Three times a week and you're laughing

By FRANCESCA MOLD health reporter

Field trials are still going on, but the results of a Welsh study will bring a smile to the face of most men, if not their partners.

According to the research, a regular roll in the hay could slash a man's chances of having a heart attack or stroke.

The University of Bristol did a 10-year study of 2400 men in the town of Caerphilly who had no history of serious disease.

They found that those who reported having three or more orgasms a week were half as likely to have had a heart attack or stroke.

Professor Shah Ebrahim of the university said the study had forced doctors to redefine the relationship between exercise and the prevention of heart disease.

They now believed sex was as legitimate a form of exercise as a game of squash or a long run.

"In the past we thought it had to be activity at least three times a week and lasting 20 minutes or longer, causing sweatiness or being out of breath ...

"But we're now moving to a situation where we would say that even mild to moderate levels of physical activity are likely to have some cardiovascular protective effect," said Dr Ebrahim.

Green Lane Hospital cardiologist Dr Ralph Stewart said he would not suggest people have more sex in a bid to prevent heart disease.

But the Bristol research results might be explained because sex was providing a form of exercise.

"We know even small amounts of activity have quite favourable effects on cardiovascular risk," he said.

Dr Stewart said that having regular sex also indicated that the person was in a better general state of health and a more positive mood.

Heart Foundation medical director Dr Diana North said that there were probably other factors, including a healthy lifestyle, that contributed to the lower risk of heart disease for some of the men in the Bristol study.

"But sex is also a very good marker of a healthy and happy lifestyle," she said.

Dr North said most people who had a heart attack were ready to resume sexual activity after a few weeks.

"Our measure is that if you can walk up two flights of stairs, you can meet the demands of sex."

She said the Heart Foundation recommended people take part in some kind of physical activity for about 30 minutes, most days of the week.