Men who lack interest in sex at risk of early death, says study

A new research study has found out that lack of sexual interest predicts early death among men living in Japan. As per the study,  decreased libido is a more visible sign of health problems. The study was carried out by a team of researchers at Yamagata University in Japan.

The research team collected data from 20,969 people (8,558 men and 12,411 women) aged 40 years or older who had annual health examinations over a six-year period.  The initial questionnaire  contained questions on  levels of sexual interest and a follow-up survey was conducted years later.

Around  503 participants  died during  the time of study and the research team found that cancer mortality was significantly higher in men who reported a lack of sexual interest.

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‘Sexual activity and sexual satisfaction are thought to be beneficial for mental health and well-being in older age groups, but the relationship between sexual interest and longevity has not been investigated,’ said the researchers.

The researchers say this is the first study to examine the relationship between sexual interest and mortality, cardiovascular and cancer mortality. The study found that women reported less sexual interest than men. Researchers suggest that lack of sexual interest among men may be related to an unhealthy lifestyle.

The team claims that  sexual interest is associated with positive psychological factors and  the lack of interest may affect inflammatory, neuroendocrine, and immune responses.

Maintaining sexual interest may have positive effects on longevity. Despite the study’s limitations, the researchers point in favor of raising awareness of sexual interest as a component of general health among older people in Japan.