Aside from reproduction, intimacy and pleasure, sex can be good for your health and can improve your immune system by 30%.
Dr Faith Coats, who is a naturopathic medical physician, said "More doctors should recommend it."
Dr Faith asked her 618 000 TikTok followers to send in questions about the role that orgasms can play in your health.
One TikTok user said: "True or false: arousal and orgasm help you not get sick?"
In another clip, the doctor responded: "True! 'Getting down' 1-2 times a week improves your immune system by 30 percent. Tell them it's doctor's orders."
@faithfuldoc More docs should recommend it. 😉 ##healthyliving ##doctorsoftiktok ##learnontiktok ##doctor ##hormones ##cold ##immuneboost ##learnwithme
♬ Worth it (Remix) - Austin Ong
Just like any physical activity, healthy sex is good for your heart. A study published in January 2015 in the American Journal of Cardiology found that men who had sex twice weekly or more had less risk of cardiovascular diseases, like stroke or heart attack, than those who had sex once a month or less.
And for those who worry that the exertion involved is a threat to the heart, the American Heart Association's Scientific Statement on Sexual Activity and Cardiovascular Disease says that having sex is safe for people who can exercise with no heart problems in the range of 3 to 5 metabolic equivalents (METs).
METs are a measure of the energy (kilojoules) expended during an activity. Exercising at 3 METs is about the same as walking at a moderate pace, while 5 METs is like a low impact aerobic workout.
Speaking to WebMD, Yvonne K Fulbright PhD, a sexual health expert, said: “Sexually active people take fewer sick days.”
People who have sex have higher levels of what defends your body against germs, viruses and other intruders. Researchers at Wilkes University in Pennsylvania found that college students who had sex once or twice a week had higher levels of a certain antibody compared to students who had sex less often.
You should still do all the other things that make your immune system happy, such as:
- Eat right.
- Stay active.
- Get enough sleep.
- Keep up with your vaccinations.
- Use a condom if you don’t know both of your STD statuses.