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(CNN) - There is nothing better for your health than exercise. And that also applies to the health of your sex life.
"Healthy men and women tend to have better sexual function," said Dr. Lauren Streicher, medical director of the Northwest Sexual Medicine Center. "Because almost any medical illness can affect the normal sexual response."
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Aerobic exercise is especially good for improving cardiovascular fitness, which stimulates blood flow throughout the body, including the genital area.
"Anything that strengthens the cardiovascular system will strengthen the sexual response of a man or a woman," said sex therapist and educator Laura Berman. "The healthier your blood flow, the better your excitement."
In women, blood flow is "crucial," Berman said, "because it is the fundamental component that creates lubrication. Therefore, better blood flow helps with congestion, sensation and lubrication in women, as well as erections in men. ”
How much exercise is needed to stay healthy? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity each week. Walking briskly or riding a bicycle are two examples of moderate exercise; A vigorous movement would be jogging, cycling at a higher speed or playing basketball or football.
Now, a new study published in the August issue of the Journal of Sexual Medicine suggests that higher levels of aerobic exercise can further improve sexual performance, endurance and desire in active men and women.
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"The interesting thing is that we found a dose relationship ... since more exercise, especially in women, resulted in greater benefits," said lead author Dr. Benjamin Breyer, chief of urology at the General Hospital and Trauma Center Zuckerberg San Francisco.
Participants were recruited into running, swimming and cycling clubs, Breyer said, so they were all "really active, really interested in sports" amateur athletes.
“This is a special cohort of people,” said Breyer, “so he is not the average person. This is a fairly fit group. ”
Men who ran a pace of one mile (1.6 kilometers) every 7 minutes for 4 and a half hours per week were 23% less likely to have erectile dysfunction.
But the results were even more surprising for women. Running the same pace of one mile every 7 minutes for only 4 hours a week was associated with a reduced 30% chance of female sexual dysfunction.
"Women who were fitter reported the least sexual dysfunction," Breyer said. "They had minor difficulties for arousal, the least dysfunction of orgasm."
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Breyer notes that the study was only exploratory, as it was conducted online and based on levels of exercise and sexual dysfunction reported by the participants.
"We cannot conclusively say that one is the cause of the other," Breyer said, especially since many other things can affect sexual satisfaction, such as self-esteem, good sleep and the quality of a relationship.
What about us armchair fans?
So, does this exploratory study apply to most of us who are ... ahem ... a little less fit? Perhaps, experts say.
Exercise has been shown to improve psychological sexual arousal in women and erectile dysfunction in men, said Raleigh cardiologist Dr. Kevin Campbell, who was not involved in the study.
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In one study, sedentary middle-aged men assigned to participate in a vigorous exercise program for nine months reported more frequent sexual activity, better sexual function and greater satisfaction, "said Campbell." Those whose fitness levels increased the most they saw the biggest improvements in their sex life. ”
But that doesn't mean everyone should start high intensity training, Campbell warned, especially without the advice of a doctor.
"The study shows us that there is an association, but we don't know exactly if 'more is better," said Campbell.
“Do you need to have good cardiovascular health to have an orgasm? Yes. To have excitement? Yes, because you need good blood vessels, ”said Streicher. But he emphasizes that if a woman has painful sexual intercourse or cannot have an orgasm, it is likely that this will not be solved with more exercise.
"If you have a specific sexual problem, the solution is not to exercise," Streicher said. "The solution is to consult an expert on that to get the necessary help."