The Health Problem Hall of Shame
By Elizabeth Drake, Men's Health
Men's Health

Disappointing? Sure. Embarrassing? Yep. But premature ejaculation, like flatulence, constipation, and diarrhea, may actually be completely natural. The proof: A 1948 study by the noted biologist Alfred Kinsey revealed that a whopping 75 percent of men ejaculate within 2 minutes of initiating sex, and within a minute or even seconds after penetration. (Perhaps you can thank the adult-film industry for raising your expectations — and hers.)

Of course, that isn't to say you can't learn to master your own domain. You can. In fact, you will. And that goes for those other below-the-belt troubles, too. Whether a case of the trots leaves you perched on the porcelain throne or you're pumping out more gas than your local Chevron attendant, we've uncovered scientific strategies to help you take back control of your body. The bonus: They won't hurt your ego, either.

30: percentage of sexually active men who complain that they ejaculate prematurely

Why it happens:

Explanations for premature ejaculation run the gamut from the biological (supersensitive skin on the penis) to the psychological (anxiety, guilt, or inexperience). Most recently, it's thought that premature ejaculation is due to a combination of the two.

What to do:
# Schedule a prostate exam. Scientists in both Italy and Egypt found that as many as 64 percent of men with premature ejaculation also suffer from prostate inflammation.
# Practice the "start-stop method." "It teaches you to better sense and delay your orgasm," says Barry W. McCarthy, Ph.D., the author of Coping with Premature Ejaculation. During intercourse, simply stop just before the point of no return, relax, and then start again. While this technique may seem intuitive, it's proved to work: Studies show a success rate of up to 95 percent.
# Take a yoga class. Researchers in India found that men with premature-ejaculation problems lasted three times longer during sex after 12 weeks of practicing an hour of yoga daily. According to the scientists, classic yoga movements strengthen your pelvic muscles, and stronger muscles improve your control as you approach orgasm. Also, yoga breathing helps reduce your anxiety.

10 to 14: Number of times the average guy passes gas each day

Why it happens:

When the bacteria in your colon break down fermentable fibers and undigested starches — primarily from plant foods, such as beans, Brussels sprouts, onions, celery, carrots, raisins, bananas, wheat germ, and oats — the gas by-products take a back-door exit.

As for the stench, it comes specifically from three sulfur-containing gases: hydrogen sulfide, methanethiol, and dimethyl sulfide, which have odors that University of Minnesota scientists compare to "rotten eggs," "decomposing vegetables," and something "sweet," respectively. (Disgusting trivia: If you've ever wondered why flatulence varies in odor and intensity, it's simply determined by the mix of these gases. What's more, the researchers found that women's gas contains higher concentrations of hydrogen sulfide — and a worse odor — than men's.)

What to do:
# Try a gas-free diet for a week. That's how long it takes to find relief from a flatulent lifestyle, according to Spanish researchers. Simply avoid the foods listed above, and eat mainly meat, fish, eggs, and easy-to-digest carbohydrates, such as those in rice, gluten-free bread, tomatoes, lettuce, grapes, and cherries. After 1 week, start reintroducing foods one by one until you identify the worst offenders. Then limit your diet as indicated.
# Check labels for sugar alcohols. These sugar substitutes have been tweaked chemically so that they're not completely absorbed by your small intestine. The three you should watch out for are sorbitol, mannitol, and maltitol, which are often found in protein shakes and sugar-free gum. In fact, less than 10 grams of sorbitol — the amount in a pack of sugar-free gum, such as Stride — is enough to increase your gas output and also increase the likelihood of diarrhea.
# If diet changes alone don't do the trick, try Beano. This poppable gas stopper contains the enzyme alpha-galactosidase, which helps break down complex carbohydrates into simple sugars, report Italian researchers. This allows better absorption in your small intestine instead of carbs traveling to the colon, where they can cause gas.

27: percentage of Americans who are currently constipated

Why it happens:

A change in eating habits, an increase in physical or emotional stress, and poor sleep patterns can all throw off your gut's internal rhythms and reduce the muscle contractions that tell your colon it's "go time." The result: You may go days without a bowel movement even though you feel the need.

What to do:
# First, try a psyllium supplement, such as Metamucil, if you feel stopped up. A University of Illinois review determined that this type of fiber was effective in treating the initial onset of a blocked bowel. The downside is that research shows that this strategy is hit or miss for chronic constipation. Your next option: an over-the-counter laxative like Miralax helps soften your stool with water, provoking the muscles in your colon to move things along, says Sandra Hoogerwerf, M.D., a gastroenterologist at the University of Michigan. Then use these strategies.
# Eat breakfast. After waking, colon activity increases threefold, and eating a meal doubles that rate, according to a study in the American Journal of Physiology. In fact, eat right after waking and you'll create a 2-hour window in which your chances for a bowel movement are optimized.
# Stay hydrated. Drinking water won't necessarily relieve constipation, but avoiding dehydration may help you prevent it in the first place, say researchers at the University of Texas medical school at Houston.
# Hit the weights. A study published in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise reports that resistance training accelerates the movement of food through your large intestine by as much as 56 percent. In addition, other studies suggest that sedentary people are 50 percent more likely to suffer from constipation than those who exercise regularly.

4 billion: Cases of diarrhea every year, worldwide

Why it happens:

Your gastrointestinal tract is lined with cells that absorb liquid from food and drinks. Attacks from bacteria, viruses, and parasites sometimes inhibit those cells from doing their job. The result: loose and watery stool.

What to do:
# Pop an Imodium Advanced. It's the only over-the-counter product that contains both loperamide and simethicone. Scientists at the University of Chicago found that this combination relieved the symptoms of diarrhea — runny stool and abdominal discomfort — faster and more effectively than products that contained just one of the two ingredients.
# Eat yogurt. It contains probiotics, which are beneficial bacteria similar to those that naturally reside in your gut and that keep levels of troublemaking bugs in check. While Dannon Activia has trademarked one strain of bacteria as Bifidus regularis, similar types of healthy bacteria can be found in any fermented milk product, including kefir, buttermilk, and other brands of yogurt.