Doing Pilates twice a week can work wonders for a flagging female libido, a study shows.
Women who took up the popular exercise regime saw a 95 per cent improvement in their levels of sexual desire, orgasm rates and overall sexual satisfaction.
Just three months of the regular workouts was enough to transform the love lives of the women – most of whom were in their thirties.
Pilates was developed nearly 100 years ago by German physical trainer Joseph Pilates as low-impact, mat-based exercises to boost strength and flexibility, with an estimated 12million Britons doing them today.
Scientists from Sakarya University in Turkey wanted to see if 12 weeks of regular Pilates classes would improve the sex lives of women who had lost interest in it.
All 93 participants completed detailed questionnaires to score them on their sexual satisfaction, with half then put on a one-hour, twice-weekly Pilates schedule and the rest told to continue with their usual day-to-day levels of activity.
When researchers repeated the survey three months later, they found a huge improvement in sexual satisfaction among the Pilates group, with stronger libido and more frequent orgasms.
Doing Pilates twice a week can work wonders for a flagging female libido, a study has shown (stock image)
Women who took up the popular exercise regime saw a 95 per cent improvement in their levels of sexual desire, orgasm rates and overall sexual satisfaction (stock image)
But there was little or no change in the other women, according to results published in the journal BMC Urology.
Scientists said it’s not precisely clear why Pilates helps but the most likely explanation is that it strengthens the pelvic floor – a group of muscles supporting the bladder, bowel and uterus and is known to play a key role in sexual function.
Experts said: ‘We found undeniable improvements in sexual satisfaction after a 12-week Pilates program – now we need larger studies to support its effectiveness in treating female sexual dysfunction.’