Pharmaceuticals have granted older men the option of staying sexually active, but whether or not doing so is a good idea has been a matter of debate. According to a recent study by researchers from Michigan State University and the University of Chicago, caution is advised.


Pharmaceuticals have granted older men the option of staying sexually active, but whether or not doing so is a good idea has been a matter of debate.
According to a recent study by researchers from Michigan State University and the University of Chicago, caution is advised.
Data for the research was gathered from the National Social Life, Health and Aging Project. It focused on participants between the ages of 57 and 85.
The team found that "older men who had sex once a week or more were much more likely to experience cardiovascular events five years later than men who were sexually inactive."
Cardiovascular risks included hypertension, heart attack, stroke, and heart failure.
Hui Liu, one of the researchers, suggests a number of reasons for the varying affects. She posits that exertion and medication may both prove detrimental for men.
According to Liu, "Because older men have more difficulties reaching orgasm for medical or emotional reasons than do their younger counterparts, they may exert themselves to a greater degree of exhaustion and create more stress on their cardiovascular system in order to achieve climax."
When it came to women, the team found out that older women suffered no health consequences and, in some cases, benefited from good sex.
The researchers believe that female advantages could be rooted in both hormone releases and the relationship itself, as strong bonds have been shown to aid well-being.