It could be the hottest health tip ever. According to physicians and gynaecologists, a romp in the bed is the panacea for a host of problems including heart disease, migraine and arthritis.
Recent studies indicate that vigorous lovemaking, including pre-intercourse sex, raises pulse rate from a normal 70 beats per minute to 150. Upto 250 calories get burnt up as a result and this is the equivalent of 15 minutes of jogging or a game of squash.
In fact those too lazy to visit the gym can opt for a more active sex life instead. World-renowned sexologist Dr Prakash Kothari, quoting British researchers, says muscular contractions during intercourse exercise various body parts like the pelvis, thighs, buttocks, arms and thorax. This helps stimulate testosterone production in males and leads to stronger bones and muscles. Those with weak bones or suffering from osteoporosis stand to gain the most.
Sex three to four times a week similarly cuts down chances of a heart attack, insist cardiologists. In fact studies conducted at the Queen's University in Belfast conclude that the risk of a coronary seizure could be reduced by as much as half.
Coitus also sharpens the senses, thanks to a hormone called prolactin that is produced after the act. It causes stem cells in the brain to develop new neurons and thereby sensory organs function better.
But the carnal route to healthy life is fraught with dangers. Experts warn that erection achieved through drugs denies the male sex organ time to recover between copulations and could result in permanent harm.
Abstinence and incomplete sex too have adverse effects. In case of women, failure to climax could set off back pain and stomach cramps. Avoiding sex for long periods may lead to vaginal atrophy and intercourse would then become a very painful affair, says Lucknow gynaecologist Dr Sushma Pandey.
While wary of making a case for unprotected sex, condoms, admit experts, do nothing for coital bliss. According to them, the rubber prevents prostaglandin, a hormone-like substance found in semen, from getting absorbed into the female genital tract and could considerably reduce sexual pleasure.
Those who look for sex outside marriage are also likely to be blessed with good health, claims Dr JK Tewari of the Department of Psychiatry, King George's Medical University, Lucknow. Although it's a view certain to make the blood of morality minders boil, doctors say illegitimate physical relations could cure hypertension.
