Interesting (And Kind Of Gross) Things You Didn't Know About Your Butt
Butt. Rear. Tuchus. Derrière. Can. Caboose. Whatever you call it, the posterior is one of the most important parts of the human body. It plays many crucial roles in our daily lives, from allowing us to move around freely to helping us rid our digestive system of waste products. Despite all of its uses, most people don't know the most interesting facts about butts.
To a certain extent, mystery shrouds the butt. It's involved in some admittedly icky bodily functions, a fact that likely prevents a lot of people from fully understanding its usefulness. Simply put, we would be lost without our backsides. They are our constant companions, our allies, and our cushions - not to mention an endless source of humor, pleasure, and pain. And, as this list of facts about butts demonstrates, the rear can be just as fascinating as the human brain.
A Hairy Butt Serves A Purpose
There's a beneficial reason hair grows on the butt. First of all, it prevents chafing of the butt cheeks when you walk or run. It also has an evolutionary function: butt hair holds in your natural scent, which is primal, and something that attracts others.
As long as it's serving a purpose and helps the body, maybe we shouldn't be so quick to wish our butt hair away.
Bigger Butts Might Help People Live Longer
Research suggests that a bigger butt could help you live longer. Fat in the lower body is generally more stable and does not break down as quickly as fat in the stomach and other areas. When fat breaks down quickly, it can release potentially harmful chemicals.
The butt also plays a role in trapping unhealthy fatty acids. It keeps them away from the abdominal area, where they can cause a variety of problems with the heart, kidneys, liver, and other internal organs.
Butt Cheeks Make Walking Possible
Humans have very large butt cheeks compared to great apes, our closest animal relatives. Most of the human bottom is comprised of a muscle called the gluteus maximus. Without it, we wouldn't be able to walk, or at least not nearly as easily or efficiently as we currently do. This large muscle provides the strength and support humans require to walk upright on two legs.
Gorillas generally have flat bottoms, as they don't need the muscle to walk on their hands and feet. Over time, the human pelvis evolved to be wider, which elongated our hips and gave our butts their curviness.
When a person walks, there is a very brief moment when, with each step, they only have one foot on the ground. This motion requires balance, which is where the butt comes in. With the butt positioned significantly higher than the feet, the gluteal muscles have more leverage to keep them stable.
The Average Person Has To Poop At Least Once A Day
There is no hard and fast rule when it comes to how many times a day a person should do a "number two." The frequency of pooping can vary significantly between different people. Doctors instead outline a normal range most healthy people fall into.
An individual may have to poop once every three days or have to go up to three times a day. (Diet is an attributing factor to have often one goes.)
The Average Person Passes Gas Between 10 And 20 Times A Day
As with other digestive processes, such as going to the toilet or burping, the number of times per day a person expels gas depends on a variety of factors. People's unique biological characteristics and their specific diets play significant roles in how many times they will pass gas throughout any given day.
Doctors generally consider 10 to 20 expulsions per day normal. If you're breaking wind significantly more, it could indicate health problems. However, it's more likely just the result of new bacteria growing in the colon or a change in diet. The majority of gas passed doesn't smell bad, as only a few contain sulfuric compounds that produce an unpleasant odor.
Butts Can Get Really Big
There doesn't seem to be a hard limit on exactly how big butts can get. In 2015, Mikel Ruffinelli made headlines for her bottom, which measured 8.25 feet around. But why do some butts grow larger than others? Scientists have cited a couple of different factors. A large butt may be an evolutionary survival mechanism. Our butts are not vulnerable like our heads and chests, which protect the brain and the heart, so our bodies put fats in a "safer" area where it can be stored in case of a shortage or crisis.
Hormones also play a role, especially for women. Fat has hormone receptors. Estrogen receptors are just below the skin, much closer to the surface than testosterone receptors. The layer of fat covering the gluteus, being just below the skin, has more natural estrogen receptors, which means it draws and stores fat more easily.