Effects of regular physical exercise on ejaculatory control: a comparative and interventional study among male university students

Background Intravaginal ejaculatory latency time (IELT) is a key indicator for evaluating premature ejaculation (PE). While physical exercise is beneficial for male sexual health, evidence specifically linking structured exercise programs to IELT improvement is limited. Aim To compare IELT between athletes and non-athletes, and to examine whether a 3-month guided structured exercise program improves IELT in non-athletes. Methods A mixed-design study included 67 male university students (30 athletes, 37 non-athletes). Non-athletes underwent a 3-month, guided, home-based structured exercise program. IELT was assessed via self-report. Outcomes Primary outcome was change in IELT; secondary outcomes included PE prevalence and regression modeling. Results Athletes had significantly longer median IELT than non-athletes (8.0 vs. 5.0 min, P = 0.003). Among adherent non-athletes ( n = 20), median IELT increased from 5.0 to 6.25 min post-intervention ( P < 0.001). Exercise frequency was the strongest predictor of IELT (β = 0.41, P = 0.002). Clinical implications Guided structured exercise program may serve as a feasible, non-pharmacological candidate strategy for improving ejaculatory control in young men, though its efficacy requires confirmation in randomized controlled trials. Conclusion Regular physical activity is associated with longer IELT. Preliminary findings suggest that a brief guided structured exercise program is associated with IELT improvement in non-athletes, though causal inference is limited by the lack of a concurrent control group. However, these preliminary findings require confirmation in larger, adequately powered randomized controlled trials due to the limited sample size and high attrition rate in this exploratory study.