Testosterone is a hormone that several important bodily processes and functions depend on. For instance, testosterone is responsible for helping produce sperm and regulate fertility and libido, besides helping you produce and keep erections and build muscle and bone mass. It’s also linked to the regulation of moods and energy levels, besides several key factors of muscle and fat distribution.
Suffice to say, when you have low testosterone, your body is incapable of producing a sufficient amount of the hormone. And while low T isn’t exactly a life-and-death situation, it can affect several aspects of your overall physical and sexual health as a man.
Hallmark symptoms of low testosterone may include:
- Increase in body fat
- Loss of muscle mass and bone density
- Reduced sperm quality and diminished sperm production
- Gynecomastia, or the development of “manboobs”
- Changes in hair growth/hair loss patterns
- Depression, anxiety, and mood swings
- Low libido and erectile dysfunction
That said…the $64,000 question remains: does masturbation decrease your testosterone? Let’s find out.
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Will Masturbating Reduce Your Testosterone?
Let’s cut to the chase: there’s no scientifically-proven link between orgasms and testosterone levels, regardless of said source of orgasms, whether via “solo play” or via conventional penetrative sex. There is no reason to believe you “lose” testosterone every time you orgasm and ejaculate, even as there’s only a negligible amount of testosterone found in sperm itself. There’s no evidence supporting any claim that testosterone leaves the body along with ejaculation.
Whew! Talk about dispelling some old wives’ tales.
Anyway, the hypothalamus and pituitary glands, as well as the testicles, are responsible for constantly regulating your body’s testosterone production. If your body begins to run low on hormones, your body automatically produces testosterone when necessary.
However, the effects of masturbation on testosterone is largely undetermined due to the lack of quality research. However, here’s what we know so far.
The Science is Indeterminable and Results are Mixed
The reality is that the scientific research behind masturbation as it relates to testosterone levels is scant in number, with varying, uncertain results which already casts a cloud of doubt on the relationship between masturbation and a reduction in testosterone.
For instance, a 1999 study in the International Journal of Andrology showed mixed findings about sexual activity and its effects on hormonal levels. The researchers found that men with ED and thus engaged in less frequent sexual activity had lower T levels than those that didn’t.
Low T levels tended to be reversible for men whose ED were treated successfully, but patients who didn’t showed that they had overall lower testosterone levels.
The data from this study actually supports the notion of ejaculating boosting testosterone concentrations, particularly for men who were able to reverse their ED. But the results remain mixed, and there might be hitherto unknown factors responsible for this finding.
Another study in 2001 published in the World Journal of Urology, showed that men who refrained from engaging in sexual activity including masturbation showed improved testosterone levels after three weeks.
But the same study also indicated that plasma testosterone levels were unaffected by sexual activity of any kind.
Moreover, the studies we have quoted here are rather small in size, involving at most only 10 individuals, which casts a shadow of doubt on the significance and reliability of its findings.
Other research published in Basic and Clinical Andrology in 2021, indicated that masturbation might actually boost your body’s testosterone production, but the study was conducted on a very small sample size, making its results inconclusive.
What We Know About Masturbation and Testosterone
On the whole, there aren’t any studies or pieces of scientific evidence indicating that masturbation affects and actively reduces testosterone levels in men, or that abstaining from sexual activity or masturbation leads to any tangible increase in testosterone levels.
One thing you need to remember when talking about masturbation is that the entire process of male sexual arousal and its relation to testosterone is a complex, interlinked process, making it difficult for experts to accurately obtain data since the body’s hormonal levels substantially fluctuate throughout the day.
The relative decrease in testosterone levels men experience during mornings makes it difficult to get a hold and truly understand the nature of testosterone. That’s not to mention the issue being compounded by the difficulty to reliably prevent study participants from completely abstaining from all sexual activity for several weeks.
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The Final Word: Does Masturbation Reduce Testosterone?
Worried about your masturbation habits so much that they might be affecting your testosterone levels, you can sleep well at night knowing full well that there is no scientific basis for your fears.
Just remember that it’s perfectly healthy and normal to masturbate. There’s literally nothing wrong with masturbating when you’re in the mood for some satisfaction but are abstaining from, can’t or unable to have sex.
There’s no scientific evidence linking masturbation to diminishing testosterone levels. And when any type of sexual behavior might be detrimental to your health, that fact should be easily proven by comprehensive, trustworthy scientific studies. The existing research on masturbation and testosterone just doesn’t hold any water to provide a clear-cut relationship.
Also, do remember that low testosterone is a quite common medical condition that affects many men. If you suspect that you might have low testosterone levels due to symptoms that may resemble it, consult your healthcare provider.
Moreover, if you’re concerned about flagging hormonal level or erectile dysfunction, don’t be ashamed about reaching out to a healthcare provider for help – never take action within your own hands until you’ve been given a proper diagnosis and medical advice.
