Cardiologists in France have advised their fellow countrymen to have more sex, citing the many mental and physical health benefits of regular intercourse.

Sex is not just fun, but also has painkilling properties and can work like an antidepressant by encouraging the production of "pleasure hormones" dopamine and serotonin, The Federation Française de Cardiologie said in a statement, released on Valentine's Day.

"Scientists and health professionals agree on the multiple health benefits of regular sexual activity," it said, adding that it has "multiple benefits to cardiovascular health"—so in layman's terms, it is particularly good for the heart.

"Sexual activity requires a physical effort of a moderate intensity, which is comparable to climbing two flights of stairs at a brisk pace", they said.

It also "helps eliminate toxins, increases the heart rate, helps blood circulation and strengthens the muscles in the heart."

It is even safe for most people with heart conditions to enjoy a normal sex life, as they "can generally maintain regular sexual activity and will benefit from its protective effect on the heart," the cardiologists said.

Bad Sex in Fiction 2015 nominees Show all 8 1 /8 Bad Sex in Fiction 2015 nominees Bad Sex in Fiction 2015 nominees List of the Lost, Morrissey Eliza and Ezra rolled together into the one giggling snowball of full-figured copulation, screaming and shouting as they playfully bit and pulled at each other in a dangerous and clamorous rollercoaster coil of sexually violent rotation with Eliza's breasts barrel-rolled across Ezra’s howling mouth and the pained frenzy of his bulbous salutation extenuating his excitement as it whacked and smacked its way into every muscle of Eliza's body except for the otherwise central zone. Bad Sex in Fiction 2015 nominees Against Nature, Tomas Espedal She presses him to the ground, pins his hands to the floor. She kisses his face and licks it. She bites his lip. She bites his cheek. She pants in his ear, shouts his name in his ear, she whips his face with her hair […] she rides above him the way she'd imagined that one day she’d ride a boy, a man, a beast; she grasps his long hair with both her hands and rides him as if he were a horse… Bad Sex in Fiction 2015 nominees The Martini Shot, George Pelecanos I pulled her to me. I took her band off, and her hair fell free about her shoulders. I cupped my hand around the back of her neck, and we made out standing beside my bed. It felt good to both of us, pressed together, her body lush, soft, and hot against mine. She was a good kisser; our mouths fit. Bad Sex in Fiction 2015 nominees The Making of Zombie Wars, Aleksander Hemon Far in the back of whatever was left of his mind, the light of reason was struggling against being finally extinguished and he was aware that wearing a condom would’ve been a good idea, but there was no way that he was getting out of her, because she took him in and he was with her in every move, in every gasp, kiss, and lick. Bad Sex in Fiction 2015 nominees Before, During, After, Richard Bausch She reached up and brought him to her, then rolled over on top of him and began softly to move down. When she took him, still a little flaccid, into her mouth, he moaned, ‘Oh, lover.’ Bad Sex in Fiction 2015 nominees Book of Numbers, Joshua Cohen Her mouth was intensely ovoid, an almond mouth, of citrus crescents. And under that sling, her breasts were like young fawns, sheep frolicking in hyssop – Psalms were about to pour out of me. Bad Sex in Fiction 2015 nominees Fear of Dying, Erica Jong I am swept away with waves of anticipation that blank out my mind and let me focus only on pleasure, releasing the painful past, releasing the desire to return there and be young and beautiful again. Fuck young and beautiful – this is worth everything – and I come with fierce contractions that seem to go on and on endlessly. Bad Sex in Fiction 2015 nominees Fates and Furies Glorious, he was made to do this. There was cracking all around and a blistering sunlike heat, and Gwennie was shuddering beneath him, and one-two-three, he burst within her.

In the same way a healthy sex life leads to a healthy heart, the federation stressed that the opposite is true. It said men suffering from erectile dysfunction should get to a doctor, as impotence can be a sign of impending heart problems.