More men know what happens under their car bonnet than their Y- fronts, new research suggests.
Nine in ten men are confident they can locate a car’s oil dipstick but only half are able to identify key parts of their anatomy.
Worryingly, some men thought vital sexual organs could be found in the ear.
New research exposes how most men are better briefed on their car’s performance than understanding what can go wrong between the sheets.
They struggle to identify the common causes of erectile dysfunction and symptoms of a sexually transmitted infection (STI), says research by the Lloydspharmacy Online Doctor.
Altogether 90 per cent of men said they could locate a car’s oil dipstick and 89 per cent could point to the radiator.
But just 6 per cent accurately identified all the common causes of erectile dysfunction, with one-third wrongly believing it was caused by wearing skinny jeans and a further one in 10 blaming too much masturbation.
Two out of five men could not correctly spot all the key symptoms of sexual infection, said the survey of 1,500 men.
When asked to locate key sex organs, such as the parts responsible for creating semen and the area connecting with the testicles (the vas deferens) – just 52 per cent answered correctly.
One in 12 thought they were found in your ear.
Dr Tom Brett, sexual health expert at Lloydspharmacy Online Doctor, said ‘We all know that two of the most important things for many men are their sex life and their car.
Unlike cars, when it comes to the mechanics of their sex organs, men are less likely to spot a potential problem
‘If the car’s not performing properly, the British male is usually pretty confident he can get under the bonnet and solve the problem.
‘But when it comes to the mechanics of their sex organs, men are clearly less likely to spot a potential problem.
‘It’s often down to embarrassment and a “head in the sand” attitude.’
The survey was carried out jointly with the leading male health charity, Men’s Health Forum, in a bid to educate men about the importance of safe sexual practice.
It comes after figures showing a two per cent rise in sexual infections, up to 426,000 last year compared to 2010, with young men at high risk.
The survey showed one in 20 men thought dehydration was a common symptom of a sexual infection, while a total of one in 10 men thought hot weather and spicy food were symptoms of erectile dysfunction.
Dr Brett said the partnership had produced a new sexual health guide for men.
He said ‘We want men to have a better understanding of sexual health problems so that they can reduce their risk and be able to identify an issue before it becomes more serious.
‘Erectile Dysfunction affects thousands of men in the UK and this can be down to a number of different reasons; often the problem is psychological, perhaps arisen from a lack of confidence over one moment of failed performance, or it can be as a result of your health or lifestyle.
‘And when it comes to STIs often people think that you need to have sex with lots of people to be at risk, however just one brief encounter with someone who has an STI may be enough.’
