Want yet another reason to jump between the sheets? New US research says men who have sex twice weekly cut their risk of heart disease almost by half.
The study from the New England Research Institute in Massachusetts found that men who make love regularly are 45 percent less likely to develop a life-threatening heart condition than men who have sex less frequently, the UK's Daily Telegraph reported.
Though we all know that sex is good for us, it boosts feel-good hormones, relieves stress and burns kilojoules to boot, there has been little scientific evidence to link frequent intercourse with the prevention of life-threatening diseases.
In the latest study, scientists tracked the sexual activity of more than 1000 men aged between 40 and 70, who were taking part in the Massachusetts Male Ageing Study, which started in 1987.
Over the course of 16 years, the men were quizzed on how sexually active they were and then checked for signs of heart disease.
The researchers took into account factors such as age, weight, blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
The results showed the men who were having sex at least twice a week were less likely to develop heart disease than men whose sexual encounters were once a month or less.
Researchers said the findings could be due to both the physical and emotional effects of sex on the body.
Healthier men are more likely to seek and engage in regular sexual encounters and sex in itself also has a physical component which may protect cardiovascular health.
Men who are making love more regularly may also be in a supportive, intimate relationship, which can improve overall health through stress reduction and social support, concluded the researchers.
The findings were published in the American Journal of Cardiology.
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