Testosterone is a hormone that is often associated with sexual desire or libido. However, it isn’t the only factor that influences these feelings. Other things that influence these feelings include dopamine and prolactin.
Many people have heard the myth that masturbation decreases testosterone levels, but that’s not true. In fact, research shows that there is no relationship between orgasms and testosterone levels.
Testosterone
Testosterone is produced in the testicles and plays a fundamental role in a lot of things, including bone density, muscle mass, body hair, red blood cell production, and sperm count. It also helps support male sex drive. Women produce it in the ovaries, but they don’t have nearly as much of it. Testosterone that’s too low is a medical condition known as hypogonadism and can cause issues like erectile dysfunction, fatigue, reduced body hair, and hot flashes.
As for masturbation and testosterone, there’s no definitive answer on whether or not it affects them in the short term. A few studies have found that ejaculation during orgasm increases levels of the hormone, but the same research has also shown that the effects are temporary. The researchers suggest that the increase may be caused by a release of testosterone from the body into the vagina during orgasm, but the rise in sperm count is only likely to happen after a few orgasms over a short period of time.
Other research has found that abstinence from masturbation results in a one-day increase in blood testosterone, but levels return to normal within a day. A study published in Basic and Clinical Andrology in 2021 also found that masturbation coupled with visual sexual stimuli reduces the natural drops in testosterone that occur throughout the day. However, this was a small study and it’s hard to know how accurate the results are.
Ejaculation
We’re not going to lie: the relationship between ejaculation, masturbation, and sex is a complicated one. The truth is, ejaculation itself doesn’t increase testosterone levels. It does release sperm and some testosterone that would have otherwise stayed in the body, but serum testosterone is largely unaffected by ejaculation. However, it does appear that repeated ejaculation may lead to sexual exhaustion and a decrease in the body’s androgen receptor activity. Interestingly, it takes from 7-15 days for testosterone levels to return to normal after a prolonged period of ejaculation. This is likely due to the body’s sexual satiation. The brain begins to see no need to keep the reproductive system on high alert.
Masturbation
Some men with low testosterone avoid masturbation for fear it will cause their levels to drop even more. However, the research on this is conflicting.
Researchers haven’t been able to create an environment in the lab that mimics how people masturbate in real life, so it’s hard for them to evaluate the short-term effects of masturbation. There also haven’t been any studies that have looked at the long-term effects of masturbation on testosterone levels.
One study that did use a real-life setting, such as a United States sex club, found that visual sexual stimuli helped to decrease the natural dips in testosterone that can occur throughout the day. But that study was small in size and focused on a single group of men, so further research is needed to confirm its findings.
Most of the testosterone in your body attaches to two specific proteins, albumin and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG). When you masturbate, your body releases free testosterone into the bloodstream, where it can attach to any other cell. Masturbation prevents a drop in SHBG and increases the amount of free testosterone in your body, which may increase your libido.
If you have low testosterone, your doctor can help you find ways to raise it naturally. Lifestyle changes and testosterone replacement therapy can both help you regain healthy levels.
Sperm
Testosterone is the key male sex hormone that controls the production of sperm and other sexual functions. It is produced in the testes and delivered to the penis by the ejaculatory gland (the prostate and 2 other glands called seminal vesicles). The sperm that is injected into the vagina during orgasm contains testosterone along with other sperm-producing chemicals.
During orgasm, motor nerves control the contraction of your ischiocavernosus and bulbocavernosus muscles to form a fully rigid erection and eject semen through the urethra. The ejection of semen is usually accompanied by orgasm, but it can also happen by itself, especially after masturbation.
While a common belief is that ejaculation releases both sperm and testosterone, this is not entirely true. In fact, a typical ejaculation only contains tiny amounts of testosterone and sperm. Most of the sperm is made from your body’s other sperm-producing cells, and only a small amount of your own serum testosterone is released during ejaculation. In fact, a number of studies have found that multiple ejaculations in a short period of time can cause a temporary decrease in androgen receptor activity.
