Breakups, work, travel, business travel…these and many more reasons can disrupt most people’s sex lives. As if the prolonged lack of sexual intercourse was not enough, the human body actually experiences a number of effects as a result of this lack. Some are positive, some not so much. What are the negative effects of not having sex? 1. Unexpected cause of depression in women. Research from the journal Archives of Sexual Behavior suggests that women may experience depression, the strength of which is proportional to the amount of time they have spent without sex or only having sex with a condom. Scientists explain this with the fact that certain compounds found in the semen of men, namely testosterone, melatonin and serotonin, can affect the biochemical balance in a woman’s body. This balance is directly related to the psycho-emotional state of the body, or in other words – mood. 2. Colds and flu take over the body more easily. Lack of sex can also lower the strength of the immune system. Scientists from the state’s Wilkes-Barre University found that people who had sex at least once a week got an unexpected bonus: a 30% increase in the amount of immunoglobulin A (IgA) compared to people who had sex less often. Immunoglobulin A is one of the first and most powerful antiviral defenses the immune system can possess. NEWS_MORE_BOX 3. Accumulated stress levels skyrocket. During sex, the brain releases some of the “happiness molecules” such as endorphins, which reduce pain sensations, bring feelings of satisfaction and happiness, and relax the muscles, and oxytocin, which brings people together and makes them relax. Thus, intimate contacts help to reduce the stress to which the body is subjected. Scottish scientists revealed in their study that long-term sexual abstinence leads to significant difficulties in dealing with stressful social situations such as speaking in front of many people or cooperating with them, compared to people who have sexual contact at least once every 2 weeks.