One Thing Hard-Core Athletes May Sacrifice

There are likely a lot of men (and women) who are scratching their heads over the results of a widely shared new study: It finds that men who exercise strenuously may have a lower libido than those whose workouts are lighter.

University of North Carolina researchers say theirs is one of the first studies to scientifically delve into the relationship between men’s workouts and their sex lives, the findings of which certainly are intriguing.

[lz_ndn video=32032823]

But could the research gathered from 1,100 athletes be flawed science?

“I find the opposite to be true,” said one former Division 1 college football player, who also spent time in the NFL. The Tampa-area father, now in his mid-40s, told LifeZette that working out has always given him and his colleagues more energy — and had quite the opposite effect.

In fact, he’s back in the gym at least four days a week and says he’s never felt more energized.

[lz_third_party align=center width=630 includes=https://twitter.com/cigar150/status/834720684647514114]

The study surveyed men from various running, cycling, and triathlon training groups. It also included people from university athletic departments as well as endurance athletes. Participants filled out a questionnaire that asked, among other things, how often they thought about and engaged in sex. A separate questionnaire asked about their exercise habits, including frequency and intensity of workouts each week.

The results showed that strenuous exercise was associated with lower libido, while moderate and light physical activity were associated with relatively high libidos.

“That was not at all my experience,” said one young woman from Arizona who has dated elite athletes — including triathletes, in the past.

Related: Spornosexuals — Welcome to the New Modern Man

A Boston-area mother, whose first husband was a professional athlete and whose current partner is a fitness trainer, laughed when she read the study results. “It may be true with some guys. I just have a tough time believing that’s the case,” she told LifeZette.

She also hopes it doesn’t give men an excuse to go easier at the gym or to stay home and sit on the couch.