The risk of premature death would be lower in men with a strong libido.
- A Japanese study shows that men with a high libido have a lower risk of premature death.
- For the researchers, this could be linked to the fact that low libido is generally associated with poor health.
- In addition, several studies have shown that a fulfilling sex life is correlated with better physical and mental health.
Sexuality rhymes with longevity. This is the conclusion of a study conducted by Japanese researchers. Featured in PLoS ONE, their work compared the levels of libido and the risk of death of nearly 21,000 participants. According to them, a lack of interest in sexuality increases the risk of death in men over 40.
Libido: how to understand its impact on the risk of death?
“Libido is essential for maintaining positive sexual relationships and function, which have recently been recognized as important indicators of good health and quality of life.”, specify the authors in the preamble. To understand the impact of interest in sexuality on the risk of death, Japanese scientists recruited more than 8,500 men and 12,400 women, aged over 40. These people were followed for about seven years. 503 people died, including 162 from cancer and 67 from cardiovascular disease. Data analysis showed that “all-cause mortality and cancer mortality were significantly elevated in men who lacked sexual interest., conclude the authors. These results were confirmed when other risk factors were taken into account, such as age, hypertension, diabetes or smoking. In total, the men who claimed, at the start of the study, to have a libido, had a risk of death, whatever the cause, reduced by 69% at the end of the scientific work. On the other hand, this association between sexuality and risk of death was not observed in women.
Sexuality: why libido is linked to the risk of death?
In the Daily Email, the authors of the research give several interpretations to these results. First, they point out that having a low libido is often associated with poor overall health: poor diet, obesity or chronic disease. This was confirmed in the study: among the men who said they had a low interest in sexuality, there were more smokers or people with diabetes.
Also, fulfilling sexuality has long been associated with good physical and mental health. “In addition, the absence of libido could have effects on inflammatory, neuro-endocrinological and immune responses., says Dr. Kaori Sakurada, who led this study. A decrease in libido can also reveal a health problem, in case of doubt, you should consult a health professional.
