Immunity booster

Sex can also boost general health by stimulating the immune system. A study carried out in Pennsylvania, for example, showed that sexually active university students produced more of the bacteria-fighting antigen IgA than those who didn't have any sex.

Scientists have speculated that this could be because sexually active people are potentially exposed to more infections, so their immune systems are primed to deal with them.

Quality, not quantity, seems to be important, however: people who had very frequent sex had lower IgA levels than those who had no sex at all.

This, according to Dr Carl Charnetski, who carried out the study, could be because people who were having very frequent sex might have been in relationships that were causing stress, which can make IgA levels drop.

The association between health and the nature of sex is perhaps backed up by a Japanese study in which 19 out of 42 people who had had a stroke during sex were being unfaithful at the time.

Tips to maintain a healthy sex life later in life:

• Communicate with your partner. Open discussion of sex has become much more common in the last 40 years, but many older adults come from a generation where sex remains a taboo subject. But openly talking about your needs, desires and concerns with your partner can make you closer and help you both enjoy sex and intimacy more.
• Talk to your doctor. Talking about sexual issues with your doctor can help you maintain a healthy sex life as you get older. Your doctor can help you manage chronic conditions and medications that affect your sex life. Many older men have trouble maintaining an erection or reaching orgasm. Your doctor may be able to prescribe medications or other treatments for these problems.
• Expand your definition of sex. Intercourse is only one way to have fulfilling sex. Touching, kissing and other intimate sexual contact may be just as rewarding for both you and your partner. Realize that as you age, it is normal for you and your partner to have different sexual abilities and needs. Be open to finding new ways to enjoy sexual contact and intimacy.
• Change your routine. Simple changes can improve your sex life. Change the time of day when you have sex to a time when you have the most energy. Try the morning — when you're refreshed from a good night's sleep — rather than at the end of a long day. Because it might take longer for you or your partner to become aroused, take more time to set the stage for romance, such as a romantic dinner or an evening of dancing. Try a new sexual position or explore other new ways of connecting romantically and sexually.
• Seek a partner if you're single. It is never too late for romance. It can be difficult starting a relationship after the loss of a spouse or being single for a long time — but socializing is well worth the effort for many single seniors. No one ever outgrows the need for emotional closeness and intimate love. If you start a relationship with a new partner, be sure to practice safe sex. Many older adults are unaware that they are still at risk of sexually transmitted diseases such as AIDS.
• Stay healthy. Eating regular nutritious meals, staying active, not drinking too much alcohol, and not smoking or using illegal drugs are important for your overall health — and it can help your sexual performance. Follow your doctor's instructions in taking medications and managing any chronic health conditions.
• Stay positive. The changes that come with aging — from health problems to changes in appearance and sexual performance — leave many men feeling less attractive or feeling they are less capable of enjoying or giving sexual pleasure. Discussing your feelings with your partner can help. Feeling angry, unhappy or depressed has a strong impact on your sex life. Professional counseling or other treatment can improve your sex life — and your well-being.

Sex fights illness

When, for example, scientists studied around 2400 men in Caerphilly, Wales, over a 10-year period, it found that those who had more orgasms were 50 per cent less likely to have died.

This lowering of risk was particularly marked when it came to heart attacks, leading scientists to endorse the idea that sex can be excellent exercise.

Another way in which sex shows its disease-fighting qualities is in the role it appears to have in protecting against prostate cancer.

Studies have shown that frequent ejaculations appear to reduce the risk of this type of cancer, which affects around 20,000 men in Britain every year.

Research carried out in Boston looked at 30,000 men aged between 46 and 81. It found that a higher number of ejaculations was linked with a decreased risk of cancer of up to 33 per cent.

This follows a smaller Australian study that appeared to show that men who masturbated frequently in earlier life were a third less likely to develop prostate cancer when they got older.

This phenomenon has been attributed to the theory that orgasm reduces the development of calcifications in the prostate that have been linked with cancer.