With over 100,000 condoms ordered in 2010 for the Vancouver Winter Olympics, it's obvious
- a little extra physical activity goes on during the Games. But, does this sexual excitement
before competition influence an athlete's performance?
Many ancient civilizations, including the Greeks, believed that semen was divine and
contained a man's strength. Today, some athletes hold the belief that sexual frustration, driven
by abstinence, ultimately increases aggression - which is valuable for many sports. Testosterone,
in particular, is responsible for aggression and sexual desire in both men and women, and
there has long been the belief that ejaculation draws testosterone from the body. Muhammad
Ali, for example, wouldn't make love for six weeks before a fight.
But modern science sees things differently. In fact, many studies have shown the exact
opposite: testosterone increases after sex. Go without for over 3 months, and testosterone
drops to levels near that of a child. So from a biological perspective, sex may actually
increase performance, particularly in sports where a bit of extra aggression could be the
deciding factor - like ski-cross, short track speed skating, or of course hockey.
So what about sex tiring the body out? The honest truth is that the average sex session
only burns about 50 calories...the equivalent of running up a few flights of stairs. On
the contrary, studies have found that sex the night before has no noticeable effects
on strength, power, endurance, or any other fitness variables. Though, sex has been documented
to trigger the release of pain-blockers in the brain. These can help modulate chronic
pain, with effects lasting upwards of 24 hours.
The biggest unknown lies in the psychological effects, which is much harder to study, and
may actually play a bigger role in major competitions. An athlete's best performance is achieved
with particular balance of alertness and anxiety. Of course, staying up all night chasing sexual
escapades tips the scale against alertness the next day. On the other hand, sex can be
a great stress release for nervous athletes. While other personalities simply desire more
focus and concentration, in which case, a good nights sleep is ideal.
At the end of the day, science says: it depends how sex affects each individual. If you need
that extra kick of testosterone, then you might just want to get your game on - a night early.
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