Dr. Rena Malik — A urologist and pelvic surgeon who has become one of the most-watched doctors online, with nearly 3 million YouTube subscribers educating people about sexual and hormonal health based on data.
The gist
Dr. Rena Malik joins Steven Bartlett to explain how to have better sex and a healthier body, organized around her four pillars of sexual health: fuel (diet), strength (exercise and the pelvic floor), environment (stress, sleep, endocrine-disrupting chemicals, and the company you keep), and confidence (knowledge and communication). She covers the science of erectile dysfunction as an early warning sign for cardiovascular disease, the truth about testosterone and TRT, why nighttime erections matter, and the female anatomy including the clitoris, the G-spot, and squirting. The conversation also tackles porn, sex toys, penis-enlargement methods (and their dangers), and the impact of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic on desire. Throughout, she stresses communication, intimacy, and that sex is tied to longevity and connection.
Big reveals
- People who have sex once a week live 49% longer (all-cause mortality) than those who have it only once a year.
- A 1997 study found that for every 100 orgasms men had, they had roughly a 13% increase in life expectancy.
- Doing 150 minutes a week of cardio improves erectile function as much as taking a medication like Viagra.
- Erectile dysfunction is a 'canary in the coal mine' — organic ED often precedes heart problems by 3 to 5 years, with 14% having a heart attack within 7 years.
- The clitoris is the homologue of the penis, made from the same embryonic tissue, and extends internally far beyond the visible part.
- Average male testosterone fell roughly 25% from about 600 (late 1990s) to about 450 (around 2015).
- The average erect penis is about 5.3-5.5 inches, but men think the average is six or seven inches.
- A patient earnestly asked her whether he should drink hydrogen peroxide to fix his erections after seeing an ad.
Things worth remembering
- A study had men eat 100g of pistachios daily and saw a decrease in erectile dysfunction due to improved blood flow.
- Among college-age groups, about 60% of women and 20% of men report being choked during sex, and 20% of those 25+ times.
- The WHO has called loneliness an epidemic, saying it is as bad for health as smoking 15 cigarettes.
- Sleeping 5 hours instead of 8 for just a week drops a man's testosterone by about 15% - equivalent to roughly 10 years of aging.
- Fixing sleep apnea has been shown to raise testosterone by as much as 200 ng/dL.
- About 40% of women squirt; the fluid is chemically different from urine and partly comes from Skene's glands, the female homologue of the prostate.
- Skin has C-tactile afferent fibers that respond best to slow caresses (~3 cm/s) and only to human touch, not a gloved hand.
- Anabolic steroid abuse carries a 15x higher risk of premature heart failure and 122x higher risk of cardiac death.
- A traction device used 30 minutes twice a day for 3-6 months can add about 2 cm of penis length; 'jelqing' from TikTok can cause micro-tears and ED.
- A Japanese study found nose length correlated with penis length, while big hands or feet did not.
Recommended in this episode
Books, products and media the guest or host genuinely endorsed here — with the buy link.
Affiliate link — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
The Hard Truth: Everything Men Need to Know About Good Health, Great Sex, and Long Life
Dr. Rena Malik
“you're working on a book which is, I guess, endeavoring to do much of that, which is coming out in September called The Hard Truth” — Steven Bartlett 01:54:49Find it on Amazon