Recent research suggests a possible link between disinterest in sex and life expectancy.
A Japanese study involving 20,969 individuals examined the relationship between sexual interest, an indicator of ‘positive sexual relationships and sexual function,’ and their significance as markers of good health and life quality.
But how does a higher or lower interest in sex influence health?
The study, titled “Association between lack of sexual interest and all-cause mortality in a Japanese general population: The Yamagata prospective observational study,” published in Journals, builds on previous research indicating that positive psychological factors contribute to longer life spans and ‘reduce the risks of cardiovascular disease and cancer’.
Sex serves as one such psychological benefit, as the chemicals released during intimacy can enhance mood and alleviate stress.
To understand whether decreased sexual interest impacts health and longevity, the researchers observed 20,969 Japanese individuals (8,558 males and 12,411 females) under 40 from 2009 to 2015.
Throughout the follow-up, 541 participants were either ‘lost’ or ‘moved’, but the remaining individuals were monitored annually for up to nine years, with a median of 7.1 years. The study evaluated the connection between a lack of sexual interest and mortality from all causes, as well as from cardiovascular and cancer-related deaths.
Participants completed self-report questionnaires covering topics such as medical history, current medication use, blood pressure, laughter frequency, sexual interest, smoking habits, alcohol use, physical activity, marital status, education level, perceived mental stress, and social activity involvement.
In the context of heterosexual relationships, the study noted: “Lack of sexual interest was determined using a single-item question: ‘Currently, do you have any interest in people of the opposite sex?’
“We provided two possible answers, ‘yes’ or ‘no’. Any person who answered ‘no’ was defined as lacking sexual interest.”
During the follow-up, 503 participants passed away, with 162 deaths attributed to cancer and 67 to cardiovascular issues.
The Kaplan-Meier analysis, a survival probability estimation method, revealed that ‘all-cause mortality and cancer mortality were significantly elevated among men who lacked sexual interest’.
The Cox proportional hazards model analysis, assessing the impact of factors like sex on the mortality risk, indicated that ‘after adjusting for age, hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, smoking, alcohol consumption, BMI, education, marital status, laughter frequency, and psychological distress, the all-cause mortality risk was significantly higher for men lacking sexual interest compared to those with sexual interest’.
The research concluded: “Lack of sexual interest appears to be a risk factor for all-cause mortality in Japanese males over 40 years old. This finding highlights the significance of maintaining sexual interest for increased longevity in this demographic.”