Will giving up masturbation improve me as a person?
The internet is rife with sex misinformation – and our F***ing Nonsense series is here to bring you the real facts. Next up, can saying no to self-pleasure bring real-life benefits?
The internet is rife with sex misinformation – and our F***ing Nonsense series is here to bring you the real facts. Next up, can saying no to self-pleasure bring real-life benefits?
“More masculine presence is needed in this world and not cumming is the best way to unlock it,” a comment reads in bold as I scroll through Reddit. It’s just one of many comments on r/Semenretention, a 139,000-strong community of men dedicated to resisting sex and masturbation (ejaculating, basically) at all costs.
Average posts in this forum range from men sharing podcast clips with big claims about the supposed benefits of not ejaculating, to seeking help with almost “breaking the rules” as members struggle to keep up with their “abstinence streaks”.
Why are they doing this? Because Subreddits like this – along with other similar online communities on Reddit, Discord and TikTok – are full of misinformation, claiming that curbing your jerking off habit and avoiding partnered sex will “unlock your masculinity”.
Essentially, misinformation stating that “the less you wank the more manly you will be”, is all over the internet. Creators speak about their ejaculate as a “life force”, expanding their potential to be a better man, better boyfriend, or a better “alpha male”.
A bit of sexism comes into play here too, because of course it does. Influencers in the #NoFap space claim that men who struggle to get women will have this magically solved by stopping masturbating because “they’ll have to talk to women to get to nut” or similar sentiments. This is, of course, a horribly misogynistic idea. Women are people, not simply opportunities to cum. So if you come across these communities and feel tempted to join in, bear in mind that you’re getting your sexual health information from people who can’t even imagine half the population as human beings.
The #NoFap tag is also huge on TikTok, with nearly 100,000 posts spreading myths such as “your brain power is limited by masturbation” and “as soon as you stop masturbating, you’ll find other areas of your life improve drastically”.
Most of the influencers and leading commentators in this space seem to hinge these claims onto one particular myth: that reducing how much you have sex (with yourself or with a partner) will heighten your testosterone levels. That, they say, will increase your overall masculine vibes in turn.
The thing is, none of this is true. There is no reliable scientific information out there at all supporting an increase in testosterone through avoiding ejaculation.
There are two studies in particular that are often brought up to support this myth in these videos. In the first one, ten men had their testosterone levels measured twice (baseline) before masturbation and orgasm (several tests are more reliable than just one), and then in ten minute intervals after.
This was followed by a three-week period in which they were instructed to refrain from “any type of sexual activity”. After that period, the process was repeated. Testosterone was reported as being higher in the baseline measurements after abstinence.
Despite the conclusions of the research, the sample size of this study was tiny. And the increase in testosterone may have actually been due to the anticipation of sexual arousal in the second experiment after abstinence.
The second study reported a 45 per cent increase in testosterone levels after seven days of abstinence. But this was a temporary peak which then returned to the same levels as before, even with continued abstinence, and stayed that way. Such transient alterations in testosterone levels are unlikely to have any lasting effects on men’s health and may primarily serve as a regulator of the creation of new sperm.
If anything, studies that have actually looked into masturbation and testosterone thoroughly have found the opposite to be true. There was either no effect of abstinence on testosterone or that testosterone levels were actually higher after jerking off or sex. There are also physical and mental health benefits connected to masturbation that you’ll be missing out on if you ditch the self-pleasure.
According to experts, frequent ejaculation is good for prostate health, and masturbation helps relieve stress and tension. It can also help you sleep better, and has a positive effect on work life, relationships and overall wellbeing. So there’s no need to put an end to tossing the salad – turns out it can actually be good for you!
