Men, by contrast, can reproduce well into their 60s and even 70s and 80s, and most researchers assumed this explained their longevity. But Lummaa and colleague Andy Russell wondered whether other factors explained the long lifespan of men, such as a grandfather effect.
If female survival is the main explanation for male longevity, then monogamous and polygamous men would live for about the same length of time. Instead, it seems that fathering more kids with more wives leads to increased male longevity. Men, then, live long because they're fertile well into their grey years.

The explanation could be both social and genetic. Men who continue fathering kids into their 60s and 70s could take better care for their bodies because they have mouths to feed. But evolutionary forces acting over thousands of years could also select for longer-lived men in polygamous cultures.

It could also be because in polygamous societies men tend to be waited on hand and foot by their wives. All this pampering reduces stress. A more relaxed man is going to live longer than a stressed out man.

Maybe polygamy doesn't actually help a man live longer - maybe it only makes it seem that way.

Seriously, though, one historical incentive for polygamy is having a large number of children to support the family - sort of a premodern form of social security, living off the labor of a pyramid of descendants.

Sounds like a plan....where do I sign?

dude how is that fair to the wife who has already invested a good 90% of her for him?

thats why i find polygamy selfish you could also say marriage is selfish to, as well as child bearing?
(because in each of these relationships there is stress as well as a control and at times doesn't concern outside parties etc.)

soo what if we behave like animals , would that make our social lives stressful and hard or just easier! to me although polygamy is warped and sick i believe its not the relationships entirely but the psychi of a man, social laws, inability to tell what he wants thats whats a killer!

@meancookie, whose comment are you addressing?

doting on and spoiling grandchildren aids their survival

Hmmm I don't believe in spoiling children...maybe I need to start..lol

the psychi of a man, social laws, inability to tell what he wants thats whats a killer!

Never thought a man had a hard time asking for what he wants...maybe its not knowing what he wants that kills them...?

Interesting concept. The way polygamy is practiced in America is rather crazy. Not in a good way, but like "nuts in the head" crazy!

I would never let children get spoiled. They taste so much better when they're fresh.

You all are commenting like you assume men from polygynous cultures are polygynous. Not all of them. Duh! If one man has 4 wives, then 3 men stay single. And the study apparently did not focus on only the actually polygynous males within those cultures. Men throughout those cultures *average* 12% more in lifespan.

Try to bear that in mind when trying to explain it. I for myself have no intelligent explanation to share.

In the animal world it's the strongest and fittest animals that get the mates. In a polygamous relationship it's the man with the most money and power (those two things basically being equal) who get the most wives.

People with more money live longer generally because they can afford to take better care of themselves.