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Sex and Exercise
While there is no publicly available information to fully answer the question on whether thinking about sex or looking at sexual images during exercise makes the exercise more effective, we have used available data to pull together key findings: the effects of sex on athletes as well as the effects of sexual activity on several measures of physical performance in young adult males. Below is an outline of our research strategies to better understand why the information requested is publicly unavailable, as well as a deep dive into our findings.
Specific Findings
- The effect of graded exercise on the secretion of cortisol, testosterone, prolactin, growth hormone, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), luteinizing hormone, and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) is reported to rise during the period of exercise, a rise in luteinizing hormone becomes evident only after rest. Levels of FSH and TSH remained unchanged.
- Testosterone, the primary sex hormone in men, is responsible for developing many of the physical characteristics that are considered typically male women also produce the hormone in much smaller amounts which also assists them during exercises. Testosterone and other anabolic androgenic steroids enhance athletic performance in men and women.
- Higher testosterone levels equal better athletic performance—that’s why athletes go to great (sometimes illegal) lengths to boost how much of the hormone is in their body on game or race day.
- A 2018 journal on sexual medicine concluded that anything that could decrease testosterone during competition should be avoided. This is important as more testosterone also means more aggression and intensity to channel out on the field.
- Moreover, irrefutable anecdotal evidence from athletes and coaches shows that orgasms will cause a temporary drop in testosterone attributes, like aggressiveness, energy, power, focus, and recovery.
- However, a study in Sexual Performance reveals no significant difference in athletic performance following sexual intercourse 7.6 hours before exercise.
- The Journal of Sexual Medicine concluded that “sex had no statistically significant effect on athletic performance,” and others have produced the same results. In other words, we can assume it doesn’t harm performance, but you’re most likely not going to benefit either.
Research Strategy
Instead of looking for information about how thinking about sex or looking at sexual images during exercise makes the exercise more effective. Our final research method looked at the effects sex has on athletes and the correlation between the hormone testosterone and its effect on their training. Several medical articles, such as the journal on sexual medicine, all pointed out that the release of testosterone, as opposed to common belief, will not affect athletes in their training or on the day of the event. It was also observed by the journal of sexual medicine that only particular sports which require a great deal of concentration could be negatively impacted by sex.
Moreover, that if the sex sessions take so long, it disrupts sleep. Sleep is a massive performance enhancer, so if the escapades see one swinging from the rafters all night long, they might want to hold fire until the day after the competition! We hope that more information will be provided to hypothesize the effect of thinking about sex or looking at sexual images during exercise and whether it makes the exercise more effective.