One more reason for men to exercise

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One More Reason for Men to Exercise

For years health promoters have been racking their brains trying to come up with persuasive reasons for Americans to be more physically active. Well, here's a new one that's sure to get some attention: Men who exercise are less likely to experience sexual dysfunction as they get older.

Analyzing data from surveys of nearly 32,000 men ages 53 to 90, researchers concluded that men who were the most physically active were the least likely to become impotent. According to Eric B. Rimm, an associate professor at the Harvard School of Public Health, men who ran at least three hours per week appeared to have a sexual functioning of men two to five years younger.

But even moderate physical activity proved beneficial: Men who briskly walked for thirty minutes , most days of the week , had a fifteen percent to twenty percent reduction in the risk of erectile dysfunction.

Fewer than twenty five percent of Americans get enough exercise , so it is not surprising that sexual dysfunction is a comm0n complaint , particularly among older men. However, some doctors believe that impotence could be considered an early warning sign of what could happen to the heart. Exercise appears to benefit the small arteries that control erections, which is the same reason exercise is good for the heart - it benefits the arteries that feed the heart.

And while many men appear unconcerned about heart health, chances are they might be more motivated to do something about the health of their sex lives. Even moderate exercise would be very beneficial and there are countless forms of pleasant and entertaining physical activity: walking, playing golf, playing outside with children, lifting light weights, stretching or doing traditional calisthenics, dancing, gardening, etc.

Source: Annals of Internal Medicine.

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