What are the benefits of sex?

According to this picture on the left (please click to enlarge), the average man stops thinking about sex too much when they are middle-aged and then it's downhill from there. This might not apply to most women (and certainly not Hugh Hefner) but it might be true for most men.


Women are usually excited about sex up to their early 40s. For some women, sex desire is lost earlier. This could be due to having children, stress or hormonal imbalance.


Some women are still excited well into their 50s. But this is a small number because most of us do not long for sex as much as we did when we were younger.


According to a study I found in the LA Times, older people are just younger people later in life. The study shows that sex doesn’t stop at age 60, 70, 80 or beyond. According to a study published today that found many Americans stayed surprisingly frisky well into old age. In that case, the study might explain this particular incident --> (click to enlarge)


In many cultures sex is considered as taboo. It's not something you talk about, and certainly not something you would share with people other than legal your partner.


India has a very conservative culture, but they have managed to come up with the brilliant Kamasutra, the ancient Indian text widely considered to be the standard work on love in Sanskrit literature. There are 10 chapters in the Kamasutra on sexual union, which includes stimulation of desire, embrace types, caressing and kisses, positions and so on. This book has been discovered by the rest of the world and made into movies, parodied in advertisements and many other things.


Many studies have provided us with the proof that sex is beneficial to our health. An article in Forbes says the benefits of sex includes many things, such as:

- Improved sense of smell;
- Reduced risk of heart disease;
- Weight loss, overall fitness;
- Reduced depression;
- Pain-relief;
- Less-frequent colds and flu;
- Better bladder control;
- Better teeth, and;
- A happier prostate


But is there such a thing as too much sex? Good news for women. The Forbes article says that in purely physiological terms, the answer is No.


For men, the news is not so good. Unless you are a piece of machinery like these two sexed-up trucks on the right, too much sex, or what I like to call 'too much of a good thing' is actually bad for you.


The study also points out that there is little or no risk of too much sex for women, in fact, not only can regular sex sessions firm a woman's tummy and buttocks, it can also improve her posture. (So much for the so-called 'benefits' of being a polygamists, huh?)

Women who abstain from sex run some risks. In postmenopausal women, these include vaginal atrophy. Dr. Winch has a middle-aged patient of whom he says: "She hasn't had intercourse in three years. Just isn't interested. The opening of her vagina is narrowing from disuse. It's a condition that can lead to dysparenia, or pain associated with intercourse. I told her, 'Look, you'd better buy a vibrator or you're going to lose function there.'"

As for men, urologist Eid says it's definitely possible to get too much of a good thing, now that drugs such as Viagra and Levitra have given men far more staying power than may actually be good for them.

The penis, says Eid, is wonderfully resilient. But everything has its limits. Penile tissues, if given too roistering or prolonged a pummeling, can sustain damage. In cases you'd just as soon not hear about, permanent damage.

There's a reason the penis, in its natural state, undergoes a period of flaccidity: That's when it takes a breather. The blood within it is replenished with oxygen.

About.com has published a piece on this subject with a more thorough list of the benefits of sex which includes:

• Lower mortality rates.
• Boosts self esteem.
• Makes a person feel younger.
• Keeps spouses connected emotionally.
• Gives people a positive attitude on life.
• Makes a person more calm.
• Improves fitness level.
• Makes a person less irritable.
• Has a therapeutic effect on immune system.
• Relieves menstrual cramps.
• Helps people sleep better.
• Improves digestion.
• Helps folks remember more.
• Produces chemicals in the brain to stimulate the growth of new dendrites.
• Lowers the level of cortisol, a hormone that can trigger fatigue and cravings.
• Lowers feelings of insecurity.
• Increases level of commitment.
• It can help people achieve weight loss since about 200 calories are burned during 30 minutes of active sex.
• Studies are also showing that it is a myth that abstinence can sharpen a person's competitive edge

So I guess the answer to the title of this post would be:
MANY wonderful things.

Older people wanting to increase life expectancy should get busy and go 'reduce their depression' as often as possible. For my dearest blog readers, before you go off and 'improve your sense of smell', a message from the sponsors: Be safe and Godspeed!