Year: 2011
Type: dissertation
Abstract: Introduction: The question of sex the night prior to athletic competition is a popular subject amongst athletes. To date, no concrete answer has been established about the influence of sexual activity on athletic performance yet the majority of young male athletes nonetheless report practicing abstention before an event, believing that sexual activity can impair athletic output. Aim: To determine whether sexual activity the night before competition impairs athletic performance. Methods: In a repeated measures design, 8 participants underwent a battery of performance predicting exercise tests on under 3 conditions; the night prior to each testing, they were either: 1) abstinent and physically inactive, 2) sexually active or 3) did yoga. Vital sings, morning relaxation levels, saliva, urine and blood glucose samples were collected. In addition the variation in hormone concentrations and performance measures was analyzed. Main Outcome Measures: Aerobic capacity, grip strength, leg power, reaction time, hamstring flexibility, muscular endurance, testosterone, cortisol, blood glucose concentrations and blood pressure. Results: No significant difference was found between performance results between the 3 conditions. Blood Glucose and testosterone concentrations were unaffected by the conditions and cortisol levels were significantly increased on the mornings following sex and yoga. A strong, indirect relationship was found
Author: Eleftherios Vouyoukas
Language: English
Subfield: Orthopedics and Sports Medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2138445814