When it comes to men’s health issues, prostate cancer stands out prominently. It’s the second most diagnosed cancer in men worldwide, closely trailing lung cancer. And in the UK, it’s the most common cancer among men.
Prostate, being a reproductive organ primarily tasked with aiding semen production—the fluid that carries sperm during ejaculation—has long intrigued researchers regarding the impact of sexual factors on a man’s prostate cancer risk. Specifically, does ejaculation offer protection against prostate cancer?
It’s intriguing to note that there’s some evidence supporting this notion. A recent review encompassing all relevant medical investigations conducted over the past 33 years revealed that seven out of 11 studies reported some beneficial effect of ejaculation frequency on prostate cancer risk.
Though the mechanisms aren’t entirely understood, these studies align with the idea that ejaculation might reduce prostate cancer by lowering the concentration of toxins and crystal-like structures that can accumulate in the prostate, potentially leading to tumors.
Exploring Potential Mechanisms
Additionally, ejaculation could alter the immune response in the prostate, reducing inflammation—a known risk factor for cancer development—or enhancing immune defense against tumor cells.
Alternatively, by reducing psychological stress, ejaculation might dampen nervous system activity, preventing certain prostate cells from overly rapid division and thereby decreasing the likelihood of them becoming cancerous.
However, despite these suggested mechanisms, research indicating ejaculation’s protective nature suggests that specifics matter.
Age plays a role. Sometimes, ejaculation frequency was protective only in the ages of 20 to 29, or 30 to 39, and sometimes only in adulthood (50 years or older), actually increasing risk in younger life (20 years).
Other times, ejaculation in adolescence (when the prostate is still developing and maturing) had the most significant impact on prostate cancer risk decades later.
Frequency Matters: How Often is Often Enough?
But just how frequent is frequent? Well, quite frequent in some cases.
A Harvard University study found that men who ejaculated 21 or more times per month had a 31% lower risk of developing prostate cancer compared to men reporting four to seven ejaculations per month throughout their lifetime.
Similar findings were echoed in Australia, where the likelihood of prostate cancer diagnosis before age 70 is 36% lower in men who ejaculated on average five to seven times a week compared to men ejaculating less than two to three times a week.
Differing Perspectives and the Need for Further Research
However, other research takes a much more modest view, with over four ejaculations per month being the frequency at which ejaculation produces protective effects in some age groups and cohorts.
Drawing general conclusions from this research is challenging, especially given the considerable differences in study methodologies.
Factors such as varied populations of men studied, the number of men included in analyses, and differences in how ejaculation frequency is measured (whether it includes sexual intercourse, masturbation, and nocturnal emissions) can muddy the picture.
Indeed, ejaculation frequency measurement relies on self-reporting and often on data from many years and decades ago. Therefore, it’s at best an estimate and can be influenced by attitudes, both personal and societal, towards sexual activity and masturbation, which may lead to over- or under-reporting.
There might also be a bias in prostate cancer detection with highly sexually active men delaying or avoiding hospital visits out of fear that cancer treatment might disrupt their sexual activity. These men with high ejaculation frequency may thus have prostate cancer that goes unreported in these studies.
It’s also plausible that ejaculation doesn’t protect against prostate cancer and that the links are due to other factors. For instance, men ejaculating more frequently might lead healthier lifestyles that reduce their chances of being diagnosed with cancer.
Considering Testosterone’s Role
Testosterone, the primary male sex hormone, is also a crucial piece of the puzzle.
It’s known to increase sexual desire, so a man with low testosterone levels may not have the same drive for sexual activity leading to ejaculation as a man with higher levels.
Contrary to initial beliefs that high testosterone levels in men increase prostate cancer risk, the current view suggests that not only do they not increase this risk, but low testosterone concentrations actually do. This holds particularly true for men with existing prostate cancer who fare worse when testosterone is low.
Thus, testosterone might indeed reduce a man’s prostate cancer risk and, furthermore, boost his motivation for sexual activity.
Despite this, most studies don’t measure testosterone levels and at best only acknowledge it as a potential influencing factor. One study that measured the male sex hormone found that men who ejaculated frequently had higher testosterone levels. And it was these men who also had a reduced risk of prostate cancer.
The Benefits of Ejaculation Extend Beyond Prostate Health
The benefits of sexual activity and ejaculation go beyond just prostate health, encompassing positive effects on the heart, brain, immune system, sleep, and mood. Therefore, while the link between ejaculation frequency and prostate cancer isn’t fully understood and there’s a real need for more research, frequent ejaculation (within reason) certainly won’t harm, likely will benefit, and thus should be part of a man’s healthy lifestyle.
