When you reach a certain age and have been with the same person for many years, it often happens that passion falls by the wayside, and the bedroom grows calmer.
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Lack of sexual activity
But according to a study carried out by Anglia Ruskin University scientists and researchers, a lack of sexual activity could actually have serious effects on the health of over 50's too.
To reach this conclusion, the scientists analysed the health data of 5,700 British men. After their 50th birthday, men with a decline in libido are said to have a 63 per cent increased risk of developing cancer.
64 percent
Among women, 64 percent are said to fall ill more often when sexual intercourse decreases in regularity. However, these are not serious diseases. So a sport like any other? 'It is important to remember that sex is a form of physical activity,' says Dr Lee Smith, lead author of the study.
Although it is often only performed with moderate intensity, sex still burns around 3.6 calories per minute. As with any physical activity, there are corresponding positive effects on health.
The chicken or the egg
However, as the researchers explain, it is not yet possible at the moment to find out which is the cause - the disease or the decline in libido. Further studies will now be conducted to find out whether a decline in passion leads to the disease or whether it is rather an early sign of the latter.
