal ring (the ring around the iris) could signal attractiveness and good health for men and women. Meanwhile, a report on Business Insider that enumerated the various scientifically proven ways to make oneself attractive to the opposite sex revealed that white teeth, brooding and shaving could make a man appear more appealing to women.

Interestingly, the report also noted that a man wearing a white shirt with a huge letter "T" printed across it looked more buff and sexier to women than other men. In terms of types of undergarments, boxer briefs tend to ramp up a man's sexiness than any other underwear, according to most women. Combined with clever advertising, this perception has made underwear brands such as Hanesbrands, Inc., Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein and most recently, Naked Brand Group, Inc. boost their sales.

NHS Choices stressed that the London study was inconclusive because it didn't use non-runners, and evaluated the runners only once during the race. The subjects also belonged to only one ethnicity.

To contact the writer, email: v.hernandez@ibtimes.com.au