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Men in their 50s have more satisfying sex lives than men in their 30s

Men in their fifties are more satisfied with their sex lives than men in their thirties and forties, recording similar levels to 20-29 year-olds, according to a survey published in the February issue of BJU International.

A team of experts from Norway and the USA surveyed 1,185 men aged between 20 and 79, asking them about various aspects of their sex life, including drive, erections and ejaculation.

They found that although there was a strong relationship between a man’s advancing age and his declining sex drive and ability to have an erection and ejaculate, there wasn’t such a strong link between age and overall sexual satisfaction.

The men who responded to the Norwegian postal questionnaire were asked to rate their satisfaction with various aspects of their sex life on a scale of zero to four, with four representing good sexual function and no problems. Men in their twenties recorded an average overall satisfaction level of 2.79 and the second highest level was among fifty-somethings who recorded an average of 2.77. Men in their 30s only reached 2.55 and men in their forties averaged 2.72.

After the age of 59, overall satisfaction fell significantly to 2.46 for men in their sixties and 2.14 for men in their seventies.

However when it came to sexual function, each of the scores moved steadily downwards toward zero as the respondents got older, indicating lower levels of function and more problems:

* The average score for sexual drive was 2.19 out of four, ranging from 2.79 for men in the twenties to 1.54 for men in their seventies.

* Satisfaction with erections averaged 2.83, dropping sharply once men reached their fifties. Men in their twenties scored 3.63, men in their fifties 3.03 and men in their seventies 1.60.

* Ejaculation averaged 3.28 and showed a more measured decline with age, falling more sharply for men in their sixties and seventies. Men in their twenties averaged 3.85 while men in their seventies averaged 2.32.

Other findings included:

* 86 per cent of the men surveyed were married or in a sexual relationship and 57 per cent had been sexually active in the last 30 days. Six per cent had had a new sexual partner in the last six months.

* 25 per cent were on medication for high blood pressure, five per cent for diabetes, six per cent for anxiety/depression and five per cent for erectile dysfunction.

* Respondents were representative of the Norwegian male population in terms of marital status and education level.

“The survey was carried out using a questionnaire first developed and tested in American in 1995” says co-author Professor Sophie D Fossa from the Rikshospitalet-Radiumhospitalet Trust in Oslo, who carried out the research with colleagues from the University of Oslo, the University of Bergen and Harvard Medical School in the USA.

“The results showed a very strong correlation between men getting older and reduced sexual functioning, but not between age and sexual satisfaction” she points out.

“Age accounted for a 22 per cent variance in sexual drive, a 33 per cent variance in erection issues and a 23 per cent variance in ejaculation issues.

“But age only accounted for a variance of three per cent in overall satisfaction.

“Our results show that although men experience more problems and less sexual function as they get older, it doesn’t necessarily follow that they are less satisfied with their sex lives as a result.”

Source Blackwell Publishing Ltd.




The material in this press release comes from the originating research organization. Content may be edited for style and length. Want more? Sign up for our daily email.

40 thoughts on “Men in their 50s have more satisfying sex lives than men in their 30s”

  1. My husband is only satisfied when I don’t bother or talk to him. We’ve been married 45 years and only had sex or intimacy once in those 45 years. After the wedding night the next day he went back to work on the mid night shift and when he cam home in the morning he moved all his things to the basement Since that day thats been his home away from me. He never wanted me in the first place, it was all a sham. FRom the first day i’ve learned what anger, hate really is. I have been depressed hut, unwanted and unloved for all these years. I have accepted that my life will always be in the shiter. Were in our 60s now and all that I dreamed about will never happen. Maybe it will be all over real soon.

  2. im now 23 and i hav a relationship with a 53 year old guy. he’s really awesome in bed.! he rocks me in bed tougher than any man i had experienced before.he is so sweet and caring..he knows how to satisfy me in the craziest way i could’nt imagine. :) i cannot imagine at first that i will be like him but now i love him.. i love him more than the younger man i loved before… ;)

  3. To all men 50yo+ who experience a flagging in sexual performance:

    Join a gym, work out and eat better. Above all, work out! I mean some aerobic exercise plus resistance training. It will very likely *significantly* improve sexual function. You will notice improved sex drive. You will get better and faster erections (ok, it may still take a few minutes) and not only in the morning. You will have *much* better orgasms and stronger ejaculations and you will come easily with far less “fizzes” and “flops”. And this improvement can occur after just a few months at the gym three times per week, maybe sooner – I’m not sure what the research says.

    Among many, many other good things, exercise significantly raises testosterone levels, lowers blood pressure, cures or reduces depression, compensates for muscle loss and takes off weight. Belly fat kills testosterone levels! I have read exercise may also remove symptoms of prostatitis, a common cause of male sexual problems.

    Ok it’s difficult to begin but people who exercise regularly in mid life are physiologically 20 years younger than their actual age (for which read: have sex like a 35yo!). Your quality of life right now and outlook for old age will be greatly improved if you start an exercise program now. Do it.

  4. Older men in their 50’s are awful in bed! Just AWFUL! They don’t take care of themselves, don’t work out and thus have low stamina during sex (anyone that doesn’t work out wouldn’t). Couple that with getting old and that spells terrible, boring sex. SCIENCE BLOG, stop publishing these trashy, garbage’studies’ of yours. The dude who writes this si just another old geezer. Can you say WISHFUL THINKING. Women do NOT like how you look; they prefer Edward Cullen from Twilight and he’s not even an actual MAN! He’s fiction a piece of paper! Women want a guy with a body like Jacob Black, not gray hair sticking up on men’s heads like some damn porcupine quills, a sagging butt and balls, and low sperm count, wrinkles galore, and big pregnant-looking stomach.

    And to young women dating them: c’mon, do better than chasing behind old farts like the wind. How does it smell? Like poop or bengay? Have a nice sex life! All 5 minutes of it!

    • wow! i don’t know what fifty year old man you had, but mine is awesome. he is tender and caring. he is awesome in bed. i am 46 and he is 54. he doesn’t work out much , but i suspect if he did, he would gave more stamina. i wouldn’t trade him for a younger man for nothing. i adore him. he doesn’t smell like bengay at all and neither do i. he is very accomplished and disciplined. he totally turns me on. i met him when i was around 42. i only wish his libido was higher, i would have sex with him at least 5 days out of the week. i don’t want to trade him in. he just doesn’t seem to be over the moon for me the way i am for him. i wish he was.

      • i met my 51y7m old man last July (3m ago) & i was immediately attracted to him. he has a very high sexual drive, he is very experienced and i’m 42 only but my goodness he tires me afterwards! he has so much sex drive & will do it everyday given the chance! we’ll do it anywhere & he is not boring or smells. he’s very attractive, intelligent, loving and considerate. he is also a very good cook! i love him & would like to spend the rest of my life with him, if possible :)

      • AMEN to that!! I as well have a husband in his 50’s. I believe everything worth having is worth working on. I’m sorry for whatever/whoever turned her off about older men. Me and my husband have been together for 20 years and I wouldn’t trade him for the world.. he looks good, smells, good and with a couple of role playing tricks,toys & romance novels/dvds our SEX LIFE IS WONDERFUL….. YES I SAID ROLE PLAYING… we still do things to spice up our relationship… you must to keep things exciting….. we’ve gotten ahold of this product the last few months and I tell you.. He gets breakfast in Bed Everymorning….. So 2 thumbs up to the older men… & if you would like to know about the product we’re using now.just email me at [email protected] … I’ll be happy to let you in on it…*wink*

    • WOW! I’m sorry for your horrible experience, but I’m a 26 y/o female and I’d take a healthy man in his 50’s over most men my age. I choose quality over quantity–having sex 3 times in a row in one day isn’t a must for me. I’ve had 3 men in their 50’s and all three were just incredible! Their knowledge of the female body FAR surpassed that of younger lovers I’ve had and they actually CARED about my orgasm! Yes, I met them at the gym, and yes, exercise makes a huge difference, I’m sure; my older gentlemen had great bodies, nice and firm with great stamina! You sound like you had a bad experience or are completely ignorant to the possibilities of an older lover. And by the way, Edward Cullen is a p*ssy. He doesn’t even look like a man. He’s thin and wimpy like a girl.

    • Obviously you are a jealous young man who has been rejected by women your age. Grow up. I know a lot of men in their 50s who are in better shape than the twenty something computer game geeks.

  5. This article has some interesting facts, I wish this was the case for my husband he’s 51 and I’m 34 a few years ago he did have a high sexual peak than recently I found out he’s wanting action with someone else (female of course). Than he told me the reason why is because he doesn’t get an orgasm by having sexual intercourse, why? A few days ago trying out testfreak supplements to see if this would improve his sex life…anyone tried this product for sexual improvement reasons?

  6. like older woman attractive or not, fins a peace with them I dont find in ones my age,
    calmnesss and down to eathness I dont find in younger ones,
    If I was married to an older woman i know intamacy would be really nice, and not just to get relief out of frustration like i see soo many around now i dispise sexual frstration , and all the junk that goes with it,
    If you cant look into your ladys eyes and be in love with her and feel it in your loins than whats the point?
    Wast Of Tme,
    total frustration,
    and this crap about older woman being nice to thier own kind in a persons home but when a nice single guy walks in their ntimidated,
    Or cant handle it or get an attitude,
    I dont think many married ones get intmacy much,
    too busy or whatever the dumb reason,
    i see a few here in town id grab in a min and make it with them,
    i mean they are soo sexy and alluring to me,
    but thier hubbies dont do anyhing for them, or the woman as attractive as they are just sit there like a bump on a log,
    and do nothing, totally bored out of thier mind,
    WAYYYYY overly conservative atitude on the woman in small town’s here,
    Im freeaking tired of it and this ting abbout dont say this or that or it’ll offend other’s? is a bunch of junk,
    they sit around like a bunch of old bitties that just exist and thats all,
    what a waste,

  7. Hi, Im 27 and really like this guy who is 53. I think he likes me too, but worried about sex intercourse, please advise what to do? He is quite fit goes gym daily.

    • Make sure he is not married, or mine. YOU YOUNG THINGS can get them young, middle aged or old. Check the finger, or do some research on them.

  8. I agree with the survey- real life, age, and health all play a big factor in sexual performance, but with my caring partner sexual satisfaction is better than ever for me at 51. She is soon to be 28 and isn’t the least bit dissatisfied with our sex life. By 51 you learn lots of different ways to give your partner satisfaction, and you know what they say about which is a person’s largest sex organ… it’s easy to get excited when you have a partner who stimulates your brain along with the other sex organs and makes things fun.

  9. As a mid-60s dude, I’ll say this: I can jump as high as I ever did, I just can’t hang as long. Sex is better to me and I have a woman 20 years my junior who would tell you she’s never had any better either. Course, I’m a natural born stud, which makes a lot of difference.

  10. Did the survery query the respondents to the age(s) of their sexual partners?

    Did an older man with a younger woman have a more satisying sexual experience, vs, a sexual partner the same age or older?

    • I think Watersailor44 makes a good point. My wife is ten years younger than me. She’s great looking, but I have to admit, Some of these younger girls look pretty good as well. It’s fun to think about it. I love my wife but our sex life got off track, it’s now coming back, very exciting.

  11. As a sort of reductio ad absurdem to this study, why not look a bit farther?

    Men in their twenties have more sexual pleasure than anybody else, but are not “satisfied” because they aren’t bagging three different women per weekend.

    Men in their 80s are lucky to get it up monthly; they’re “satisfied” because they can get more action than they want or need.

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