What Happens to Your Body When You Quit Masturbation for Good?
New research sheds light on the unexpected consequences of giving up masturbation entirely. Experts warn that abstaining from sexual activity, including self-pleasure, may negatively affect both physical and mental health for men and women.
Dr. Tara Suwinyattichaiporn, a sex and relationship expert, told the Daily Mail that forgoing sexual stimulation can lead to heightened anxiety, depression, and stress.
The absence of affection, touch, and sexual connection may also increase frustration, potentially resulting in more aggressive behavior. A 2021 study supports this, linking sexual frustration to heightened risks of aggression, violence, and crime driven by unfulfilled desires or displaced frustration.
For men, abstaining from ejaculation could elevate the risk of prostate cancer. A 2016 study published in European Urology found that men who ejaculated at least 21 times per month had a lower prostate cancer risk compared to those ejaculating only four to seven times monthly.
Researchers suggest that regular ejaculation helps flush out harmful carcinogens that accumulate in the prostate, reducing cancer risk, as noted by the Urology Care Foundation. Additionally, urologist Dr. Tobias Kohler explained to WebMD that without regular erections, men may experience penile tissue changes, leading to reduced elasticity and potential shortening of the penis.
Women, meanwhile, may face vaginal atrophy—a condition where vaginal tissues thin, dry, and sometimes shorten—due to prolonged sexual inactivity.
A 2002 study in China involving 28 men also revealed that testosterone levels surge by 145.7% on the seventh day of abstinence, but only if ejaculation occurs, suggesting a periodic hormonal cycle tied to sexual activity.
These findings highlight that abstaining from masturbation or sex may have far-reaching effects on both body and mind, challenging the notion that cutting out “me time” is harmless.