Issue Date: September 7, 2008
Medical advice for a guy's love life
New study shows success without using pills
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One of the things that people feel is an important part of any "quality of life" formula is their love life (i.e., sex). These days, you don't have to look far to find an advertisement for medications to help with erectile dysfunction, or ED, a common problem in aging males. Well, what if I were to tell you that the old adage "use it or lose it" applies when it comes to a man's love life? A study published in the July 2008 issue of "The American Journal of Medicine" suggests just that -- regular intercourse helps protect men from developing ED.
The study, done by researchers in Finland, tracked nearly 1,000 men ages 55 to 75 over a five-year period. Using a questionnaire to assess the frequency of sexual intercourse and ED symptoms, researchers discovered that the men who reported having sexual intercourse less than once per week at the beginning of the study were twice as likely to develop ED as those men who reported having sexual intercourse at least once per week.
The article supports what I've observed in my office: A man's love life continues to be important to him as he ages, and those who maintain a routine fare better than those who don't. The good news is that, as in other areas of health, we can help determine our love life's fate by paying attention along the way.
Tedd Mitchell, M.D., president and CEO of Dallas' Cooper Clinic, writes HealthSmart every week.
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