What if the regularity of sexual intercourse really influenced health? Researchers cross-referenced the medical and behavioral data of thousands of people with mortality records. They conclude that having less than one sexual intercourse per week significantly increases the risk of death in women. An opposite trend has even been observed among men, raising new questions about the impact of the body and mind in sexuality.
A study to correlate sexuality and life expectancy
This is a striking statistic: women who have less than one sexual encounter per week have a 70% increased risk of dying within five years. This conclusion comes from a study carried out by researchers at Walden University, in Pennsylvania, using databases from the American Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The analysis covers 14,542 men and women, whose health, lifestyle and sexual frequency information was cross-referenced with mortality data. The results show a clear correlation in women, but much more nuanced in men.
Figures which confirm a protective effect in women
The study found that women aged 20 to 59 who had sex less than once a week had a 70% increased risk of dying within five years. Even more, the risk increased by 197% among those combining low sexual activity and depression, compared to women who were only depressed. Biological analyzes confirm these differences: participants who were not very sexually active had higher levels of a protein linked to inflammation, capable of damaging cells, tissues and organs. Conversely, those with a more regular sex life showed better health markers. Dr Srikanta Banerjee, lead researcher of the study, highlights the importance of the psychological factor: “Individuals who are depressed but have high sexual frequency do not experience the harmful effects of depression as much“.
Opposite results in men
If the correlation is clear among women, it diverges among men. Researchers have not found a direct link between low sexual frequency and male mortality. On the contrary, particularly high sexual activity seemed to be accompanied by an increased risk of death. The authors put forward the hypothesis of a chronic elevation of adrenaline and cortisol, promoting an increase in blood pressure and cardiovascular complications. For Banerjee and her team, the conclusion remains clear: “Sexual expression, measured quantitatively by sexual frequency, is an essential component of physical and mental health“.