New research has shown that men with a high sex drive are 69% less at risk of dying early.
The Japanese study looked at the data of 21,000 people over the course of seven years, including 8,500 men mostly in their sixties.
Men who expressed an interest in sex at the beginning of the study were found to have a 69% lesser risk of dying early from any cause at the culmination of the research.
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It is believed that a lower libido can be a sign of poor health, including obesity and chronic diseases.
Dr Kaori Sakurada, from Yamagata University, led the study and said: “Male lack of interest in sex may be related with an unhealthy lifestyle.
“In this study, men who reported a lack of sexual interest included more current smokers and cases of [type 2] diabetes.
“Furthermore…the absence of [sexual] interest may affect a range of inflammatory, neuroendocrine and immune responses.”
Experts recommend that couples have sex once or twice a week, with regular sex associated with better mental and physical health. The benefits include better mood and reduced stress and inflammation levels.
At the start of the study, participants were asked the question: ‘Currently, do you have any interest in people of the opposite sex?’
Around 82% of the male participants answered yes, while those who said no were less likely to be happy, more likely to have diabetes and were generally older.
Researchers found that after adjusting for factors like body mass index and age, men with a higher libido were considerably less at risk of dying during the study.
This pattern did not appear to be replicated among women.
