Chapter 9

Lecture Notes

Physician Eric Braverman, author of the book Younger (Sexier) You, contends that being sexually active can help keep one younger by decreasing stress, enhancing intimacy in relationships, and keeping hormone levels up, including testosterone, estrogen, and oxytocin.   Persons who frequently engage in sexual activity are reported to experience numerous benefits, such as a longer life, a healthier heart, better defense against illnesses, pain relief, lower blood pressure, a healthier body weight, lower risk of prostate cancer, better cognitive skills, better hormone levels, lower risk of breast cancer, and more satisfying relationships. Sex researcher Beverly Whipple states that ". . . it is not entirely clear whether sex makes people healthier, or whether healthy people tend to have more sex". Nearly all of the studies on the health benefits of sex show a relationship but not a cause and effect. Nevertheless, what we can say with some certainly is that good sex and good health reinforce each other. Image from McGraw Hill Image library