Sex Is Good For Older Women, Not Men

Sex, particularly good sex, apparently lowers the risk of hypertension for women of a certain age– 57 to 85 to be exact, according to researchers at Michigan State University. And men? Not so much. The same researchers found that having sex frequently and enjoying it puts men of the same age at greater risk of heart attacks and other cardiovascular problems. A Michigan State news release reports that the researchers, who analyzed survey data from 2,204 people in the National Social Life, Health and Aging Project, 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. And no, the same risk was not found among older women. In fact, female study participants who found sex to be extremely pleasurable or satisfying had lower risk of hypertension five years later than female participants who did not feel so. Why the difference? The researchers suspect that because for older men may have trouble reaching orgasm, they may exert themselves to a greater degree of exhaustion and create more stress on their cardiovascular system. For women, they say, sex is different, in a good way, and often involves a strong, deep and close relationship, which is an important source of social and emotional support, and which may reduce stress and promote psychological well-being and, in turn, cardiovascular health.