The Physiological and Psychological Effects of Exercise on Sexual Functioning: A Literature Review for Adult Health Education Professionals

Abstract

Even with the well–recognized benefits of exercise, levels of physical activity are on the decline, while weight gain levels are increasing. The purpose of this evidence–based literature review was to investigate the relationship between physical fitness, sexual functioning and overall health. There is too little information about these relationships to the detriment of educational programming efforts designed to help protect the public against noncommunicable diseases and their associated individual, family, organization, and societal costs. The literature review revealed that even modest increases in physical activity were positively associated with enhanced sexual functioning. Sexual functioning was also strongly linked to overall health, supporting the usefulness of including sensitively–presented information about the benefits of exercise and being physically fit as it relates to sexual functioning in adult health education curricula. Gender and age differences, physical self–concept, and well–being also emerged as important factors when considering the links between physical fitness, sexual functioning and overall health. Recommendations for research included (a) controlling for possible social desirability effects and (b) designing new research that follows the association between physical activity, sexual functioning and overall health longitudinally in more international settings beyond the U.S. and western Europe.