Less interest in sex and ability to reach orgasm are common side effects of some anti-depressants. Regular exercise can help with both, according to new research published in Depression and Anxiety.
The study involved women taking anti-depressants who reported reduced desire and other sexual side effects. For the first three weeks of the study, the women did not exercise. For the next three weeks they were divided into two groups that either exercised just before having sex or at a time unrelated to sex. For the final three weeks, the women switched the timing of exercise.
Orgasms improved in all the women when they exercised regularly. In addition, when the women worked out just before sex, they reported increased libido and better overall sexual functioning.
Exercising before sex could be a simple way to offset the libido-busting effects of taking anti-depressants, according to the authors, perhaps because of increased blood flow to the genitals.
