don's report archive

by Donald B. Ardell, Ph. D.

Wellness in the Headlines
(Don's Report to the World)

I am seldom asked if there is strong evidence for the idea that frequent sex prolongs life, however, this disinterest does not keep me from looking for it. Imagine the implications of such a correlation on the priorities of the health care system, the questions raised on life insurance applications, the policies governing nursing homes and so on. Would sexual activity be viewed as an important part of a wellness lifestyle, more so than it already is by some promoters of healthy lifestyles? Finally, would the matter receive more attention in general and from medical science, in particular? I suspect so.

Well, there is such evidence. Until now, the foci of sexuality studies have been related to diseases, deviancies, disturbances and other decidedly unpleasant side effects of healthy sexuality gone awry. The benefits of sex have been little explored, though some find these advantages and attractions self-evident. Few would deny that sex is one of the great human experiences, not to mention rather important to the survival of the species, though a very small percentage of sexuality is related to procreation. Still, nearly everyone is familiar with the enormous baggage of guilt, ignorance, jealously, turmoil and grief surrounding varied expressions of sexual desires in forms that conflict with one set of norms, customs or another.

Sex is also the topic of as much humor as any other subject. Here is an example of sexual humor.

A man walking along a California beach was deep in prayer. All of a sudden, he said out loud, "Lord grant me one wish." Suddenly the sky clouded above his head and in a booming voice the Lord said, "Because you have tried to be faithful to me in all ways, I will grant you one wish."

The man said, "Build a bridge to Hawaii, so I can drive over anytime I want." The Lord said, "Your request is very materialistic. Think of the enormous challenges for that kind of undertaking. The supports required to reach the bottom of the Pacific! The concrete and steel it would take! I can do it, but it is hard for me to justify your desire for worldly things. Take a little more time and think of another wish, a wish you think would honor and glorify me." The man thought about it for a long time. Finally he said, "Lord, I wish that I could understand women. I want to know how they feel inside, what they are thinking when they give me the silent treatment, why they cry, what they mean when they say 'nothing', and how I can make a woman truly happy." The Lord replied, "You want two lanes or four on that bridge?"

Humor leads me to the point about new evidence concerning sexuality and longevity. The Mind/Body Health Newsletter (Volume 7, #1) summarizes numerous major studies purporting to show that the more sex one has (up to a point, I suppose), the longer he/she is likely to live. Remarkably, it also seems to work the other way--a Swedish study is cited suggesting that men who give up sexual intercourse have an increased risk of premature death. Other findings from varied studies summarized in the newsletter are of interest along these lines. For example, one investigation found that sexual dissatisfaction was a particularly strong risk factor for heart attacks in women.

A cautionary note is in order. Before you become some kind of sex maniac in order to live longer, know that there is a chance, as is always the case with science, that new research will lead to a different theory. In fact, that is exactly what happened recently as reported by the BBC in a study using mealworm beetles conducted by Dr Jens Rolff and Dr Michael Siva-Jothy at the University of Sheffield. Before dismissing this research that proved mating insects have shorter life expectancy because you assume you have little in common with mealworm beetles, consider the rationale offered in the British study. The investigators found that having sex might be bad for your health as well as your longevity! The key variable is hormones. Hormones have protective effects and the discharge of hormones in sexual activity invites all manner of health hazards. Specifically, it seems a hormone is released after mating that adversely affects an enzyme vital for immune system functioning. In the case of the beetles, this made them more susceptible to infection. As Dr Siva-Jothy explained, "Those organisms that mate the most, and are therefore more successful in evolutionary terms, reduce their own life expectancy in the process. When insects' immune systems are depressed they become susceptible to parasites.” The researchers suggest that the study might explain “how sexually-transmitted diseases evolve--by exploiting the depressed immune system when humans have sex” and that such diseases also lead to the possibility of a reduction of life expectancy in humans. “

So, which research do you want to rely on? I don’t know about you, but I’m not going to change my ways (or explain them) just yet. As is always the case, more studies are in order. In addition, certain questions come to mind when mulling these studies. For instance, to what extent does poor health or bad lifestyle factors (smoking, for example—not that mealworm beetles do it) cause diminished sexual activity or wimpy hormones? What about frequency of orgasm for those with an abundance of healthy hormones? How significant is this variable for one enzyme or another that might play a role in granting immunity to varied ills to which the flesh is heir? Might some other factors, such as duration/intensity of exercise, mood, exhaustion or job satisfaction be critical variables in poor health and/or diminished sexual activity? The Swedish researchers found that the role of sexual activity was of overwhelming significance, even after adjustments were made for age, social status, high-risk behaviors (smoking, for example), blood pressure and evidence of coronary heart disease. The key finding or association seems to be the link between frequency of orgasm and diminished mortality. As the editors of The Mind, Body Newsletter noted, more research is needed -- any volunteers, besides mealworm beetles?

For more information about the sex and longevity link or Mind/Body Health Newsletter, call 1 (800)-222-4745 or visit the Institute for the Study of Human Knowledge website.

Please do what you must to stay well, live long and enjoy life. Good wishes.

(Note: This essay will be filed in the archives in the MEANING DOMAIN under the skill area of relationships. Additional articles related to this theme may be found there.)

(Ed. Note: Views expressed in this and other columns are those of the author and not necessarily those of the SeekWellness Editorial Board.)

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