Shocking Ways Sex Helps You Live Longer

Is sex really that important?

As more and more research is done on the subject, it’s becoming clearer that having healthy sex is essential to a healthy life. Sex can even help you to live longer. According to Dr. Irwin Goldstein, Director of Sexual Medicine at Alvarado Hospital, if you read the latest research, “you can’t conclude anything else but that it’s healthy to have sexual activity.”

The research being done pinpoints a few specific — and surprising — health benefits that result from having a healthy and active sex life. Healthline examines a dozen of the most proven and interesting findings.

Sex fights colds and the flu

According to a study done at Wilkes University, people who have sex a couple of times a week tend to have much higher amounts of the antibody immunoglobulin A (IgA) than those who have sex less than once a week. What does that mean? “IgA is the first line of defense against colds and flu,” says Carl Charnetski, one of the researchers on the Wilkes study.

Sex burns calories

Sex increases blood flow and gets your heart pumping. Simply put, sex is a form of exercise, and it’s more fun than running laps. Sex doesn’t burn a ton of calories. According to a 2013 article in The New England Journal of Medicine, a man in his mid-30s might expend 21 kilocalories during intercourse. However, it’s still more exercise than you’d get sitting on the couch in front of your TV.

Sex reduces risk of heart disease

Numerous studies have shown that an active sex life is closely correlated with a longer life. Specifically, it seems like sex may lower the risk for heart attacks, strokes, and other heart diseases. In 2010, the New England Research Institute conducted a massive study. Its results suggested that regular sexual activity may reduce heart disease risk.

Sex regulates hormone levels

Why should you care? Among other things, a healthy hormone profile promotes regular menstrual cycles and decreases negative menopause symptoms.

Sex can cure headaches and reduce physical pain

Although it doesn’t seem like sex would help relieve a headache, it actually can. How? During sex, the hormone oxytocin is released in your body. Oxytocin reduces pain. In a study published in the Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine, volunteers who inhaled oxytocin vapor and then had their fingers pricked felt only half as much pain as others who did not inhale any oxytocin.

Love to hear what you think!

Thursday 13 April 2017