10 Health Benefits of Having Sex

Looking for the secret to a better quality of life, or longer life? Some of us think the answer lies in a bottle of herbal pills, a better diet, or more aerobic exercise. Few of us would think sex could have the same benefits. But according to research, sex does much more than satisfy desire - it can have a significant impact on your health and increase your lifespan. Check out these 10 health benefits of sex:

1. Better overall health. According to a survey carried out by the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), healthy individuals are more likely to engage in sexual activity. Forty-four percent of people who described their health as excellent or very good had intercourse at least once a week. Only 20 percent of people with fair or poor health engaged in sex this often.

2. Lower risk of cardiovascular problems. A study published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health revealed that having sex at least twice a week lowered the risk of a fatal heart attack by 50 percent for men, compared to men who had sex less than once a month.

3. Weight maintenance or loss. Skipped your daily jog or step class? You'll be happy to know that sex also helps you to burn calories and give your muscles a workout. In an episode of the The Doctors television show called "Why You Need Sex", doctors suggested that 60 minutes of moderate sex over the course of a week can burn up to 100 calories.

4. Stronger immune system. Colds, flu and other infections take a toll on our bodies, leading to a variety of symptoms - from mild to severe. Sex can help to lower your risk of disease. Just having sex once or twice a week can increase by 30 percent your levels of immunoglobulin A (IgA), an antigen that plays a significant role in destroying disease-causing agents that enter your body.

5. Lower blood pressure and pain. When you have sex your body releases the hormone, oxytocin. Dr. Ray Sahelian, an authority on hormone research points out that oxytocin lowers blood pressure and makes you less sensitive to pain.

6. Reduced stress. A study published in Biological Psychology assessed people who kept a journal of their sexual activity - penile-vaginal intercourse (PVI), masturbation, or other forms of sex without intercourse - during periods of acute stress. People who had PVI sex were less stressed and their blood pressure returned to normal faster than the other two groups.

7. Better sleep. Many people report that sex improves their sleep, and it's the stuff of folklore that men usually fall asleep right after sexual intercourse. It may be down to relaxing hormones that are released during sex. However, sex also uses up energy so you're more likely to feel tired afterwards and need those 40 winks.

8. Lower risk of prostate cancer. Men who have five or more ejaculations per week while in their 20s cut their risk of prostate cancer by a third. Also, 21 or more ejaculations per month are linked to a lower risk of this cancer in older men, compared to men who have only four to seven ejaculations per month.

9. Healthier sexual organs. Sexual activity increases the flow of blood to male and female genitalia. Women's vaginal muscles also stretch and contract during sex, which makes them stronger.

10. Improved self-esteem. Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin conducted a comprehensive study on why people have sex. They discovered 237 reasons, which included boosting self-esteem.

Study References

Journal: Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, Vol. 56(2) pp. 99-102

Study Date: February 2002

Study Name: Sexual intercourse and risk of ischaemic stroke and coronary heart disease: the Caerphilly study

Website: http://pt.wkhealth.com/pt/re/jech/abstract.00004773-200202000-00008.htm;jsessionid=KH1B1V0bnY4ljxcQQXQh6gf1nQxwxG3yRhc71JhjbcVjJk44n8ln!-634287438!181195629!8091!-1

Author(s): Ebrahim, S.; May, M; Ben Shlomo; McCarron, P.; Frankel, S.; Yarnell, J.; Davey Smith, G.

Journal: Biological Psychology, Vol. 71, Issue 2, pp 214-222

Study Date: February 2006

Study Name: Blood pressure reactivity to stress is better for people who recently had penile-vaginal intercourse than for people who had other or no sexual activity

Website: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6T4T-4GD4SRW-2&_user=10&_coverDate=02%2F28%2F2006&_rdoc=11&_fmt=high&_orig=browse&_srch=doc-info(%23toc%234983%232006%23999289997%23614929%23FLA%23display%23Volume)&_cdi=4983&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_ct=12&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=b6d97e25064e16166537e1e00a7baede
Author(s): Stuart Brody