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Sex after 50: Fact vs. Fiction

How much do you know about sex after 50?

Shelley Emling,

Senior Director, AARP Specialized Media

En español

Published June 06, 2018

10 Questions

Sex after 50: Fact vs. Fiction

[ {
  "question" : "The optimal age for sex among single women is 60. For men, it's 56.",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "Fact",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "Fiction",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "According to Match.com's annual \"Singles in America\" survey, the best age for sex for single women is 66. For men, it's 64.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
  "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
  "question" : "Cardiac arrest fatalities rarely happens during or shortly after sex.",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "Fact",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  }, {
    "answer" : "Fiction",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "A study looked at 4,557 sudden cardiac-arrest deaths and found only 34 people died during or within an hour of sex.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
  "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
  "question" : "Most men in their 50s report at least some erectile problems.",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "Fact",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "Fiction",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "Most men are performing fine. About 1/3 of men age 50-65 report erectile problems, and more than half never develop them.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
  "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
  "question" : "Menopause is definitely NOT a sex killer.",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "Fact",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  }, {
    "answer" : "Fiction",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "People link decline in hormones to a decline in libido. But that's not true if you didn't suffer from issues before menopause.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
  "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
  "question" : "This public figure endorsed Viagra in an ad: Howard Stern.",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "Fact",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "Fiction",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "It was former Senator Bob Dole. He appeared in a 1998 ad after undergoing prostate cancer treatment.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
  "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
  "question" : "Viagra actually has a surprising household use: it can preserve cut flowers.",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "Fact",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  }, {
    "answer" : "Fiction",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "Add a small amount (1 mg) of Viagra to water, to perk up flowers and cause them to last a week longer than usual.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
  "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
  "question" : "Some 25 percent of people between ages 65 and 80 are sexually active.",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "Fact",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "Fiction",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "A University of Michigan/AARP poll found 40 percent are sexually active.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
  "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
  "question" : "Frequent sex leads to better brain health.",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "Fact",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  }, {
    "answer" : "Fiction",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "No, this isn't a come-on. A study found those engaged in weekly sexual activity scored higher on cognitive tests.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
  "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
  "question" : "Alec Baldwin once said, \"For me, the highest form of sexual excitement is in a monogamous relationship.\"",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "Fact",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "Fiction",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "It was actually Warren Beatty who said that.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
  "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
  "question" : "Orgasms become less frequent as you age.",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "Fact",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  }, {
    "answer" : "Fiction",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "In college, a man's refractory period (time between orgasms) can be 3-5 minutes. Men in their 60s may need 24 hours.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
  "questionImgCredit" : ""
} ]

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Sex after 50: Fact vs. Fiction

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Shelley Emling is Senior Director of Specialized Media at AARP, and Executive Editor of The Girlfriend newsletter, The Ethel newsletter, The Girlfriend Book Club, The Girlfriend Instagram, The Ethel Circle, and The Ethel On-The-Go.