Does Masturbation Decrease Testosterone?
We know, this is a pretty intense topic to be posting about. But we think it’s a necessary discussion to have.
Truthfully, there is a lot of tension around the topic of masturbation, and it can be uncomfortable for some people to talk about it. But this discussion is important and we know that some of you men out there need the answers to these types of questions.
So let’s just remove the stigma for a little bit and have an open, honest discussion about how masturbation can affect your testosterone levels.
What Really Is Testosterone?
Let’s first take a look at what testosterone is and what it does for your body.
Testosterone is the primary male sex hormone. It is mainly responsible for the growth of the male sex organs, but it has many other functions as well.
Testosterone causes facial hair growth, plays a role in weight management, maintains libido, boosts sex drive, forms red blood cells, increases muscle growth, and helps regulate mood.
This hormone is powerful and important. And it’s actually present in women, although at much lower levels. For women, testosterone maintains bone strength, helps with libido, and works with estrogen to maintain proper function of the ovaries.
Why Does Testosterone Matter?
Testosterone is a critical element to men’s health. As you can see, it contributes to so many different systems in our body and helps accomplish so many different functions.
You need to make sure that your body has enough of this precious resource to accomplish all it needs to effectively. Improving your testosterone levels can have incredible benefits to your health.
Higher T levels can promote increased muscle growth, improved sex drive, higher energy, and more. Your overall performance as a man can improve by making sure you have enough T throughout your body.
The Woes of Low Testosterone
But the real reason why testosterone matters is because of what happens to your body when there is not enough T to go around.
Everyone can experience a few moments or days with low testosterone. That is incredibly normal, but many men are regularly deficient in testosterone, and it can have some pretty dire effects on your health and life.
Low testosterone can cause several unpleasant symptoms, like:
- Increased body fat
- Depressed mood
- Lower sperm count
- Low sex drive
- Lower cognition
- Loss of muscle strength
These are just a few of the side effects of low testosterone. It’s no wonder that many men are concerned about keeping their T levels up. And that is why questions about masturbation and testosterone arise. In fact, men are willing to do whatever they need to keep their T high and healthy.
But the fact is that a huge number of men are subject to inadequate testosterone levels. Your testosterone decreases by 1% per year, starting at age 30. And almost 40% of men over the age of 45 are affected by low T.
The fact is that many men struggle with low testosterone. This common ailment is nothing to be ashamed of, but you can do something about it.
What Do Normal T Levels Look Like?
So we know that many men struggle with not producing enough valuable testosterone, but that begs the question, what does it look like to have normal testosterone levels.
Well, the answer is a bit more complicated than you may think.
Ever-Changing
Testosterone is a hormone, and hormones are tricky chemicals to nail down. Your body is constantly ebbing and flowing with its hormonal balance. That’s why normal T levels come in a range. Specifically, between 300 and 1,000 nanograms per deciliter (ng/dL) is considered an average amount.
If that seems like a wide range to you, that’s because it is. Testosterone levels vary wildly, even throughout the day. There are some crazy ways that different, random events can trigger a response in your testosterone levels.
What Are Common Causes of Low T?
Many different factors can cause low T, including weight gain, side effects to certain medications, and head trauma. But, by far, the most common cause is aging.
We’ve said it already, but your testosterone decreases with age. It’s simply a part of life that you have to deal with.
But the good news is that you don’t have to be stuck in low T. There are ways to improve your levels so that you can get back to feeling like yourself again.
How Do I Know If I Have Low T?
If you struggle with the symptoms described earlier in the article, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you have low testosterone levels. Many different ailments cause those symptoms, so it’s best to talk to a doctor about any symptoms you are experiencing.
If you’re concerned about your T levels, ask your doctor to conduct a testosterone levels test. With a simple blood test, you can find out how much total testosterone is in your body and how much free testosterone is in your body.
Total testosterone is the total amount of testosterone in your body. Free testosterone is the amount that your body can use. This free testosterone is essential when considering T levels, and it’s free testosterone that needs to live between 300 and 1,000 ng/dL.
Once you have a definitive word from your primary care provider on the levels in your body, you can be informed enough to go and take action.
So, The Big Question
Alright, now for the main event. Does masturbation decrease testosterone? The short answer is “kind of, but not really.”
Let’s go to some specific studies that can shed some light on the subject.
A Look at the Science
There have been various studies about this topic, but none of them have been very conclusive or all-encompassing. Not to mention, the results have produced a wide variety of claims.
One study claims that orgasming increased testosterone in the short-term. However, another study claims that ejaculating didn’t increase blood T levels at all. Meanwhile, a study claimed that men see a sharp spike in T levels within seven days after ejaculation.
Your Baseline
But the point of it all is that it seems that masturbating can change your T levels for a brief period of time. Still, there is no evidence to suggest that masturbation will permanently decrease your base levels of testosterone.
Ejaculation and masturbation are all just normal changes that happen to the body that elicit a response from the hormonal system. The problem only comes when there is a problem with that system, and masturbation can cause no such problem.
So, there you have it. Masturbation does not have a negative, long-term effect on your testosterone levels. But, don’t go away! There's still some vital information ahead.
Masturbation
There is a lot of taboo around the subject of masturbation, and also a lot of myths surrounding it. We know masturbation has no adverse effects on T levels, but what are some of the medical benefits of masturbation?
We know this subject can get a little uncomfortable. Just remember that we’re having an open and honest discussion about this topic, free from stigma. You might be surprised at what you learn.
First, The Myths
There are a lot of things that need to be debunked about masturbation before we go on. Many people have blamed masturbation for infertility, blindness, mental health issues, and reduced sexual function.
This is simply not true. Masturbation is a healthy and normal part of the human sexual experience. It’s a safe form of sex that can be done individually or with a sexual partner.
The Benefits
There are a number of different health perks that come with masturbation. Let’s break it up into two categories: sexual health and physical health.
In regards to sexual health, masturbating has a lot to contribute. For one, it can release sexual tension, allowing you to explore your sexuality on your own. This can enable you to become more familiar with your sexual responses to communicate that to your sexual partner better.
Not to mention, masturbating can help familiarize yourself with your own body and increase confidence, self-esteem, and body image.
There are also several physical benefits to masturbating.
For starters, masturbating is a way to promote the release of endorphins in the brain. Endorphins are a positive neurotransmitter in the brain that causes feelings of physical and emotional well-being. That’s a great start!
Masturbating can also help with stress regulation, relaxation and even promote healthier sleep.
So as you can see, masturbation can actually bring you a lot of health benefits. Now that we know that, let’s head back to testosterone levels.
How Can I Boost My Low T?
If you don’t already struggle with low T levels, you may be at risk in the future. This is why everyone needs to know what to do to promote T levels in your body and how you can assist your body in keeping T levels up.
Exercise
Working out is your best friend, not only for health T levels but also for all sorts of other health benefits!
Exercise has been proven to promote an increase in your testosterone levels. Medium to high-intensity workouts utilize muscles and your body’s ability to make energy. So it only makes sense that exercise increases testosterone. After all, both of those functions are two of testosterone’s key roles in the body.
It has been previously thought that high-intensity workouts produce greater testosterone levels in the long run, but that is not true. High-intensity exercises create higher initial T levels. However, both medium- and high-intensity workouts can produce about the same amount of testosterone in the body.
Diet
Eating right is also incredibly important for healthy T levels. If you’re constructing a diet for yourself specifically to increase testosterone, there are two main things to focus on.
First, reduce your sugar intake. Eating sugar has also been found to decrease testosterone levels. So, it is best to either avoid it or drastically reduce the amount you consume.
Also, focus on a low-calorie diet.
Low-calorie diets can promote an increase in T levels, but they can also make you feel great. It is important to remember to eat plenty of vegetables and get the nutrients you need for normal body function. Creating a regular diet routine will help your body adapt better and help hormone levels fluctuate less.
Lose Weight
Obesity is one of the leading causes of low T levels. So if you have a higher weight and struggle with low T, losing weight is of the utmost importance.
High levels of cholesterol can prohibit the amount of free testosterone in the body. This means decreasing cholesterol and losing weight can potentially greatly affect sustaining healthy T levels.
Supplements
Dietary supplements are a way to support your body in creating adequate levels of testosterone. Supplements use natural ingredients to promote higher testosterone production in the body.
Supplements can support your hormonal system in creating testosterone for you. They can help promote higher energy levels and better performance in workouts and life.
Conclusion
So there you have it. Masturbating does not prohibit T levels or affect long-term testosterone production. In fact, masturbation is a healthy way to increase the endorphins in your brain to reduce stress, help with sleep, and much more.
But if you struggle with low testosterone levels, there are things you can do to make an impact on your body. Making better health choices and taking quality supplements can promote healthier T production in your body.