WE have come a long way since the days when sex was thought of
as a duty. Today, sex has entered the mainstream consciousness and
is becoming a normal part of culture and media. Increasingly,
medical and commercial advances are finding ways to make sex better
and to resolve sexual problems for people.
Sex serves a fundamental purpose in holding the fabric of
society together - it is not only for reproduction, but also
encompasses people's emotional and social behaviours, and our
relationships with each other.
Now, there is another argument for the benefits of sex - the
health argument. We may have already had some idea that sex is good
for our physical, mental and emotional health, but there is more
scientific evidence to back this up now.
Studies have shown that semen can act as an antidepressant. In a
study of college students in New York, it was found that women in
the study who had sex without condoms showed fewer signs of
depression than women who used condoms or abstained from sex.
However, this is in no way meant to encourage women and men to
have unprotected sex, unless they are married or in a long-term
monogamous relationship. Otherwise, unprotected sex with many
different partners will cause more damage to the health through the
risk of sexually transmitted diseases.
Semen aside, however, the release from orgasm is also believed
to be a calming factor that can help reduce stress and promote
better sleep.
There is also reason to believe that women will benefit more
from physical intimacy and sex with a partner, compared to
achieving orgasm without a partner.
It also has a cyclical effect - sex will lead to less stress and
a better mood, which will then lead to more sex.
Orgasm is a natural and powerful painkiller because it induces
the body to release a hormone called oxytocin, as well as
endorphines, before and during orgasm. These natural chemicals
reduce anxiety and fear, as well as suppress pain signals from the
brain.
A study has shown that when women experience orgasm, their
thresholds for tolerating and detecting pain increased
significantly by 74.6% and 106.7%, respectively. This is good news
for women who often suffer from headaches, PMS or arthritis
pain.
In relation to pain, sex is also believed to help wounds heal
faster, due to the role of oxytocin in regenerating certain
cells.
When it comes to sex and the heart, people always think that sex
is more likely to cause heart attacks, especially in older men.
This is a bit of an urban legend because it very rarely happens
and is not purely caused by sex. In fact, research shows that sex
helps to lower blood pressure and may even protect against stroke
because of its ability to reduce stress levels.
Men's cardiovascular health can also benefit from sex, as shown
in a British study in men which concluded that frequent sexual
intercourse may offer some protection from fatal heart attacks.
Like any other form of physical activity, sex also burns
calories. 30 minutes of sex burns 85 calories or more. It may not
sound like much, but think of it as a bonus for an enjoyable
activity, and a good reason to increase the frequency and duration
of intercourse!
Here's another benefit for men: protection from prostate
cancer.
The more that men ejaculate, the lower the risk of prostate
cancer.
A big epidemiological study of 30,000 men in the US found that
men who ejaculate between 13 and 20 times a month had a 14% lower
risk of prostate cancer that men who ejaculated on average, between
four and seven times a month for most of their adult life.
The risk is decreased even more among men who ejaculated upwards
of 21 times a month.
Sex is no magic potion for immortality, but if it can lead to
all the benefits above, then it will probably go a long way in
improving your overall physical and mental health, and helping to
prevent premature ageing as well as debilitating chronic
diseases.
And if you're having good sex in a stable, happy relationship,
then the benefits are immeasurable.
Above all, the healthiest type of sex is safe, protected sex,
especially if you are not in a long-term monogamous
relationship.
Datuk Dr Nor Ashikin Mokhtar is a consultant obstetrician
& gynaecologist (FRCOG, UK). For further information, visit
www.primanora.com. The information provided is for educational and
communication purposes only and it should not be construed as
personal medical advice. Information published in this article is
not intended to replace, supplant or augment a consultation with a
health professional regarding the reader's own medical care. The
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