A Swedish study claims that muscle strength after the age of 45 contributes to better sexual function in men. And about smoking…
The loss of muscle tone that accompanies aging could hide unexpected pitfalls: this is what emerges from a study by the University of Bergen (Sweden) which highlighted a link between the decline in strength and erectile dysfunction problems in men over the age of 45. Swedish researchers examined the connections between sexual function, risk factors for cardiovascular disease, exercise and muscle strengthbased on study data Respiratory Health in Northern Europe (RHINE) and on a special questionnaire answered by a total of 2,116 men aged between 45 and 75, from Norway, Iceland, Denmark and Estonia. The questions covered sexual performance, morning erections, libido and to what extent they experienced a decline in muscle strength. The discovery was that factors such as age, body mass index, obesity, hypertension, diabetes and smoking can increase the risk of sexual dysfunction. But, at the same time, those who maintain muscular strength run less risk of this happening.
the smoke
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“We can’t stop time. But we can deal with high BMI (body mass index), hypertension, smoking and diabetes. Avoiding these conditions appears to be beneficial for maintaining sexual function throughout life,” he explains Anders Flataker Viken, among the authors of the study. Among the most worrying factors is smoking. “The best case scenario is to have never smoked. But even continuing to do so is worse,” admits the scientist. Luckily, there’s good news…
Muscles against erectile dysfunction
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The researchers found that the most significant protective factor for sexual function is muscle maintenance. Respondents who were active enough to prevent decline in muscle strength showed the best results in this regard. This would confirm the results of previous studies according to which muscle mass and erectile function appear to be related. For researchers, it may be because the musculoskeletal system also indirectly protects the blood vessels and erectile tissue structures.
Conclusions
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A strength of the study is that it is based on data collected in 4 different countries and on a large sample of individuals. “Based on these findings, we can suggest that High-resistance training to maintain muscle strength should be included in the clinical treatment of middle-aged men and beyond, who struggle with declining sexual function and erectile dysfunction,” say the researchers. “Previous studies have indeed shown that men around age 55 can expect at least 15 years of sexual activity. But if they are in good health they can add another 6-7 years to this figure.”
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