Feb 16, 2024 23:00:00

Is sex good exercise?

The Swedish Sex Federation, an organization that claims ``sex is a sport,'' is holding

a European Sex Championship , and research shows that sudden cardiac arrest during sex, or so-called abdominal death, can occur at a certain rate. The physical exercise aspect of night activities has often attracted attention. The American daily newspaper The Washington Post has compiled the effects that have emerged from various studies on sex.

Does sex count as exercise? - The Washington Post
https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2023/02/15/sex-exercise-calories-heart/

◆Exercise intensity during sex
In conclusion, the scientific community's answer to the question 'Is sex exercise?' is generally 'yes.' In

a study published in 2022 in the peer-reviewed academic journal Archives of Sexual Behavior, researchers from the University of Almeria and the University of Murcia in Spain compared past research on the 'physical demands', or physical demands, associated with sexual activity. was systematically analyzed.

The results confirmed that sexual intercourse speeds up the heartbeat and consumes energy. For example, a study of couples wearing heart rate monitors during sex found that the average heart rate during sex was 90 to 130 bpm, with a peak of 145 to 170 bpm.

Looking at calories burned, one study found that men consumed up to 130 kcal during one sexual act, while another study found that men consumed a maximum of 101 kcal and women consumed a maximum of 69 kcal. Other than peak heart rate, these results are similar to those of a gentle jog.

The length of sexual activity also varied across studies. For example, sex in young, healthy couples lasted an average of 32.38 minutes, compared to an average of 18.6 minutes in another study looking at sex in people with cardiovascular disease.

The intensity of sexual activity depends on factors such as position and duration, but overall, ``sexual activity can create moderate to fairly intense physical demands,'' says José from the University of Almería Health Research Center. Professor M. Muyol concluded.

◆Does the heart stop during sex?
While sex places a moderate load on the heart, in rare cases it can cause the heart to stop.

A 2022

study published in the peer-reviewed medical journal JAMA Cardiology found that of the 6,847 fatal sudden cardiac arrests reported to medical authorities in London between 1994 and 2020, 6,847 cases occurred during or immediately after sex. There were only 17 cases. The average age at death was 38 years, and 6 of the 17 cases were women.

The details of this study are summarized in detail in the article below.

Research results show that abdominal death is rare - GIGAZINE

Additionally, in a 2018 study that analyzed 3,028 cases reported in Paris and its suburbs from 2011 to 2016, a total of 17 people, or about 0.6%, reported that they had sex during or immediately after sex. He had gone into cardiac arrest. All 17 people were men, and most were in their 50s.

In any case, these studies show that abdominal death is a fairly rare occurrence, and the author of the second study, Professor Elwa Marijon of the University of Paris, said, ``Anything, including sex, The risk of cardiac arrest is higher during physical activity than at rest. However, the heart, like any other muscle, is strengthened by exercise, including sex, and becomes more resistant to cardiac arrest. It shouldn't be considered a situation.'

◆Does “women come to the feet”?
The 1976 movie `` Rocky '' starring Sylvester Stallone has the line ``Women weaken legs.'' This is a line from a trainer who instructs athletes to abstain before competitions because the fatigue from having sex with women reduces their leg strength.

The scene in question can be seen around 1 minute and 6 seconds from the start of playback of the following movie.

Rocky (5/10) Movie CLIP - Women Weaken Legs (1976) HD - YouTube


However, this myth has no scientific basis. A study published in 2022 in Scientific Reports, an open access journal that deals with primary research papers, examined whether pre-competition sex affects performance.

Analyzing nine studies involving a total of 132 men and one woman, the research team wrote in their paper, ``Sex in the 30 minutes to 24 hours before exercise improves aerobic fitness and musculoskeletal performance. 'It does not seem to affect endurance or muscle strength.'

In addition, the author of this paper, Gerald Zavorsky of the University of California, Davis, commented, ``There is no reason to avoid or even encourage sex the day before a race.'' .

It has been suggested that while sex has little negative effect on athletic performance, on the contrary, exercise has a positive effect on sex. A 2019 study of more than 6,000 men and women found that men who exercised were less likely to complain of erectile dysfunction and women were less likely to complain of sexual dysfunction.