Last updated on October 7, 2020
Question:
I have another question. Do you get energized from not masturbating? I didn’t masturbate yesterday night and the next morning, I was completely energized, which usually isn’t the case. Are there any other benefits to not masturbating?
Answer:
When you don’t masturbate as often as you usually do, then your sexual desire rises as the semen builds up in your seminal vesicles. The main hormone that rises is dopamine. With its rise, you are more likely to get erections, which in turn causes adrenaline and your heart rate to increase, though these bursts only last as long as the erections. With long absence, testosterone rises very slightly (0.5 ng/ml) over a three week period.
When you orgasm and ejaculate you release prolactin is released in a burst and that counters the dopamine and causes it to quickly lower. This sudden shift is what makes you relax and feel less stressed.
Dopamine regulates:
- movement
- memory
- pleasurable reward
- behavior and cognition
- attention
- inhibition of prolactin production
- sleep
- mood
- learning
Prolactin is involved in sexual enjoyment, regulates your blood sugar levels and if too low appears to negatively impact your physical activity.
Therefore, yes, you may find a difference in your mood and apparent energy, but the effect temporary and as time progresses it becomes a distraction. Each male is different, but finding a regular schedule for ejaculating keeps your moods more even.
Sources:
- “Does ejaculation affect testosterone levels?“
- Dr. Ananya Mandal, MD, “Dopamine Functions“
- Bahar Gholipour, “Men’s Sexual Problems Linked to Low Prolactin Levels“