Sex may help slow aging, according to a 2017 study published in the journal Psychoneuroendocrinology.
Having sex at least once a week has been found to be associated with longer telomeres - the protective cap on DNA that determines a cell's lifespan. Longer telomeres are associated with slower cell aging and a longer lifespan, writes The Healthy.
Researchers followed the sex lives of 129 women in relationships. Women reported daily on their satisfaction with their relationship, as well as how often they were intimate with their partners. The researchers also took blood samples from the women, analyzing the cells for indicators of aging. They found that women who had sex with their partners in the previous week had longer telomeres compared to those who did not.
This type of research only shows an association and cannot prove that sexual activity was the cause of telomere length. However, telomere length is thought to be important for your health.
Over time, telomeres degrade as cells divide, getting a little shorter with each cell. Certain factors are thought to promote their faster breakdown, such as poor diet, excessive drinking and the natural aging process.
The researchers' findings show that sex could be beneficial when it comes to protecting telomeres, meaning cells can live longer. They have linked shorter telomeres to serious health problems such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes; longer telomeres seem to help prevent disease, reports B92.
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