Can a healthy libido prolong your life?

Researchers from Yamagata University in Japan, conducted a large study to analyze the relationship between lack of sexual interest and all-cause mortality in men and women. In the past, several studies have concluded that a fulfilling sex life is associated with better physical and mental health and that it is also an indicator of a good quality of life. Now Japanese researchers have discovered that sexuality equals longevity too. “Our results suggest that lack of sexual interest is a risk factor for all-cause mortality in Japanese men, but not in women,” note the researchers in an article published in PLOS One journal. They also suggest that maintaining sexual interest could “lengthen men's lives.” Read: Can you examine a cervix and uterus that don't exist? This doctor said he did This population-based study, which ran from 2009 to 2015, involved 19,054 Japanese (7,668 men and 11,386 women) aged 40 and over, who took part in annual health check-ups in the prefecture of Yamagata, located 400 kilometers north of Tokyo. Initially, volunteers had to complete a self-assessment form. Among other things, they had to answer the following question: “Currently, are you interested in people of the opposite sex?” Those who answered "yes" were considered "still interested in sex," those who answered "no" were defined as lacking interest in sex. Of the men, 7,032 (82%) said they were interested in sex, while 636 said they weren't. The latter were generally older, suffered from diabetes and were less happy. Whether they were married or divorced was irrelevant. Among women, 9,551 said they were interested in the opposite sex (79%), compared to 1,835 who were not. In general, those who were not were also older and did not drink alcohol. But, unlike men, they were also more likely to be divorced. Read: Genital hygiene 101: A class a lot of adults need to retake The scientists then followed the participants for seven years, during which time 503 people died from various causes such as cancer and cardiovascular disease. “All-cause mortality and cancer mortality were significantly higher in men who had no libido," notes the study. Cox proportional hazards analysis—adjusted for age, hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, smoking, alcohol consumption, BMI, education, marital status, frequency of laughter and psychological distress—later confirmed this finding. In the end, men who initially asserted their libido had a 69% lower risk of death from any cause. On the other hand, this association between sexuality and risk of death was not observed in women. The researchers have several interpretations for these results. First, they point to having an anemic libido being often associated with poor overall health: poor diet, smoking, obesity, chronic disease, etc. “Furthermore, if we assume that sexual interest is linked to positive psychological factors, disinterest may affect a range of inflammatory, neuroendocrine and immune responses. Further studies are needed to clarify the underlying mechanisms contributing to the preventive effects of sexual interest on mortality”. This article has been translated from its original French and first appeared on our sister site Profession Santé.

Can a healthy libido prolong your life?

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