Older men with active sex lives are less likely to develop erectile dysfunction according to a study published in the American Journal of Medicine.
The five year study undertaken by researchers at the University of Tampere, Finland examined the correlation between erectile dysfunction and levels of sexual activity in 989 men between the ages of 55 – 75, all of whom had normal erectile function at the beginning of the study.
The Finnish researchers found that men who had sex less than once per week were twice as likely to develop erectile dysfunction over the course of the study in comparison to those who engaged in sex at least once per week. What’s more, those who enjoyed sex three or more times per week were four times less likely to develop the condition.
The study’s lead author, Dr. Juha Koskimaki noted that the “The risk of erectile dysfunction was inversely related to the frequency of intercourse” – or in other words, the more frequently the participants had sex, the less likely they were to develop ED.
According to the researchers, frequent sex has a similar positive effect on male potency as regular exercise has on the body. They concluded that due to this preventative effect, those between the ages of 55 – 75 (who statistically are at far greater risk of developing ED) should be advised of the benefits of regular sex by their doctors.
The study, which is the first of its kind to examine the link between sexual activity and its effect on preventing erectile dysfunction, also examined whether frequent early morning erections had a similar positive effect on maintaining normal erectile function. Although the researchers noted that those men who experienced early morning erections less than once per week were 2.5 times more likely to develop complete erectile dysfunction in comparison to men who experienced the same 2 – 3 times a week, they surmised that that the preventative effects were not as profound.
The message seems to be clear – for men who want to maintain healthy penile function well into old age, regular sex (as opposed to just achieving an erection) seems to be the key.
Related Articles:
