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EXERCISE MAY REDUCE THE RISK OF IMPOTENCE
25 August 2000 - Boston University
| Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine and the New England Research Institutes report that physical activity at a level of at least 200 calories a day, the equivalent of as walking briskly for two miles, may reduce a man's risk of developing erectile dysfunction/ED (impotence). |
The study, which appears in the August issue of Urology, is the first of its kind to show that men who exercise, even those who begin exercising at mid-life, are at a lower risk for developing ED as compared to sedentary men. The researchers analyzed data from nearly 600 men who had reported no problems with ED. They focused on risk factors such as smoking, alcohol consumption, and obesity and exercise habits. Eight years later, the researchers looked to see if the same 600 men had made any changes in these behaviors and if these changes effected their risk for ED. They concluded that smoking cessation in middle age did not significantly reduce ED risk. "There was no significant difference in risk between men who quit smoking and those who continued to smoke," said author Irwin Goldstein, MD, professor of urology at Boston University School of Medicine. The same held true for men who stopped drinking. In addition, men who were over-weight were at increased rate of developing ED regardless of whether they lost weight or not. However, men who remained active or even began physical activity at midlife were at the lowest risk of developing ED. Further, a dose-response relationship was identified between the probability of ED and the level of physical activity. "Men who exercised more than the 200 calories a day, had the lowest risk of developing ED," added Goldstein. "This is the first longitudinal population-based study to show that exercise, which is beneficial for many other cardiovascular conditions, benefits sexual function as well. The implications of this are enormous," added Goldstein.
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Boston University has a well-deserved reputation for excellence in research in a wide range of disciplines and a demonstrated commitment to fostering innovative interdisciplinary research. The Office of the Associate Provost for Research and Graduate Education supports the University in facilitating research at the both the student and faculty levels.Our mission is to enhance and encourage research at Boston University and to provide a climate conducive to maintaining the University at the cutting edge of research and scholarly activities. We work with the Boston University community to plan and coordinate interdisciplinary research and represent the University in research matters related to Inter-University consortia. To encourage new, innovative, and cross-disciplinary efforts, this office administers the Special Program for Research Initiation Grants (SPRInG). We showcase graduate research at Science & Technology Day. This annual event features nearly 200 research posters by graduate students from both the Medical and Charles River Campuses working in a wide range of disciplines. Our annual research magazine, Research at Boston University, informs a wide audience about a selection of our significant research findings and ongoing studies at Boston University. We also maintain a strong presence on the web through this site and through the Science Coalition’s website, which brings our research successes to the attention of Congress and other policy makers in the federal government. To assist Boston University researchers, this office oversees the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program and coordinates with the Office of Sponsored Programs on the Charles River Campus , the research administration on the Medical Campus, the Office of Research Compliance, and the various graduate programs. For the development of commercially viable ideas, we administer the Provost's Innovation Fund and work closely with the Office of Technology Transfer. We also coordinate proposals where there are institutional limits to the number of proposals that may be submitted, cost sharing requirements, significant laboratory renovations, or other special circumstances. This office assists departments and centers to achieve a diverse faculty and graduate student body through our membership and activities with the Northeast Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate and through our affiliation with the Clare Boothe Luce program of the Henry Luce Foundation. |
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