Sport and libido: move, yes… but without wearing yourself out

As so often in sport, the right dose makes all the difference.

Moving protects

In Australia, a large study of more than 100,000 men aged 45 and over examined the factors associated with erectile dysfunction. Active men, non-smokers and those not overweight had far fewer problems, while being overweight and smoking were associated with a higher risk. Physical activity protects the blood vessels, and what is good for the heart is also good for your sex life.

Too much training, less desire?

In 2017, researchers at the University of North Carolina questioned just over 1,000 men who did endurance sports about their training habits and their libido. Those who trained the hardest and the longest were more likely to describe a reduced libido; those with lighter training more often reported a normal or high libido.

One possible explanation: very heavy training, without enough recovery, can lower certain hormones such as testosterone and lead to chronic fatigue.

To keep in perspective

• It is a questionnaire: we observe an association, not a proven cause.
• The study only involved men. In women, excessive training combined with a lack of energy can also disrupt the hormonal cycle.
• The point at which training becomes "too much" varies greatly from one person to another.

The message for runners

For the vast majority of us, running regularly is an asset for health, including sexual health. The real trap is overtraining: fatigue that does not go away, disturbed sleep, falling performance, irritability, reduced desire. If that happens, ease off, recover, eat enough… and if problems persist, talk to your doctor: they may have other causes that need to be checked.

Sources

• Weber M. F. et al., "Risk factors for erectile dysfunction in a cohort of 108 477 Australian men", Medical Journal of Australia, 2013. See on PubMed
• Hackney A. C. et al., "Endurance exercise training and male sexual libido", Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2017. See on PubMed