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I’ve heard that, especially for men over 50, ejaculating at least 2 or 3 times per week can help clear out prostatic fluid build-up and reduce the chance of getting prostate cancer. Is there any truth to that? And if my partner only wants sex 2 or 3 times a month, does that mean I have to masturbate twice a week to keep my prostate healthy?

That seems excessive to me. I mean I do have a higher sex drive than my wife and would like to have sex once a week, but don’t have a drive much higher than that, so that much masturbation seems too much. What are your recommendations on prostate health? Thanks.

Responses

  • Michael Castleman says:

    You’re almost correct. Several large, rigorous studies show that as ejaculations increase, risk of prostate cancer decreases. And not just for men over 50, but for men of all post-puberty ages.

    However, you’re not quite right about the reason this is so. Build-up of prostatic fluid doesn’t matter. But prostate cancer is, to some extent, sexually transmitted. There’s a strong association between risk and the number of sexually transmitted infections men have had (chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, etc.). Questions remain about this association, but ejaculating flushes germs out of the urinary tract and prostate, which experts theorize is the reason frequent ejaculations are associated with reduced prostate cancer risk.

    On the other hand, plenty of men don’t ejaculate several times a week and DON’T develop prostate cancer. So please don’t feel under any obligation to ejaculate two or three times a week.

    It’s a matter of opinion how much solo sex is “too much.” Leading sexologists hold that men should feel free to self-sex as much as they like—assuming it’s in private and doesn’t interfere with partner lovemaking in relationships. Many many men masturbate daily, some more than once a day. But if you’d rather not self-sex that much, that’s perfectly fine.

    Beyond frequent ejaculations, there are other ways to reduce prostate cancer risk:
    • Don’t smoke. Smoking triggers cells changes that increase risk of many cancers, including prostate.
    • Eat at least five daily servings of fruits and vegetables—and the more the better. Fruits and vegetables are rich in antioxidant nutrients. A diet high in antioxidants is linked to lower risk of ALL cancers. (Note: Antioxidant supplement formulas are not as effective as eating lots of fruits and vegetables.)
    • Consider taking medication for benign prostate enlargement. Some studies show that these drugs also reduce prostate cancer risk. Discuss this with your physician or urologist.

    Finally, if you’re over 50, see a urologist annually. That increases the chance that any prostate cancer will be detected early when treatment is most effective.

    I wish you sizzling sex for life.

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