Premature ejaculation is something lots of men will experience at one point in their lifetime.
It happens when a man ejaculates sooner than he or his partner would want during sexual activities – sometimes this is defined as within a minute of penetration.
For context, a study involving 500 couples found the average time for ejaculation was about five-and-a-half minutes after starting sex, which increased further for men who have sex with men.
According to the NHS, occasional incidences of premature ejaculation are common and not a cause for concern. In fact, 20-30% of men are thought to experience it – yet the issue can sometimes cause shame and discontent in the bedroom.
Exercise might help
While you should speak to your doctor about premature ejaculation if it’s happening regularly and it’s bothering you, it might also be worth reaching for your running shoes.
That’s because researchers have found exercise can be just as effective as medication for tackling it.
One of the most commonly prescribed drugs for erectile dysfunction is dapoxetine, an SSRI specifically created to tackle the condition.
Researchers found that running for 30 minutes, five times a week, was just as effective as taking dapoxetine regularly.
It was also found that carrying out pelvic floor exercises three times a day, for three months, increased the time taken to ejaculate from a median of one minute to three minutes.
Between 55-83% of participants reported that pelvic floor exercises ‘cured’ their erectile dysfunction and a further 5-11% reported improvements.
Lead author Lee Smith, professor of public health at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), told The Guardian: “There are clear indications that physical exercise, including running and engaging the pelvic floor muscles, show promise in several studies.
“Given that drugs often have side-effects, it appears that after all, the best medicine for avoiding premature ejaculation may well lie in exercise, and this possibility requires larger studies and further investigation.”
Treatments for premature ejaculation
Due to shame and embarrassment, lots of men do not seek treatment for premature ejaculation but it is the most common sexual dysfunction complaint in men and there are various treatments available including:
- Antidepressants
- Viagra
- Anaesthetics in combination with condoms
- Masturbation two hours before sex
- Using a thicker condom to decrease sensation
- Counselling