Do you really know? How many calories does having sex burn?
Oct 8, 2025
Sex burns some calories, but not as many as you might think—about 101 for men and 69 for women in just 25 minutes! The intensity and position can ramp it up, potentially hitting 500 calories an hour in extreme scenarios. Ever wonder why you sweat so much? Blame those arousal-activated apocrine glands! Plus, there are rare health risks—just ask about that heart attack anecdote. It's an eye-opening mix of facts that could change your perspective on sex as a workout!
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Average Calorie Burn Is Modest
- A 25-minute sex session burns about 101 calories for men and 69 for women on average according to a PLOS One 2010 study.
- The study classifies sex as moderate-intensity exercise, more than walking but below jogging.
Intensity And Duration Drive Calories
- You'd need multiple 25-minute sessions to burn off a 240-calorie muffin, so sex alone rarely replaces conventional workouts or calorie control.
- More active or acrobatic positions can approach 500 calories per hour but are hard to sustain in practice.
Movement Dictates Who Burns More
- Calorie burn increases with movement and heart rate, so the partner doing more work burns more energy.
- Abdominal muscles receive the biggest workout impact during sex.