Sexual abstinence will increase the level of testosterone in the blood and lead to rapid muscle growth, a surge of energy and improved erection? The biochemist believes that such expectations are hardly justified.
NoFap is a growing movement that proclaims the goal of giving up masturbation and even sex for long periods time, usually about 90 days. The founders describe NoFap as a community sexual health platform designed to help people with pornography addiction and compulsive sexual behavior.
However, NoFap is now making claims about the benefits of quitting masturbation that extend far beyond alleviating porn addiction. The organization reports a range of sexual, physical and mental improvements, including increased testosterone levels. Is there any evidence for this?
< span>Claimed benefits of stopping masturbation, according to NoFap |
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Sexual |
Physical |
Mental |
Increasing sexual pleasure Stronger orgasm Increased interest in healthy sexual relationships Increased sexual drive Improving self-control during sex |
Increasing muscle growth < span>Improved sleep Higher energy levels Better concentration Improving erection or curing erectile dysfunction Improving physical endurance Improving sperm quality Increasing testosterone levels |
Testosterone really does have a profound effect on men's mood. It has been shown to affect the level of motivation and happiness, and improve the course of depression. It is associated with muscle growth and physical performance (which is why it is prohibited for use in most athletic competitions). Many aspects of male sexual function are also dependent on testosterone. Why don't we connect the dots between NoFap and testosterone?
The reason is weak evidence. Two studies are regularly cited as support for the theory that sexual abstinence increases testosterone levels. In the first, ten men had testosterone levels measured twice before masturbation and orgasm, and then 10 minutes later. Next, study participants were asked to abstain from all sexual activity for three weeks. Then the described experiment with measuring testosterone levels was repeated. In the second experiment, after abstinence, the level of this hormone before masturbation was higher than after.
Despite the findings of this study, the study itself was small. The increase in testosterone levels in men may actually have come from anticipation of sexual arousal during the second experiment after abstinence. Moreover, during the first experiment, testosterone levels before and after masturbation were the same, but during the second they differed only slightly. So, without more data, it is impossible to say that abstinence increases testosterone levels.
The authors of the second study reported a 45% increase in testosterone levels after seven days of abstinence. But this was a temporary peak, after which the level returned to its previous value even after continued abstinence. Such transient fluctuations in testosterone levels are unlikely to have a lasting effect on men's health,theymay primarily serve to regulate the formation of new sperm.
On the other hand, several studies have demonstrated no effect of abstinence on testosterone levels or even increasing these levelsafter masturbation or sex. Measuring testosterone levels in 34 young healthy men after self-pleasuring showed an increase in testosterone levels. However, long-term effects have not been tested. At best, evidence linking masturbation to testosterone levels is limited or mixed.
The arguments of NoFap are countered byandThere are well-documented health benefits of sexual activity, including masturbation. The release of endorphins during orgasm causes positive feelings. Masturbation can relieve stress, help you relax, improve sleep, elevate your mood, relieve sexual tension, and even better understand your sexual needs. It may reduce the risk of prostate cancer in men, although a cause-and-effect relationship has not yet been proven.
Psychological factors
In fact, masturbation itself, apparently, has no negative effects on sexual and general health, in particular on their testosterone-related aspects. The problem may be excessive masturbation and attitude towards self-satisfaction.
Personal perceptions of masturbation may have psychological effects that influence testosterone levels. If a person has a feeling of guilt after masturbation, he may develop anxiety and depression. This feeling of guilt may stem from a sense of immorality, such as dishonesty towards a partner or religious conflict. A study that examined the motivation for sexual abstinence found that it is usually associated with the perception of masturbation as something wrong and unhealthy.
Stress from prolonged feelings of guilt, depression and anxiety can cause low testosterone levels. In such a situation, abstinence can lead to relief of these mental problems and, in theory, help increase testosterone levels. In this case, perhaps the arguments should not be about masturbation itself and its frequency, but about improving understanding of sexual behavior.
At the same time, abstaining from masturbation can help people with a destructive addiction to pornography. Taking a break from porn, masturbation, and even sex for a long time can help break the vicious cycle. Beyond that, the benefits of not masturbating are limited to anecdotal evidence, and the evidence for its effect on testosterone levels is simply lacking.
Author – Daniel Kelly, biochemist, Sheffield Hallam University
The original article was published in The Conversation
Translation — MedNews