A healthy and natural sexual activity is masturbation. It is when a person stimulates their genitals or other sensitive parts of the body for sexual pleasure and arousal. There are a lot of myths and taboos that show masturbation as something bad. One of them is that masturbation decreases testosterone levels in your body. Testosterone is the main hormone, which is responsible for sexual arousal and activity. Decreased levels of this hormone may cause low libido, decreased sexual ability, and other problems. In this document, we will discuss how to increase your testosterone levels if are low and if this myth is true or not.
Masturbation
This is an integral part of the sexual development of everyone and it is common at all ages, genders, and sexes. However, research shows that 48% of females and 78% of males masturbate. This sexual activity has several health benefits including better sleep, decreased stress, increased mood, relief from pain, and others. By doing so, you can avoid sexually transmitted diseases (STIs) or undesired pregnancy.
However, many people think that is something bad that decreases sperm count or may provoke erectile dysfunction (ED) and feel guilty about it. But, masturbation is a natural and healthy activity, and there is no reason for guilt.
In any case, people who masturbate also may experience low sperm count or ED but it means that unlikely the cause of these problems is this activity.
Does Masturbation decrease Testosterone?
At this moment, there is no scientific evidence exists about a real connection between masturbation and low T. However, a study shows that men with erectile dysfunction had decreased T compared to other participants. Those who were responsive to ED treatment have increased T levels compared to those who were unresponsive and they continue to have low T.
There is another study that showed a man who abstained from any sexual activity including masturbation had increased levels of testosterone. This study also showed that man has no changes in testosterone levels even after ejaculation.
Additionally, a study in 2021 showed that visual sexual stimulation and masturbation may decrease the rate of drop in testosterone, which may occur during the day.
Generally, there is not enough scientific data to make sure whether this sexual activity affects testosterone levels or not. Additionally, consult a doctor right away if you are unable to control excessive masturbation because it may lead to problems in your daily life.
Reduced Testosterone Levels
Low T is common in older males because testosterone tends to decrease naturally with aging. However, there are other factors that may decrease your levels of testosterone including medicines, obesity, diabetes, prostate cancer, and others. You may notice certain symptoms such as low sex drive, ED, or loss of pubic or armpit hair, which may be a symptom of low T. Therefore, it is advised to talk with a healthcare professional if you experience any of the symptoms listed above. Physicians usually prescribe Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT), which is available in different forms such as oral pills, nasal gels, skin gels, pellets, and others.
You can naturally increase your testosterone levels. Check some examples below:
- Regular exercise
- Lose weight if you are overweight
- Quit smoking
- Limit alcoholic beverages
- Have a healthy diet with nutrients, and others.
Ask your healthcare provider if you have any questions.
