What role does sex play in heart health?

Sex is associated with a better quality of life; it increases immunity, decreases inflammation and helps us preserve loving relationships. Watch cardiologist Suzanne Steinbaum, DO, explain why sex is an important part of maintaining a healthy heart.

Transcript

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Having sex increases the immune system, it decreases inflammation.

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And it actually helps us in maintaining healthy and loving relationships. [MUSIC PLAYING]

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In January of 2012, the American Heart Association said that sex is associated with an improved quality of life.

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Not only that, having sex increases the immune system,

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it decreases inflammation. And it actually helps us in maintaining healthy and loving

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relationships. If you've had heart disease, or you're trying to prevent heart disease, I

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will tell you, having regular sex with a loving partner, it's part of the deal. As women get older, sex tends not to be

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the first thing on their minds. But what studies have shown, if women actually just start

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trying to have sex with their partners, they're actually happy they did it because there's an increase in oxytocin

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and all these feel good hormones. And it can actually increase your immune system and decrease inflammation in the body.

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But as we age, and for those women who are in their 70s and 80s, I know you're having sex.

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But if you don't feel like it, it doesn't mean that close contact and physical touching doesn't give you the same benefits that intercourse does.

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Part of being human is really touching each other, loving each other, and sex is part of that.