Why do some people never have sex? Researchers reveal shocking reasons!

Why do some people never have sex? Researchers reveal shocking reasons!

In a comprehensive study, an international research team involving the Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics (MPIEA) in Frankfurt am Main has discovered why some people have never had sexual experiences in adulthood. The largest study into lifetime virginity was recently published in the journal PNAS and analyzed data from over 400,000 Brits aged 39 to 73. Surprisingly, around 1% of respondents said they had never had sex. The reasons for this lack of sex are complex and apparently depend on psychological, social and genetic factors, as Radiowuppertal reports.

But what does that mean for the people affected? Study co-author Laura Wesseldijk highlights that the lack of romantic and sexual relationships is often linked to loneliness, anxiety, depressive feelings and a general decrease in well-being. This finding is also reflected in the experiences of people in similar circumstances. People who have never been sexually active are often better educated, but also often feel lonelier, more nervous and unhappy.

Influences on sexlessness

The researchers found that sexlessness is more prevalent in regions with greater income inequality. Men without sexual experience were also often physically weaker and lived in areas with fewer women. Interestingly, scientists were able to explain about 15% of the differences in lifetime sexlessness genetically. These genetic factors are linked to intelligence, education and even neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism, as Medlabportal adds.

The results show that the group of sexless people consumed alcohol and drugs less often and wore glasses more often in their youth. These characteristics could indicate an overall socially withdrawn lifestyle, which makes it difficult for those affected to find a partner. Research has also not made a distinction between voluntary and involuntary virginity, which raises further questions.

Loneliness as a health risk

Loneliness is increasingly recognized as a significant health risk. Loneliness can lead to a variety of health problems, including depression, social phobia and even cardiovascular disease, according to a review paper summarizing the effects of loneliness on physical and mental health. Loneliness is also seen as a risk factor for suicidality. Many studies show that about 42% of adults feel lonely at least some of the time, which is particularly alarming in the context of sexual inactivity, as PMC reports.

This makes the need for interventions to reduce loneliness all the more urgent. These findings could be important not only for the quality of life of those affected, but also for society as a whole. It turns out that the issue of sexlessness is closely intertwined with important questions about social relationships and mental health.