Women who have sex on a regular basis may experience fewer of the everyday physical discomforts associated with hormonal changes and aging. A recent study of Japanese women found that those who had sex within the past three months were less likely to experience genital dryness, irritation, and pain in daily life. The results of this study were published in the journal Menoposition.
As you move into your last menstrual period, your body’s production of estrogen begins to decrease. Estrogen is the main hormone that helps regulate the female reproductive system and maintains the elasticity and hydration of vaginal tissues. When these hormone levels decrease, the tissue in the pelvic area becomes thinner, drier, and more prone to inflammation.
Medical professionals refer to this series of physical changes as the genitourinary syndrome of menopause. This condition includes a wide range of signs and symptoms that affect the reproductive organs, sexual function, and urinary tract. People experiencing this syndrome often complain of itching, burning, and pain during daily activities, and may also complain of obvious discomfort during physical intimacy.
These physical changes can greatly reduce a person’s overall health and overall quality of life. As the world’s population ages rapidly, healthcare professionals are seeking ways to better understand the symptoms associated with low sex hormone levels. Identifying lifestyle factors associated with better outcomes may help individuals manage the transition process more comfortably.
Yoshikazu Sato, a urologist at Sanjukai Urology Hospital in Sapporo, led a team of researchers to investigate how sexual habits are related to these specific physical symptoms. The researchers focused on an existing database of women obtained from a large-scale internet survey. They aimed to identify genital symptoms specific to middle-aged and elderly Japanese people.
The Japanese patient population presents a unique context for studying relationship health. Previous demographic surveys have shown that Japanese men and women report less frequent intimate activities than people living in many other countries. The percentage of adult residents who report never having sex has steadily increased over the past decade.
Reduced physical intimacy across a population can have far-reaching social and clinical consequences. Decreasing sexual frequency can impact the overall well-being of an aging population. To investigate these questions, Sato and colleagues examined data from more than 4,000 women between the ages of 40 and 79.
The original web-based survey asked participants to report on their pelvic symptoms, intimate habits, and general physical functioning. Researchers focused on 911 participants who reported having a sexual partner and having had sex at least once in the past year. The researchers hoped that by excluding women who were not sexually active, they would avoid skewing the results of the data on functional measures.
The team divided these active participants into two different categories based on their reported habits. The regular activity group consisted of 716 women who had had sexual intercourse within the past 3 months. The low activity group included 195 women who had been sexually active in the past year but not within the last 3 months.
Researchers assessed participants using a standardized symptom index modified for the Japanese population. The questionnaire measured sexual desire, physical arousal, natural lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain. The assessment tool asks respondents to rate the frequency and severity of these experiences on a numerical scale, with higher scores indicating better physical functioning.
When researchers looked at trends across a wide range of ages, they noted widespread physical changes across several life stages. As participants grew older, self-reported levels of desire, physical arousal, and natural lubrication consistently decreased. The frequency of pain experienced during intimate activities also increased in most of the older adults studied.
The results regarding psychological well-being were in contrast to the physical decline. Among survey respondents who maintained a routine of intimate activities, the ability to reach orgasm did not decline with age. Overall satisfaction with their sex life and emotional intimacy with their partner also remained stable over time.
While physical functioning changed with age, the quality of relationships appeared to maintain overall satisfaction. Past research suggests that for older couples, emotional intimacy is often a major factor in relationship satisfaction. People often adjust their expectations of physical pleasure over time to accommodate the natural changes that occur in their bodies.
Researchers found striking patterns in daily physical discomfort when comparing the normal and low activity groups. There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in terms of pain or dryness experienced during the sex act itself. Both groups reported experiencing pain at similar rates during the physical act of intercourse.
Outside the bedroom, the two groups’ daily experiences diverged in measurable ways. Women in the regularly active group reported experiencing less genital pain in their daily lives. Women who had sex less frequently were also less likely to experience daily dryness or chronic irritation.
Statistical models confirmed that having sex in the past three months reduces the odds of experiencing these everyday discomforts. The researchers considered relevant demographic variables, including chronological age, menstrual status, and use of hormone therapy. Even after accounting for these external factors, the relationship between daily intimacy and reduction in daily symptoms remained intact.
Several potential explanations exist for this observed association. The physical, emotional, and mental effects of regular intercourse can positively improve blood flow and tissue health in the pelvic region. Alternatively, people who engage in regular activities may be more proactive about their reproductive health and more likely to seek medical intervention for the slightest discomfort.
Because this study was based on observations at a single point in time, the researchers cannot prove that sex prevents pelvic symptoms. This relationship could easily work in exactly the opposite direction. People who experience less pain and dryness are probably much more likely to have regular physical intimacy.
The researchers noted several other limitations with the study method. The data were obtained from an internet survey, meaning participants actively participated voluntarily. This self-selection dynamic may mean that respondents are more health conscious or comfortable with digital technology than the average citizen in their demographic.
The researchers also relied on definitions of regular activities that may appear rare in other cultural contexts. Defining regular activity as having sex at least once every three months reflects Japan’s regional culture. Studies conducted in different countries may define these frequency parameters quite differently based on local social norms.
Based on these early findings, medical professionals should conduct long-term follow-up studies. Following patients over several years may reveal whether maintaining positive physical relationships directly maintains physical comfort. In the meantime, this survey data details the reproductive well-being of an aging population and reveals potential avenues for identifying groups at risk for chronic discomfort.
The study, “Cross-sectional study on the association between regular sexual activity, sexual function, and menopause-related symptoms with genitourinary syndrome,” was authored by Yoshikazu Sato, Yumi Ozaki, Mitsuru Tomoe, Noriko Ninomiya, Yuki Sekiguchi, Mayuko Yamamoto, and Satoru Takahashi.
