Urgent warning issued to women who ‘don’t have sex often’

Scientists have warned that women who abstain from sex could be putting their health at risk.

A group of scientists have warned that women who abstain from sex may be putting their health at risk.

Researchers at Walden University in Pennsylvania found that there was a 70% increased risk of death within five years for females between the ages of 20 and 59 who had sex less than once a week.

It was shown through blood samples that these women had elevated levels of a key protein linked to inflammation, which can cause damage to healthy cells, tissues and organs.

In participating women who had sex more than once a week, lower levels were found with no increased death risk.

Additionally, for men, the study found a reverse result.

Those who had the most sex were almost most at risk of early death.

The team of researches concluded that, for women at least: "Sexual expression, which is quantitatively measured through sexual frequency, is an essential component of both physical and mental health.

"Sexual activity is important for overall cardiovascular health possibly due to reduction of heart rate variability and blood flow increase," they added.

A wide database from the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) was used for the study.

The survey referenced reports of sexual activity from 14,542 men and women as well as data on depression, obesity, and ethnicity.

Those included in the database answered the question: "In the past 12 months, about how many times have you had vaginal or anal sex?"

The answer options included: "Never, once, two to 11 times, 12 to 51 times, 52 to 103 times, 104 to 364 times, and 365 times or more in the past 12 months."

The report found that about 95% of participants had sex more than 12 times per year, and 38% at least once a week.

This information was then compared with another CDC database on deaths up to the end of the year 2015.

"Participants who were not matched with death records were considered to be alive through the follow-up period," the team revealed in their study.

In one slice of the data, the team found that increased risk of death leapt upward a stunning 197 percent for individuals who reported low sexual frequency and depression over just depression alone.

'Individuals with depression but high sexual frequency don't feel harmful effects of depression as much,' lead author Dr Srikanta Banerjee told MailOnline.

The study concluded: "Sexual activity is important for overall cardiovascular health, possibly due to reduction of heart rate variability and blood flow increase."