Effects of sexual activity on several measures of physical performance in young adult males

There has been considerable debate as to whether sexual activity prior to an athletic event can affect physical performance. The goal of the study was to determine if sexual activity the evening before several physical performance tests affected the results compared to the same performance tests after five days of abstinence.

Ten, monogamous, married young men (28±7 years old, body mass index = 25.5±2.7 kg/m2) underwent a six-physical performance/balance/agility tests (forearm grip strength, balance, lateral movement, reaction time, anaerobic power, and maximal oxygen uptake) on three different days. The first day was a familiarization session, where the subjects familiarized themselves with the performance tests. Then, two randomized, single-blind mornings sessions occurred there was either no sexual intercourse on the five days prior to the tests (control condition) or sexual intercourse on the night before the tests (experimental condition) in a randomized counterbalanced, fashion. The six performance tests were performed in the same order for each of the three sessions. A paired-t-test was used to compare each fitness test between conditions.

The results showed that sexual activity had no effect on any of the six physical performance tests.

This suggests that physical performance is unaffected by sexual activity within 24 hours prior to competition in young men.