Why do men have nipples?

Question

I'm not thick or anything, but really, what are they for?

Answer 1

Male nipples aren't exactly a genetic glitch: they are evidence of our developmental clock. In the early stages of life from conception until about 14 weeks, all human fetuses look the same, regardless of gender. At the tender age of 14 weeks post-fertilization , genetically-male fetuses begin to produce male hormones including testosterone. These hormones turn the androgynous fetus into a bouncing baby boy.

Here's where the developmental clock comes in. By 14 weeks, when the hormones turn on, the nipples have already formed. So, while our male fetus goes on to become a baby boy, he keeps his nipples, reminding all of us that people, male and female, started off the same way.

In most men, the nipples really don't change after this point, but some men can develop a condition called gynecomastia. In gynecomastia, the fatty tissue around the nipple develops and eventually appears similar to a female breast. This can occur whenever the testosterone level is lowered by medications, such as those that treat prostate cancer, and by natural hormonal changes due to obesity, adolescence or aging.

Luckily, most of us don't worry too much about male nipples, so men never have to worry about finding swimtrunks and a bikini top that fit.

http://amos.indiana.edu/library/scripts/nipples.html

Answer 2

To tell you the truth, nobody really knows. The best explanation I've been able to find (and frankly it doesn't explain very much) is that nipples aren't a sex-linked characteristic. In other words, nipples are just one of those sexually neutral pieces of equipment, like arms or brains, that humans get regardless of sex.

As you may know, every human being gets a unique set of 23 pairs of chromosomes at conception. These fall into two categories. One pair of chromosomes determines sex--the XX combination means you become female, the XY combination means you become male.

The other 22 pairs, the non-sex chromosomes (they're called autosomes), supply what we might call the standard equipment that all humans get. These 22 pairs constitute an all-purpose genetic blueprint that in effect is programmed for either maleness or femaleness by the sex chromosomes. The programming is done by the hormones secreted by the sex glands.

For example, the autosomes give you a voice box, while the sex hormones determine whether it's going to be a deep male voice or a high female voice. Similarly, the autosomes give you nipples, and the sex hormones determine whether said nipples are going to be functioning (in females) or not (in males).

One interesting consequence of the developmental set-up just described is that during the very early stages of fetal life, before the sex hormones have had a chance to do their stuff, all humans are basically bisexual. Among other things, you have two sets of primitive plumbing--one male, one female. Only one set develops into a mature urogenital system, but you retain traces of the other for the rest of your life.

Answer 3

Because we all start out with 6 "buds" (kinda like a dog or cat) the lower ones go away and some people have a third nipple which is one of these and just looks like a mole or freckle. After genetics have decided if you are a male or female either your body develops milk ducts and you are a girl or you don't and you are a boy.

Answer 4

I have not found a good answer for that myself. As a biochemist I can think of one. In order for a baby to survive the child must have milk. The sex of a fetus gradually develops. In order to make sure that milk will be available nature's redundancy is to supply both sexes with nipples. I also found additional info below.
During the very early stages of fetal life, before the sex hormones have had a chance to do their stuff, all humans are basically bisexual. Among other things, you have two sets of primitive plumbing--one male, one female. Only one set develops into a mature urogenital system, but you retain traces of the other for the rest of your life.

Answer 5

They look nice, well... I would rather have them than not, but I have to admit they do look a darn site better on the opposite sex lol and being sensitive too, particularly when pierced or they're ever so gently brushed with orange flavoured ice cubes all adds to the benefits.Besides that, not a great deal else really though lol well they could be used as coat hangers depending on how long they were or maybe in the future we could manipulate our DNA structure so that they could produce beer or real ale now that would be really useful ha ha!.

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Answer 6

Difference between man and Woman are only 'Y' Chromossome.
Human are created following simetry and standard. When sex is defined, few chains of genes are activated and then your body develop specialized function due your gender.

Men have nipples because its an standard that will not be developed due genetic triggers. Nature does not create on-demand products, but on optimize way, where everything is there only waiting for evolutional trigger defining what we need use.

Like cars. Different cars have same main structure. Following market demand, they put another engine/makeup, but they have same main structure. Optimizing production process.

Answer 7

A male (human anyway) starts life as a female in the womb, developing a vagina and other female characteristics, such as NIPPLES, before testosterone and the y chromosome take over and turn them in to a man. Nothin is lost, so nipples stay where they are, the penis is made from the vagina and men still carry oestrogen in their bodies, that is why we develop big man boobs when we are olders as the testerone levels fall!

Sorry, lads, but it is tru, we were all girls once!

Answer 8

You can milk anything with nipples.

I would think that it has something to do with the fact that in utero, in the early developement stages, when the sex of the baby is still indetermined, it has to have at least the capability to grow into breasts, if the brain tells them to. So while the sex is still undecided, certain parts are developed, and could go either way in later developement years down the road. I'm not positive though it's just speculation.

Answer 9

It all begins with a sperm, an egg and whether the outcome has two X chromosomes or an XY set.
We're basically born with equal (or, neutral, if you prefer that terminology) sex features.
In the ensuing months of fetal development, one or the other dominate chromosome takes over.

Perhaps you've seen men or women where you couldn't really tell if they were a "he" or a "she"?

And far be it from me to take up the issue of gay rights, but it certainly lends credence to the argument that people were "born that way".

Answer 10

Nearly every mammal has nipples so that it may feed its offspring. Males lack the hormones to grow milk producing tissues because they lack the correct genetic information. At birth they inherited a Y chromosomes instead of another X.
I wouldn't say they are completely useless though, it gives you something to tweak when they are acting up :) .