# Sex before an athletic event

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-before-an-athletic-event/371036>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [September 1, 2006, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-before-an-athletic-event/371036 "2006-09-01T04:17:32Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Polamalu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a88e4f/32.png) [@Polamalu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polamalu)\
**Post date:** [September 1, 2006, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-before-an-athletic-event/371036/1 "2006-09-01T04:17:32Z")

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Link: [http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3\_212a.html](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_212a.html)

I’m wondering why Cecil didn’t address the hormonal part of the question. Obviously an athlete can recover from the physical activity, but what about the changes in hormones? I’ve read, but cannot find a cite for it, that testosterone dips for a male after sex. Wouldn’t that hurt athletic performance?

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**Author:** ![SiXSwordS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/49beb7/32.png) [@SiXSwordS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SiXSwordS)\
**Post date:** [September 6, 2006, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-before-an-athletic-event/371036/2 "2006-09-06T20:50:34Z")

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My impression was that testosterone had more impact over the long term, meaning that higher levels lead to, for example, more muscle mass gain from training rather than better performance in some single event.

[Dopamine and Prolactin](http://www.reuniting.info/science/dopamine_separation_after_orgasm) relationships, however, have immediate and obvious effects on attitude and behavior.

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**Author:** ![Alex\_Dubinsky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dbc845/32.png) [@Alex\_Dubinsky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alex_Dubinsky)\
**Post date:** [September 8, 2006, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-before-an-athletic-event/371036/3 "2006-09-08T15:36:57Z")

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well, according to the ads at the bottom of this page, it’ll only cost you $39.95 to restore whatever’s dipped by 457%. However, you might like to consult Oprah’s RealAge test first.

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**Author:** ![SiXSwordS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/49beb7/32.png) [@SiXSwordS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SiXSwordS)\
**Post date:** [September 8, 2006, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-before-an-athletic-event/371036/4 "2006-09-08T17:37:18Z")

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> [@Alex\_Dubinsky](#):
>
> well, according to the ads at the bottom of this page, it’ll only cost you $39.95 to restore whatever’s dipped by 457%. However, you might like to consult Oprah’s RealAge test first.

> **[Dopamine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dopamine)**
>
> Dopamine (DA, a contraction of 3,4-dihydroxyphenethylamine) is a neuromodulatory molecule that plays several important roles in cells. It is an organic chemical of the catecholamine and phenethylamine families. Dopamine constitutes about 80% of the catecholamine content in the brain. It is an amine synthesized by removing a carboxyl group from a molecule of its precursor chemical, L-DOPA, which is synthesized in the brain and kidneys. Dopamine is also synthesized in plants and most animals. In...

> **[Prolactin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prolactin)**
>
> 1RW5, 2Q98, 3D48, 3EW3, 3MZG, 3N06, 3N0P, 3NCB, 3NCC, 3NCE, 3NCF, 3NPZ 5617 19109

Especially interesting are the sections on Dopamine about movement and motivation.

There is no immediate correlation offered in wikipedia between orgasm and Dopamine or Prolactin levels. If the possible venality of my previous link concerns you, [here](http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/bb/neuro/neuro02/web2/tromero.html) is a somewhat more scientific site, but you’ll have to wade through it yourself.

[Another](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orgasm#Human_male_orgasm) wikipedia articles discusses Prolactin, but refers more to recent questions about whether multiple male orgasms can be acheived through hormone treatments.

> [@](#):
>
> A scientific study to successfully document natural, fully ejaculatory, multiple orgasms in an adult male was conducted at Rutgers University in 1995. During the study, six fully ejaculatory orgasms were experienced in 36 minutes with no refractory period in evidence.

Now, tell me _that’s_ not going to affect your softball game!