A 2-week high-intensity interval training intervention improves ejaculation control among men with premature ejaculation

Background: Premature ejaculation (PE), which leads to substantial distress in men and their partners, is a common male sexual dysfunction worldwide. However, there is still a lack of effective treatments without side effects. Objectives: We investigated the effect of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on PE symptoms. Materials and methods: We recruited 92 Chinese men aged 18–36 to complete the experiment. There were 22 (13 in the control group; 9 in the HIIT group) men diagnosed with PE and 70 (41 in the control group; 29 in the HIIT group) men with normal ejaculatory function. In the HIIT group, participants completed HIIT exercises every morning for 14 days. Participants also completed surveys inquiring about demographic information, erectile function, PE symptoms, body image (including sexual body image), physical activity, and sexual desire. The heart rate was measured before and after each HIIT. In the control group, participants were instructed not to do HIIT, but other procedures were the same as in the HIIT group. Results: Results indicated that the HIIT intervention alleviated PE symptoms in men with PE. In addition, in the HIIT group, men with PE who had a higher heart-rate increase during the HIIT intervention reported the greatest overall decrements in PE symptoms. In men with normal ejaculatory function, HIIT did not decrease PE symptoms. In addition, increments in the heart rate during the intervention were associated with more pronounced PE symptoms post-intervention in this group. Analyses of secondary outcome measures suggested that the HIIT intervention improved general and sexual body image satisfaction of men with PE compared to before the intervention. Discussion and conclusion: In summary, HIIT intervention may reduce PE symptoms in men with PE. The heart-rate increase during the intervention may be a key factor influencing the effect of the HIIT intervention on PE symptoms.