Scientists find clear link between when you lost your virginity and your brain development

It's one of the biggest deals in the world until it actually happens, but it turns out the age in which we lose our virginity might have more of an impact than we first thought.

There's an immense social pressure on people to have sex as soon as we reach our later teenage years, but the reality is that people may not be physically or mentally ready for it.

In fact, those folks who appeared on the recent series of Virgin Island may well be better off according to a recent study, which found that those people who hit their stride in the sex scene from an early age score worse when it comes to ageing-related measures, including longevity indicators and self-rated health.

The four things most impacted are physical frailty, low mood, COPD (a type of lung disease), and ADHD.

But why does something that tends to happen in your teens affect your health decades later? Is teenage sex bad for us?

The scientists have unpacked some of the reasons why the link exists.

The studies found that there were more health problems associated with those who had an earlier genetic predisposition towards sex (Getty Stock)

The researchers used a method known as Mendelian randomisation, which uses genetic data to see whether people with gene variants associated with earlier sexual activity showed any differences in how they aged.

And the kind of factors that make it more likely we'll have sex at a younger age can also affect our health.

For instance, teenagers who go through puberty earlier are also more likely to lose their virginity earlier.

The study authors write that earlier puberty 'is associated with prolonged exposure to sex hormones, which increases oxidative stress and DNA damage'.

Then there's the fact that teenagers who have sex earlier are also more likely to take part in other risk-taking behaviours such as smoking, which might explain why the link with COPD, which is often linked to tobacco use.

The researchers also reckon that 'earlier sexual debut appears to increase susceptibility to depressive phenotypes', i.e. the observable characteristics of depression. Depression is known to accelerate the ageing process.

Maybe these guys are on to something (Channel 4)

The scientists think the study provides 'compelling evidence for prioritising early sexual health education, as delaying sexual initiation and fostering healthy sexual attitudes emerge as effective strategies to promote healthy ageing'.

But it's important to stress again that the act of having sex at a slightly younger age does not automatically set you up for ill health in your later years - just that it's associated with various risk factors that can speed up ageing.

“Our findings do not mean a single behaviour determines a person’s future health,” first author Kaixian Wang said. “Instead, they highlight how early-life experiences may cluster with mental health challenges, chronic disease risks, and functional decline over time.”

Interestingly, the research comes as Gen Z are seemingly delaying or abandoning the idea of sex, which might well be frowned upon by older generations, but it also might just give their health a boost as they age.