FINLAND — When it comes to the muscles of the human body, many a coach and personal trainer has long endorsed a “use it or lose it” motivational philosophy. Strangely enough, an abstinence-only mentality kicks in when the muscles involved are related to the genitals. Recent research indicates that too much self-control when young can lead to nothing to control later. Researchers at the University of Tampere in Finland spent five years studying the sex lives of nearly 1,000 Finnish men between the ages of 55 and 75 — and discovered that those whose love lives included more carnal activity experienced lower incidences of erectile dysfunction (ED).

Dr. Juha Koskimaki and university colleagues believe that the study’s findings should encourage older men who want to remain sexually active as they age. The collective shared their results in the July 2008 American Journal of Medicine, including the fact that the men who engaged in intercourse less often then once a week were twice as likely as men who make love once a week – and nearly four times as likely as men who get lucky three or more times a week — to experience ED during the study’s five years.

While Koskimaki’s team admits that a man’s sexual ability is influenced by a number of factors, including age, heart health, medication, and diabetes, they contend that the strongest factor is sexual activity itself. The researchers believe that erectile health can be preserved by allowing blood to flow to the penis on a regular basis via sexual activity.