A study suggests that a poor sex life in middle age increases the risk of DEMENTIA in men

We already know that a bad sex life can lead to relationship problems and increase the risk of heart disease.

But now scientists at Penn State University say that this could also put men at higher risk of developing dementia.

In a study of 818 men in their 50s followed for more than a decade, scientists found that those who had poor sex lives showed faster declines on memory tests than those who didn’t.

Scientists hypothesized that this might be because the bad sexed individuals are more likely to be exposed to chronic stress, which can lead to atrophy of areas of the brain associated with memory. But they also suspected that it could be a sign of poor heart health, which is also known to increase the risk of memory problems.

In a study of 818 men in their 50s followed for more than a decade, scientists found those who had poor sex lives showed faster declines on memory tests than those who didn’t (stock image)

In the study, published today in the Journal of the Gerontological Society of America, the scientists recruited individuals who served in the US military between 1965 and 1975.

The average age of participants at the start of the study was around 56 years old, but they ended up being 68 years old.

At the start of the study, none had erectile dysfunction or cognitive impairment.

Each was interviewed at the beginning of the study and twice more over the next 12 years, six years apart.

They were asked about their sexual satisfaction, with participants submitting self-reported ratings of their relationship, relationships, and sexual intercourse.

A series of tests measuring cognition were also conducted.

The results showed that participants who reported having a poor sex life were more likely to have memory loss than those who did not.

Men who had lower erectile function at the start of the study developed more memory loss over time than others.

These changes persisted even when the scientists adjusted for demographic and health factors, such as age and body weight.

dr Riki Slayday, a PhD student at the university involved in the study, said: “When we mapped the association over time, we found that increases or decreases in erectile dysfunction were associated with concomitant increases or decreases in cognitive function.”

“These associations have survived adjustments for demographic and health factors, showing us that there is a clear connection between our sex life and our cognition.”

The researchers called for more surveillance of erectile function in old age as a possible sign of cognitive decline before the age of 70.

The study was observational and failed to deduce why a poor sex life may cause people to experience faster cognitive decline. But scientists have proposed three main theories.

On the one hand, they said that someone who has had a poor sex life may exercise less, eat less, and have poorer heart health.

It has previously been suggested that this increases the risk of memory problems, as these people are more likely to suffer damage to the blood vessels in the brain – which can lead to damage to the cells involved in memory.

Other theories suggested that men with poorer sex lives might have lower levels of testosterone, the male sex hormone. They hypothesized that this might lead to a smaller hippocampus, which is involved in memory.

They also suggested that chronic stress due to a poor sex life or other factors might be behind the results. They said that the constant release of cortisol – the stress hormone – could cause the hippocampus, which has many receptors for the hormone, to atrophy with age.

It wasn’t clear if a poor sex life could also make women more likely to suffer from memory problems.

The study was funded by the National Institutes of Aging.