How Sex Affects Athletic Performance

For a long time, people who are “in the know” about certain matters have been preaching the importance of sexual abstinence before an athletic competition. Even the famous Muhammad Ali was known for rejecting his lover before he stepped into the boxing ring. Obviously, he became the heavyweight champion because of his incredible skill and not because he refused to have intercourse. New science is backing that up, too—good news for those athletes who find themselves with other needs besides feeling the burn of a good workout. Yes, it turns out that sex affects athletic performance in a positive way. Your fitness does not suffer. 

Testosterone Training

As if you needed any more reasons to have sex, it looks as if love-making can have a positive impact on how you perform outside the bedroom. While some people believe that sexual abstinence (and the frustration that comes with it) keeps you aggressive on the field, the myth has now been busted by modern science. Your relieving ejaculate will not deplete you of that vital game-winning testosterone, no matter what. In fact, there have been at least four separate studies that ultimately rendered results to show this. So, if sex affects athletic performance, then it must be in a positive way.

Who Has the Advantage?

According to those same studies that showed how having sex before competing athletically does not cause performance issues, those athletes who did not make love were no better at gameplay than their satisfied counterparts were. In short, having sex or not is the least of a serious athlete’s worries. It turns out that nobody has the advantage over the other because of their sexual prowess, but instead it all has to do with ability and determination. Time to hop back into that bed and see for yourself how sex affects athletic performance!

Let’s Get Mental

It also seems like a lot of modern athletes are arguing that forgoing sex can help them stay mentally focused during the game as well. In reality, this belief is literally “all in their heads.” Although recent studies show that having sex within two hours of a game can make people more relaxed and generally less attentive, a person’s ability to concentrate on tasks at hand was not bothered. On top of that, it seems as though a good romp in the sack can actually increase endorphin and dopamine production—the two hormones that are responsible for good moods and clear focus.