Geschatte leestijd: 2 minutenMen who exercise intensely may have a lower libido than men who engage in lighter training. That is the conclusion of a new study on the relationship between exercise and sex life.
Exercise and Libido
Prior studies have shown both positive and negative associations between exercise and libido. Some studies have observed an increase in testosterone and, theoretically, a higher libido, as well as a positive influence of sex on fitness. However, other studies have shown that intense, exhaustive exercise can reduce testosterone levels in the short and long term. This was noted by researchers at the University of North Carolina.
While previous studies focused on the influence of exercise on hormonal changes, researchers from North Carolina decided to ask men about their sex lives using questionnaires. For example, how often they thought about sex or engaged in sexual activity. A separate survey asked about exercise habits, such as frequency, duration, and intensity of weekly workouts. Finally, participants were asked about their overall health and medical history. The findings of the study were published this month in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.
“Oh, Cardio”
To answer these questions, groups of runners, cyclists, and triathletes were approached. Ultimately, 1,100 athletes completed the surveys. Most of them had years of experience in endurance training and competition.
There’s likely a sigh of relief among readers who mainly engage in strength training. When it comes to strength training, I could refer to many studies with varying results. These results may differ due to differences in the setup, duration, and intensity of training, as well as the age and fitness level of the participants. Therefore, it’s not meaningful to try to translate the results of this study among endurance athletes to strength training. Let’s just say apples and oranges.
High Training Intensity and Duration? Low Chance of High Libido
Based on the responses, the men were divided into groups based on training intensity and duration. Additionally, they were grouped based on their libido responses. These groups were then compared.
The researchers found a clear pattern. Men who fell into groups of low or moderate training intensity and/or duration were much more likely to fall into groups with an average or high libido. Even when age was taken into account, men with high training intensity and/or duration had a lower chance of having an average or high libido.
The researchers point out the relatively small number of participants and the fact that it’s impossible to know to what extent the surveys were filled out truthfully. A correlation has been found, but no causal relationship. Additionally, the study does not provide an explanation for the relationship. However, it is suspected that this has to do with both lower testosterone levels and fatigue.
In future research, the researchers want to measure the direct effect of training intensity and duration on hormones and libido. They aim to determine the exact relationship and at what intensity and duration exercise can negatively affect libido.
References
- Hackney AC, Lane AR, Register-Mihalik J, O’Leary CB. Endurance Exercise. Training and Male Sexual Libido. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2017 Feb 13. doi:10.1249/MSS.0000000000001235. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 28195945.
