Can masturbation boost your immune system?

2020-04-17

Have you spent all of lockdown playing with yourself? Masturbation can be a very useful outlet for relieving stress and anxiety, which many of us are feeling right now, and who doesn’t love having an orgasm – or five – a day. If you’re considering celebrating National Horny Day with yet another wank (and really, we’ve all got the time right now) are many benefits to it beyond an orgasm. Firstly, masturbation is a great way to tune out the current madness of the world and just enjoy your body. As mentioned, it reduces stress and makes us feel good by flooding your brain with happy hormones like dopamine and oxytocin – though the latter is specifically released when you climax. The dopamine can also help get rid of headaches or migraines. And, if you’re having crazy coronavirus dreams, it could improve your sleep. Speaking of the deadly COVID-19 virus, could masturbation have an additional beneficial factor, and help you boost your immune system? Let’s find out. Can masturbation boost your immune system? It’s a complicated question, because there hasn’t been enough research done in this area to give a definite answer. A small study from 2004 compared the white blood cell count (whose primary job is to stave off infections in the body) of male participants, pre- and post-orgasm via masturbation, and it showed that this count was higher after climax. The researchers, who also found that the masturbation orgasm boosted adrenaline and prolactin plasma concentrations, which is a protein hormone that has multiple functions, one of which is to be used by other immune-boosting cells. However, as we said, it was a very small study, of just 11 participants. ‘There is evidence to support that components of our immune system are activated by sexual arousal and orgasm,’ Dr Sarah Welsh, a gynaecologist and co-founder of the Hanx, a sexual wellness brand, tells us. ‘Orgasms, whether through sexual intercourse or masturbation, causes an increase in the levels of adrenaline and other immune cells within the bloodstream, indicating the positive impact sexual arousal can have on the immune system.’ Additionally, research has found that masturbation lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes, could reduce the risk of prostate cancer and reduces blood pressure. Dr Lucy Glancey, who runs a clinic in London, explains that masturbation could be beneficial to the immune system on four levels; physically, psychologically, with the aforementioned stress reduction, biologically and immunologically. ‘Psychologically, by producing a positive experience it creates a sense of well-being and therefore strengthens the individual’s mind to deal with stress, which in turn helps to combat illness. ‘Chemically by increasing the endorphins dopamine and catecholamines, which in turn can help in the “fight and flight” phase of stress on the immune system. ‘Biologically by increasing the levels of hormone called oxytocin which counteracts the negative effects of cortisol on the immune system. ‘On an immunological level, sexual arousal and orgasm it increases the circulating lymphocytes which are ‘the soldiers’ of our immune system.’ MORE: HEALTH Man with Down’s syndrome hugs mum after beating coronavirus What will Ramadan under lockdown look like? Woman who lost all her limbs at 18 becomes a brilliant makeup artist However, let’s clarify one important thing: masturbating will not cure coronavirus. And while some studies suggests that bringing yourself to orgasm could boost the immune system, more research needs to be done in the area to give a definite answer. Then again, we’re talking about orgasms and masturbation, so it can’t hurt to give it a go. Though do bare in mind that masturbation isn’t just about climax, so if you can’t get there, don’t force yourself. But, to help you along, we have put together a guide of seven different types of male orgasms and one for women on how to have a better orgasm.

metro.co.uk, 17 April 2020
; https://www.metro.co.uk