Five Solid Health Reasons to Have More Sex

by Dr. Natasha Turner Jul 10th 2009 3:10AM

Categories: Sex, Advice, Health, Hormone Diet

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Dr. Natasha TurnerNatasha Turner, N.D. is a Toronto-based naturopathic doctor. She is the founder of the Clear Medicine wellness boutique and author of the bestselling book The Hormone Diet. Each week in her column for That's Fit.ca, Dr. Turner will illustrate a health issue she commonly sees in her practice, and advise readers on how to remedy the problem as well as improve their overall health.

This week she discusses the health benefits of having more sex.



I ask two vital questions of each patient that comes to my office: How's your energy? And: How's your sex drive? I strongly believe a change in either of these factors is a very good indication that something is out of balance with your health. Unfortunately, a lot of us are out of balance. According to an extensive study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, about 43% of women and about 30% of men experience symptoms of sexual dysfunction, including lack of desire, arousal issues, inability to orgasm or ejaculate, premature ejaculation, painful intercourse, lack of enjoyment, erectile dysfunction and performance anxiety.

Sexual function is a lot like lean muscle – if we don't use it, we lose it - and there are many health benefits that come with it, including:

Stress Reduction: Many of us know that a healthy sex life can help eliminate stress. A great orgasm encourages the release of oxytocin, a hormone that negates the adverse effects of stress hormones, makes us feel calmer, more relaxed and can even lower our blood pressure. Sex, alone or with a partner, improves our sleep and reduces the risk of depression, both of which are essential in maintain lasting health, preventing fat gain and improving hormonal imbalance.

Anti-Aging: Orgasms also spark an anti-aging surge of DHEA. So having at least two orgasms could magically slow your aging process! Scientists have looked at 100-year-old men and women who have maintained sexual intimacy, love and function well into their advanced years. Turns out these centenarians living in Okinawa, Japan, and Bama, China, have higher levels of testosterone, DHEA and estrogen than typical 70-year-olds in the USA.

Calorie Burning: Depending on the duration and "energy level" of the session, sex can help us burn calories and improve the fitness of our heart.

Pain Relief: I guess the old line, "Not tonight honey, I have a headache" may no longer have much merit since we now know that sex causes the release of endorphins that help ease pain and boost immunity.

Appetite and Craving Control: Sex is a basic human need, just like food and shelter. You won't be surprised to learn, then, that our desire to "get some" is controlled by the hypothalamus, which also regulates our appetite, body temperature and circadian rhythms. Many of the same hormones that are involved in appetite regulation also control our sex drive. The dose of dopamine we get from sex, which increases steadily to the point of orgasm and then declines, helps curb our need to feed. Apparently, the dopamine pathways in the brain involved in stimulating desire for both sex and food are shut down by the hormones released immediately after we have an orgasm. Can you imagine better news for appetite and craving control?

My advice to you is this: if you have noticed a change in your libido, don't let the latent underlying case go unaddressed. There are many factors, beyond relationship issues, aging and stress that interfere with a healthy libido including depression, performance anxiety, obesity, lack of self-confidence, diabetes or blood sugar imbalances, high blood pressure, prostate conditions, arthritis, lung conditions or osteoporosis (these may interfere with the physical ability to engage in sex) and prescription medications, particularly those for anxiety, depression and high blood pressure.

We guide our patients through a process to help them get back in balance at Clear Medicine but you can begin this same progression on your own right away with the clearly outlined 3-step system the new #1 national bestselling book, The Hormone Diet.

Remember, good sex is good for you – and you should enjoy it over and over again. That's right – don't stop.

Dr. Natasha Turner ND is the Founder and Clinical Director of Clear Medicine, a wellness boutique that specializes in integrated health care. She welcomes your questions or comments. Although you may not receive a response, your submission will certainly be read and may be selected as a topic for a future column.

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