South African men have sex far less than their counterparts around the world, according to a survey.

Men in South Africa have sex on average 52 times a year, Pharma Dynamics found in its survey, which paled in comparison to the global average of 104 times a year.

Over 500 men between the ages of 18 and 55, and involved in a committed relationship, participated in the pharmaceutical company’s national survey.

Twenty-two per cent of the country’s men have sex less often than three times a month, while 16 per cent were considered to be in a sexless relationship.

Company spokeswoman Mariska van Aswegen said the men blamed everything from the economy, mounting work pressure, and the distraction of social media for their lack of sex.

“These days people touch their smartphones more than they touch their partners”

“It’s a fallacy that men are always up to the task. Stress and anxiety activates the survival system of the body and inhibits libido,” she said.

A total of 23 per cent of men surveyed admitted suffering from erectile dysfunction (ED), 12 per cent of them saying they had lived with the condition for several years

“Currently [according to urologists], it affects more than 40 per cent of SA men and urologists confirm that the condition is much more common than a decade or two ago,” Van Aswegen said.

“When asked how often SA doctors treated ED in their practice, 80 per cent of them said more than 10 times a month – a steep increase from a few years ago.”

The survey found that seven per cent of men take ED medication recreationally to boost their sexual performance, even though they do not need it.

Van Aswegen said this is dangerous as it can lead to dependence on the drug and could cause ED problems.

It is usually younger men who misuse ED drugs, she said.

According to the survey, modern technology is behind the downward trend in sexual activity in South Africa. People are taking their tablets and smartphones into the bedroom. Thirty-four per cent of the men surveyed admitted to doing this, and 51 per cent said their partner did it too.

“These days people touch their smartphones more than they touch their partners,” said Van Aswegen.

“The fact that work comes into our home now blurs the line between the bedroom and the outside world.”