Men who have sex at least twice a week are up to 45 percent less likely to have heart disease than men who have sex once a month or less. So says a study conducted on 1,000 men since 1987 by the New England Research Institute.
The study tracked the sexual activity of men between ages 40 and 70, checking them at regular points over a 16-year period for both sexual activity and signs of heart disease.
Taking into account risk factors such as age, weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels, the results showed that the benefits of sex could be due to its physical as well as emotional effects. It seems that men with the desire for frequent
sexual activity and who are able to engage in it are likely to be healthier.
One reason for this might be that men who have frequent sex are more likely to be in a supportive relationship, which improves health through stress reduction. Sex also has a physical activity component that might improve heart health.
An earlier study at the National Cancer Institute also showed that men who had sex at least five times a week were much less likely to get prostate cancer. And a study at Wilkes University in Pennsylvania showed that sex once or twice a week in winter can boost the immune system, reducing the chances of catching colds and flu.
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