Orgasms and intimacy and relationships, oh my! In the world of dating a majority of people think that sex acts as a glue to hold everything together, but new studies show that sex itself has very little to do with helping relationships last. Intercourse, however, is very important. Sounds confusing, right? Our Sexperts have broken down the latest research on why you can skip sex, but you can’t skip getting close.

A team of researchers were lead by Dr. Marnia Robinson, a physiologist who recently published the book Cupid’s Poisoned Arrow, in the attempts to find a chemical connection in the brain that connected a physical orgasm with the feeling of love, but their search came up empty.

Although scientists in the past have attributed foreplay and orgasms to solidifying the bond between two people, Dr. Robinson’s team have uncovered evidence that suggests that isn’t the case. The research panel found that foreplay builds sexual tension to the point of explosion, but as fast as it comes it crashes back down. Although higher levels of serotonin are released into the body during an orgasm, the fleeting feeling the body is left with after the adrenaline crash leaves much to still be desired.

So why is it still important to have sex? Robinson claims that physical contact is one of the best ways to sustain a relationship. Eye and skin-to-skin contact are one of the biggest contributors to creating a strong chemical bond; both of which are done during sex. Continue reading →