Aside from helping to combat ageing, reduce risk of life-threatening conditions and improve brain function, regular exercise can also help men perform better in the bedroom, according to a study.

While past studies have highlighted the relationship between better erectile function and exercise, this was among the first studies to explore the impact on men of all races. Researchers at the Cedars-Sinai Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute in Los Angeles found that men who exercised more were likely to have better overall sexual function, including the ability to have orgasms and the quality and frequency of erections.

For the paper, nearly 300 study participants self-reported their activity levels, which researchers then categorised as sedentary, mildly active, moderately active or highly active. The subjects also self-reported their sexual function, as outlined by the aforementioned criteria.

Results found that men who reported more frequent exercise, a total of 18 metabolic equivalents, or METS, per week, had higher sexual function scores, regardless of race. MET hours reflect both the total time of exercise and the intensity of exercise. A total of 18 METS can be achieved by combining exercises with different intensities, but is the equivalent of two hours of strenuous exercise, such as running or swimming, 3.5 hours of moderate exercise, or six hours of light exercise.

In contrast, men of any ethnicity who exercised less reported lower levels of sexual function. Additional contributors to low sexual function included diabetes, older age, past or current smoking and coronary artery disease.

The paper The Association of Exercise with Both Erectile and Sexual Function in Black and White Men, was published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine 2015 March.