Q:My husband and I have been happily married for more than 15 years. We enjoy our sexuality on a regular basis but things are beginning to slow down a bit. My husband and friends have always joked about the philosophy of ''use it or lose it.'' Is it true that men lose their sexual prowess when they are less sexually active?

A: This age-old expression is true. According to a recently published study of nearly 1,000 men in Finland, ''Having intercourse more often may help to prevent the development of erectile dysfunction.'' Researchers observed that men having intercourse less than once a week had twice the chance of erection failure when compared with men who were engaged in lovemaking once a week. Men making love three times a week were the least likely to develop erection problems.

The research also revealed that men with more frequent morning erections had a better chance of maintaining good erections during lovemaking over the years when compared to men who were beginning to lose their morning erections. The best way to understand this phenomenon is to think of men indulging in their favorite sport as they age. Just like playing tennis or golf, staying active sexually through the years will help to preserve the agility needed to maintain being a great lover.

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