Daily Sex for Stronger Sperm

By Andrew Weatherford

Published on January 09, 2008

Many physical and mental benefits have been linked with regular sexual activity, from reduced risk of prostate cancer to an improved outlook on life and better overall fitness. Studies have even shown that men and women get the same workout from a typical lovemaking session that they would from 15 minutes on a treadmill.

Now there is a study suggesting that daily sexual activity may increase the strength and quality of sperm. Fertility doctor David Greening, of Sydney IVF, conducted the study on 42 men with genetically damaged sperm. The sperm was first tested after the men had abstained from sex for three days; at this point, the sperm continued to evidence high levels of genetic damage. However, after engaging in daily sexual activity for a week, 80 percent of the study participants showed marked improvement in the quality of their sperm. These findings lend some initial support to the theory that sperm stand a better chance of being healthy if they are released from the body more frequently. The less time they spend in the reproductive tract, according to the theory, the less likely they are to be compromised and damaged by exposure to free radicals, the unstable atoms that wreak havoc throughout the body.

The results from this study may prove valuable for couples who are actively trying to have a baby. In the past, most fertility doctors have advised men to abstain from sexual activity for a few days in order to boost their sperm count and increase the couple's chances of successfully conceiving. However, this strategy may be counterproductive for men who produce sperm in normal quantities but of lesser quality. About 20 percent of the male population have sperm cells with some level of genetic damage and could be impacted by the findings in this report.

Although most people probably don’t need scientific evidence to be convinced of the benefits of daily sex, this report could give new hope to couples who are trying to conceive but have been unable to do so.