Is Sex A Good Idea For Athletes Before Competition?

Just as legendary as what goes on on stage at the Olympics is what goes on off it.

The global event brings millions together, and with it a bevy of symbols: “the gold, silver and bronze medals; the Olympic torch; the signature Olympic rings; and … condoms?”

Yep. And lots of ‘em, too.

This year, the Olympic committee said they’ve disbursed 110,000 condoms throughout athletic and non-athletic venues at this year’s winter games in PyeongChang, South Korea.

“This begs the question: is sex a good idea for athletes before they compete?” asks author David Oliver.

As it turns out, sex does not have an effect on athletic performance, according to the study “Sexual Activity before Sports Competition: A Systematic Review”.

Its authors stated that: “The present evidence suggests that sexual activity the day before competition does not exert any negative impact on performance”, though more research is needed.

Dr Lauren Streicher, medical director of Northwestern Medicine's Center for Sexual Medicine and Menopause, said “there's no scientific reason that sex should have such an impact on athletic performance”.

What might actually hinder athletes is the lack of sleep, or alcohol consumption. Also, the close proximity of people led to health issues like respiratory infections, colds, etc., said Dr David Jones, who previously served as team doctor for Team USA in 1992.

Ultimately, athletes who want to stay healthy are advised to get a good night’s sleep — whether you’ve had sex, or not.