Men and Masturbation: Understanding Why It’s Normal

Dr. Constance Odom, MD

Medically reviewed by

Dr. Constance Odom, MD

Dr. Constance Odom, MD

About

Constance Tambakis Odom, MD graduated in 1987 with her Doctorate of Medicine from the New York Medical College, and was an Anesthesiologist Resident from 1988 to 1991 at the Brookdale Medical Center PGY II (CA-I)-PGY IV (CA-III). She is Board Certified by the American Board of Anesthesiology since 1998 and American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine since 2002. Constance Odom, MD is affiliated with the American Medical Association, American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine, American Society of Anesthesiology, Georgia Society of Anesthesiology, Hellenic Medical Society of New York, North Carolina Society of Anesthesiology, and Society of Ambulatory Anesthesia.

Credentials

Medical Director At:

• Nu Image Medical
• MetroMedispa P.A.

Staff Anesthesiologist at:

• Betsy Johnson Regional Hospital in Dunn, NC
• Onslow Memorial Hospital in Jacksonville, NC
• Duplin General Hospital in Kenansville, NC

Director of Anesthesia Services at:

• Jacksonville Surgery Center in Jacksonville, NC

Written by our editorial team.

Last Edited 4 years ago · 8 min read

For men, there is a common assumption that an overly active sex drive promotes the need to masturbate frequently, especially when their sex life isn’t very active. Because it seem to be such an obvious part of men's sexual health, men tend to know what to do and how to do it, but very few know the reasons why they masturbate. Some feel that a lot of masturbation can help a sex life, while others want to argue that it can diminish the feelings and sensations of vaginal or anal intercourse. Rather than lay the blame with biology and testosterone, there are seven commonly held reasons for why men masturbate.

Reason #1: High Libido

The most obvious reason that men masturbate agrees with most speculation that a high sex drive is to blame. The act of masturbation continues to fuel sexual interest even intercourse isn’t occurring on a frequent basis, therefore sparking a desire to masturbate more. While physicians advise that there is no harm in too much masturbation, there is a caution against desensitizing the penis or becoming so engrossed in self-pleasure that other areas of your life are neglected. If you are masturbating several times a day and you are ignoring sex with your partner because of your habit, it may be a sign that you have achieved an unhealthy level of activity. There is also a condition called compulsive masturbation which interrupts your life because of the need for self-gratification without thought for timing or appropriateness. Men’s sex drive will vary from one individual to the next, so don’t compare your frequency to someone else.

Reason #2: The Sensation

Masturbation provides a different sensation from sex, especially when you consider the differences between the feel of your partner’s body and the different sensations you can create with your hand. You can control how hard or fast your efforts are or the location of sensations based on how you are feeling. When you are wanting to get your way, masturbation can meet a temporary servicing need. You have the ability to tease yourself, extend the experience, and give your penis variety with pleasure. However, despite being able to ejaculate when you have achieved satisfaction, you won’t reap the same health benefits as having sex with your partner. There is some indication that masturbation helps to reduce the risk of developing prostate cancer, but as the semen that is released during masturbation is different from that of intercourse, there aren’t as many benefits as one like to think.

Reason #3: Stress Reduction

One of the biggest ways to reduce stress is through sexual activity, and masturbation can be just as effective as the real thing. During sex, the brain produces and released greater quantities of oxytocin and dopamine. Dopamine is used by the brain to create links between reward and pleasure, while oxytocin is released to promote feelings of empathy, bonding, and generosity. This can promote feelings of intimacy and closeness when released during partnered sex. However, in general, the combination of these hormones helps reduce stress and encourages the body to relax. For men who struggle to get and maintain an erection, commonly called ED or erectile dysfunction, some of the impacting factors include both stress and a lack of emotional connection. In addition to masturbation, using a product like Mt. Everest helps you overcome both the physical and psychological challenges that impact your sex life. This product improves the blood flow to the penis to help sustain a hard enough erection for satisfaction, but it also encourages the production of both oxytocin and dopamine to help emotionally and mentally engage with your partner during sex.

Reason #4: Stagnant Sex Life

Just as too much sex drive can cause a need to masturbate, too little intercourse leaves a void with an individual’s sexual needs. For single people, masturbation can be a way to keep the love alive even when there is no one to love. When you are with a partner, there might be a difference between sexual needs and sex drives, leaving you with masturbation as a way to keep your relationship fulfilled. Creative couples use masturbation to help meet fantasy thoughts that may be too much for the partner. So long as you are still able to give your partner the sex life their desire and you are both achieving satisfaction, masturbation can simply be used as a tool to improve those experiences.

If you are male that enjoys satisfaction and pleasure, there is no shame in enjoying some solo love as often as you feel the need. While a different experience from intercourse, masturbation can improve your sex life as well as have an impact on your stress levels and hormones.

Nu Image Medical® offers a new and futuristic approach to achieving optimal health and wellness. The company has been a weight loss, anti-aging and wellness provider since 2004 and offers medically supervised programs for medical weight loss, peptides, erectile dysfunction, scream cream, and hair loss (NuDew) 

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The information contained herein is not a substitute for and should never be relied upon for professional medical advice. Always talk to your physician about the risks and benefits of any treatment. Nu Image Medical may not offer the medications or services mentioned in this article.