Spending more time at the gym may pay off in the bedroom. That’s the upshot of new research showing men who exercise more have better erectile and sexual function.
"This study is the first to link the benefits of exercise in relation to improved erectile and sexual function in a racially diverse group of patients," said lead researcher Adriana Vidal, with Cedars-Sinai Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute and Department of Surgery.
The findings, published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, are based on 300 the experiences of 300 sedentary, mildly active, moderately active or highly active men.
The researchers found that men who reported more frequent exercise had higher sexual function scores, compared to those who were less active.
Additional contributors to low sexual function included diabetes, older age, past or current smoking and coronary artery disease.
Stephen Freedland, M.D., co-author on the study, noted that exercise should be tailored for each individual.
"When it comes to exercise, there is no one-size-fits-all approach," said Dr. Freedland, who also serves as co-director of the Cancer Genetics and Prevention Program. "However, we are confident that even some degree of exercise, even if less intense, is better than no exercise at all."
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