EFFECTS OF SEXUAL INTERCOURSE ON MAXIMAL AEROBIC POWER, OXYGEN PULSE,AND DOUBLE PRODUCT IN MALE SEDENTARY SUBJECTS

It is well known that athletes in the United States are told to abstai n from sexual intercourse Drier to athletic competition, The rationale for such a policy appears to be related to the hypothesis that sexual intercourse decreases the athletes' ability to perform efficiently an d/or maximally. But the effect that sexual intercourse may have on exe rcise performance has not been examined widely. Very likely, the restr ictions placed on athletes have little to do with the athletes' physio logical ability to substain a particular exercise intensity and/or per form maximally, The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of sexual intercourse 12 hours prior to maximal treadmill exercise on aerobic power, oxygen pulse, and double product (i.e., an index of re lative cardiac work), Eleven male subjects were tested on the treadmil l with and without prior sexual intercourse, The results from the maxi mal exercise tests showed that aerobic power, oxygen pulse, and double product were not different, Therefore, the data suggest that it is ju stified to dismiss the point of view that sexual intercourse decreases maximal exercise performance.