Masturbation and Immunity, A Link? What You Wanted to BUT Were Afraid To
This article is also posted in Spanish. I provided a link at the end of of the posting.
Written by Maria Cohut, Ph.D. —
Fact checked by Alexandra Sanfins, Ph.D.
There are claims that masturbation can influence the strength of the immune system, but does any scientific evidence support this? Medical News Today considers the science behind this claim and speaks to experts to find out more.
Can masturbating influence the immune system, and if so, for how long? We investigate. Image credit: Eddie Pearson/Stocksey
Masturbation is a normal, healthy activity — yet myths about it still abound. That is partly because this activity is, even today, highly stigmatized in many societies around the world, perhaps because it can be pursued outside of heteronormative, monogamous relationships.
Meanwhile, studies suggest that the pleasure of masturbation can bring various health benefits, including stress relief, improvements in mood, and pain relief, including the relief of menstrual cramps.
There is also some anecdotal evidence that links masturbation with either increased or decreased immunity. What does the research say about this, and is there enough evidence one way or the other? We investigate.
Can male masturbation boost immunity?
The studies that look at the potential impact of masturbation on the immune system are few and far between. Moreover, they are affected by the gender data gap, so there is almost no information about the alleged effect as far as female bodies are concerned.
One study from 2004 — published in the journal NeuroimmunomodulationTrusted Source — asked 11 male volunteers to masturbate until orgasm. The researchers drew blood from these participants as they were masturbating, as well as during a control set-up, when no sexual activity was involved.
They then measured the presence of various markers of immune system activity in the blood — leukocytes, lymphocytes, lipopolysaccharide-induced interleukin 6, and tumor necrosis factor alpha — during control conditions, as well as before orgasm, and at 5 and 45 minutes after the volunteers achieved orgasm through masturbation.
The study found that masturbation temporarily increased the activity of some components of the immune system, namely leukocytes, and in particular natural killer cells, which fight cancer tumor cells and cells infected by viruses.
Throughout the years, many media outlets have cited this study to support the idea that masturbation could help improve the immune response — yet health experts warn that the findings should be taken with more than a pinch of salt.
“First, a sample of 11 individuals is not good enough” to prove that masturbation benefits immune function, Dr. Jagdish Khubchandani, a professor of public health at New Mexico State University, told Medical News Today.
“Second, there are no repeat trials on these individuals,” he cautioned.
“Third, they are healthy volunteers, which could cause bias and [a] lack of generalizability — e.g., to different age groups and people with disease histories. Fourth, it is not easy to [determine] if masturbation causes [a] spike in immunoprotective molecules or [if this is due to] the accompanying reduction in stress.”
– Dr. Jagdish Khubchandani
“Finally,” Dr. Khubchandani emphasized, “the bigger concern is about the transient rise in immune markers that could not guarantee long-term immunity enhancement or protection from diseases.”
While the authors of the initial study conducted a “follow-up,” this research did not include the original participants, nor did it focus on masturbation, specifically. The new study, published in European UrologyTrusted Source in 2016, included self-reported data from 31,925 male participants who answered questionnaires about ejaculation frequency over a period of 18 years.
The research aimed to confirm whether there was a correlation between the frequency of ejaculation and the risk of prostate cancer. It did, indeed, find a “beneficial association” between more frequent ejaculation and a lower risk of prostate cancer.
However, as the study authors acknowledged, there were limitations, including the fact that self-reported data can be inaccurate and incomplete and that “The literature exploring the role of sexual activity in the etiology of [prostate cancer] is inconsistent.”
Sex-based differences
If research into the effects of masturbation on the immunity of male bodies is limited and inconsistent, research into these possible effects on female bodies is even more lacking.
Only one study, published in The Journal of Sexual MedicineTrusted Sourcein 2014, appears to have looked at whether and how sexual activity, including masturbation, in females might influence their immune response.
This research analyzed data from two cohorts that included both male and female participants. It specifically focused on the link between parameters of depression and sexual activity, and how their interaction might influence immunity.
The study concluded that in female participants with high levels of depression, partnered sexual activity resulted in lower markers of immunity. However, the frequency of masturbation was not associated with immunity markers.
Many questions remain unanswered, including those about the potential relationship between depression, various forms of sexual activity, and immunity in females.
Why might masturbation influence immunity?
According to the limited data provided by the studies on male masturbation, the act of self-pleasuring appears to boost immune cell activity.
Dr. Jerry Bailey, who specializes in men’s health and holistic health practices, explained to MNT that “The increase in arousal state and release of hormones during and after orgasm boosts immune cells and hormones.”
“This effect,” he claimed, “can last up to 24 hours post-orgasm. However, the greatest of benefits are within 60 minutes of orgasm.”
Are any of these possible benefits enough to help prevent viral infections? Health experts emphasize that, as appealing as the idea might be, masturbation does not have a strong enough influence on the immune system to help it keep pathogens at bay.
“Masturbation is not for long-term or sustained immunity development,” Dr. Khubchandani stressed.
He did, however, acknowledge that masturbating can bring some other benefits, such as “help[ing] with good sleep, stress relief, [and] mood elevation.”
Are there side effects to masturbation?
Masturbation is a normal and healthy sexual activity with few side effects. Many bizarre claims surround masturbation, such as going blind, and most of these claims are untrue.
Masturbation is when an individual stimulates their genitals for sexual pleasure, which may or may not lead to orgasm. Masturbation is common among men and women of all ages and plays a roleTrusted Source in healthy sexual development.
Research has foundTrusted Source that among adolescents aged 14–17 years in the United States, around 74 percent of males and 48 percent of females masturbate.
Among older adults, roughly 63 percentTrusted Source of men and 32 percent of women between 57 and 64 years of age masturbate.
People masturbate for many reasons. These include pleasure, enjoyment, fun, and tension release. Some individuals masturbate alone, while others masturbate with a partner.
This article looks at the potential side effects of masturbation and sorts the facts from the fiction regarding masturbation myths. It also identifies some of the health benefits of masturbation.
Masturbation myths
Depressed and anxious man sitting cross-legged on bed.
Many myths exist about the risks of masturbation, however none of these have been proven.
There are many myths about masturbation. Even though many of these have been debunked several times, they seem to resurface time and time again.
Most claims about masturbation are not backed up by science. There is often no scientific evidence to show that masturbation causes any of the adverse effects suggested. Masturbation will not cause:
blindness
hairy palms
impotence later in life
erectile dysfunction
penis shrinkage
penis curvature
low sperm count
infertility
mental illness
physical weakness
Some couples worry that their relationship must be unsatisfying if either one of them masturbates; this, too, is a myth.
Most men and women continue to masturbate either alone or together when they are in a relationship or married, and many find it an enjoyable part of their relationship.
One study found that women who masturbated had happier marriages compared to those who did not masturbate.
Masturbation side effects
Masturbation is harmless. Some people may experience chafing or tender skin if they are too rough, but this will usually heal in a few days.
If men frequently masturbate within a short space of time, they may experience a slight swelling of the penis called an edema. This swelling usually disappears within a couple of days.
Other potential side effects include:
Guilt
Some people who worry that masturbation conflicts with their religious, spiritual, or cultural beliefs may experience feelings of guilt. However, masturbation is not immoral or wrong, and self-pleasure is not shameful.
Discussing feelings of guilt with a friend, healthcare professional, or therapist that specializes in sexual health might help a person to move past feelings of guilt or shame that they connect with masturbation.
Decreased sexual sensitivity
Man and woman in bed looking upset, having sexual intimacy problems.
Aggressive or excessive masturbation techniques may lead to reduced sexual sensitivity.
If men have an aggressive masturbation method that involves too tight a grip on their penis, they can experience decreased sensation. A man can resolve this over time with a change of technique.
Enhanced stimulation, such as using a vibrator, may increase arousal and overall sexual function in both men and women.
Women who use a vibrator have reported improved sexual function and lubrication, while men experienced an improvement in erectile function.
Prostate cancer
The jury is out as to whether masturbation increases or decreases the risk of prostate cancer. Researchers need to conduct more studies before they can reach a conclusion.
A 2003 studyTrusted Source demonstrated that men who ejaculated more than five times each week during their 20s were one third less likely to develop aggressive prostate cancer than those who ejaculated less often.
Researchers speculate that the reduced risk was because frequent ejaculation may prevent the build-up of cancer-causing agents in the prostate gland.
A similar link between frequent ejaculation and a lower risk of prostate cancer was discovered in a 2016 studyTrusted Source. Researchers found that men who ejaculated 21 times per month or more had a reduced risk of developing prostate cancer.
In contrast, a 2008 studyTrusted Source found that frequent sexual activity during a man’s 20s and 30s increased his risk of prostate cancer, especially if he masturbated regularly.
Disrupting daily life
In rare cases, some individuals may masturbate more than they desire, which may:
cause them to miss work, school, or important social events
interrupt a person’s daily functioning
affect their responsibilities and relationships
serve as an escape from relationship issues or substitute for real-life experiences
Someone who thinks they might be adversely impacted by their masturbation practice should speak with a healthcare professional.
A doctor or counselor may suggest talk therapy to determine ways that they could manage their sexual behavior.
Consulting a sex therapist may also help with coping strategies for excessive masturbation. To locate a local sex therapist, a person can visit the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (AASECT).
Takeaway
Some people may feel embarrassed, guilty, or ashamed when talking about masturbation. But masturbation is normal, healthy, and not something to feel guilty about.
Masturbation will not lead to blindness or cause physical and mental health problems. In many cases, masturbation has more health benefits than adverse effects.
Masturbation is usually only a problem if it begins to interfere with daily life and relationships with friends, family, coworkers, and romantic partners.
In those circumstances, it may be helpful to speak to a healthcare professional, especially a sex therapist.
You are welcome to ask questions and I will identify a health care expert to answer.-
Questions, comments can be posted on the blog site following this article.
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