New research indicates that, contrary to popular belief, sexual activity before exercise may even be beneficial for performance.
A new published in the journal Physiology & Behavior challenges long-held beliefs in sports culture that sexual activity shortly before intense exercise impairs performance.
For decades, many coaches and athletes have promoted sexual abstinence before competition, assuming that sexual activity drains energyreduces aggression or weakens physical performance.
To test whether these ideas are supported by science, a research team led by Diego Fernández-Lázaro of Valladolid University examined the immediate effects of sexual activity that occurred just 30 minutes before maximum physical effort.
The study recruited 21 male athleteshealthy and well trained, with an average age of 22 years. Participants included basketball players, boxers and long-distance runners. Using a randomized crossover design, each athlete completed two conditions: one involving at least seven days of sexual abstinence and another in which they masturbated to orgasm 30 minutes before the exercise test.
Performance was assessed using two standard measurements: an isometric handgrip strength test and an incremental cycling test with increasing difficulty until exhaustion. The researchers also collected blood samples to assess hormonal responses, markers of muscle damage and inflammation, explains the .
The results showed no evidence that pre-exercise sexual activity has impaired performance. On the contrary, participants remained, on average, 3.2% more time in the cycling test after sexual activity compared to the abstinence condition. Handgrip strength was also slightly greater. Importantly, the athletes did not report an increase in perceived exertion, meaning the exercise did not feel more difficult despite the physiological changes.
Hormonal analyzes revealed higher levels of testosterone and cortisol after sexual activity, indicating a physiological activation state rather than fatigue. Heart rates during exercise were also higher, which is consistent with stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system — the body’s “fight or flight” response that prepares muscles for action.
Markers of muscle damage and inflammation showed no negative effects. Levels of lactate dehydrogenase, an enzyme associated with muscle stress, were actually lower after sexual activity, while other indicators, such as creatine kinase and inflammatory markers, remained unchanged.
Researchers suggest that sexual arousal may function as a form of physiological “preparation”similar to a warm-up, increasing alertness and readiness for effort. These findings corroborate previous research showing that sex the night before competition has little impact on performance, extending this conclusion to activity that occurs minutes before exercise.
The authors caution that the study focused only on young, well-trained men and masturbation, not partner sex. More research is needed to assess whether the findings apply to women, older athletes or different forms of sexual activity.
