January 19, 2004
Health
THE HEALING POWER OF SEX
A trial involving more than 100 college students in 1999 found
that the levels of immunoglobulin, a microbe-fighting antibody,
in students who engaged in intercourse once or twice a week were
30% higher than in those who were abstinent. Curiously, those who
had sex more than twice a week had the same levels as those who
were celibate. Could there be an optimal rate of sexual frequency
for keeping the body's defenses strong?
Researchers in Sweden are meanwhile exploring how sex affects
another immunological function: the healing of wounds. Here
again, oxytocin may lead the way. Using injections of oxytocin as
a surrogate for arousal, Swedish investigators have found that
sores on the backs of lab rats heal twice as fast under the
influence of the hormone as without it.
To find out whether the hormone has the same healing effect in
people, Ohio State's Glaser and his wife Janice Kiecolt-Glaser, a
psychologist at the same institution, are enrolling married
couples in an unorthodox study in which each spouse's arm is
blistered and then covered with a serum-collecting device. Over a
24-hour observation period, the couples discuss positive aspects
of their marriage and mates as well as points of contention, such
as finances or in-laws. The Glasers will analyze how levels of
oxytocin change during these discussions, along with rates of
healing.
A LONG, HAPPY LIFE?
It's well known that married folk tend to live longer and suffer
less depression than singles do. But is this because of more
frequent sex, simple companionship or some benign aspect of
personality that lends itself to marriage? Teasing apart such
matters is difficult, but sex itself appears to be factor. A
study of 3,500 Scottish men, for example, found a link between
frequent intercourse and greater longevity. A much smaller study
of elderly men found that those who masturbated appeared to
experience less depression than those who did not. In addition,
frequent sexual activity has been tied to lower risk of breast
cancer in women and prostate cancer in men, a relationship that
is still not fully understood but may involve some interaction
between oxytocin and the sex hormones estrogen and testosterone
and their roles in cell signaling and cell division.
"Scientifically, it's an exciting time that will lead to a lot of
rethinking and reconceptualizing of human sexuality," says Dr.
John Bancroft, director of the Kinsey Institute. As the answers
come in, the human race may begin to appreciate that the "sex
glow" stays with them a lot longer than they realized.
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