When it comes to ways to dramatically reduce your risk of prostate cancer, eating more vegetables or joining the gym may immediately come to mind.
But, according to one expert, there’s something else that can help: masturbating.
Dr Daniel Kelly of Sheffield Hallam University, who has carried out numerous studies on the prostate, said there is “evidence” to support the theory.
A Harvard University study found that men who ejaculated 21 times a month were up to a third less likely to suffer from the disease, compared to men who only ejaculated four to seven times a month.
The findings, from 2016, were valid regardless of whether a man achieved orgasm through masturbation or sex.
Frequent ejaculation, Dr. Kelly wrote in an article for The conversation“does not cause harm” and “therefore should be part of a man’s healthy lifestyle.”
Researchers don’t know exactly why ejaculation may help protect against prostate cancer.
Dr. Kelly wrote: “Although the mechanisms are not fully understood, these studies fit with the idea that ejaculation may reduce prostate cancer by decreasing the concentration of toxins and crystal-like structures that can accumulate in the prostate and potentially cause tumors.
“Likewise, ejaculation can alter the immune response within the prostate, reducing inflammation (a known risk factor for cancer development) or increasing immune defense against tumor cells.
“Alternatively, by reducing psychological stress, ejaculation may decrease nervous system activity, preventing certain prostate cells from dividing too quickly and increasing their chances of becoming cancerous.”
One in eight men will develop prostate cancer at some point in their lives, charities say. More than 52,000 men in Britain are diagnosed with this disease each year.
But thousands are diagnosed once it has already spread, making it the second most common cause of cancer death in men after lung cancer.
Experts agree that early detection is key to increasing survival rates.
However, without a national screening program, progress has been slow in reducing the numbers.
In January, an analysis of 11 studies published over the past three decades also found that seven reported some beneficial effect of ejaculation on prostate cancer risk.
writing in the diary Clinical genitourinary cancerThe scientists said: “The emerging connection between ejaculation frequency and prostate health underscores the importance of incorporating sexual behavior into patient counseling and healthcare strategies.”
Contrary to years of research, experts now believe that men with low testosterone levels have a higher risk of prostate cancer and worse outcomes.
And since testosterone is known to increase sexual desire, a man with low levels may not have the same desire for sexual activity.
Dr. Kelly wrote: “Therefore, it may be that testosterone reduces a man’s risk of prostate cancer and also boosts his motivation for sexual activity.”
He added: “Sexual activity and ejaculation have benefits beyond the prostate, including positive effects on the heart, brain, immune system, sleep and mood.”
“So, while the link between ejaculation frequency and prostate cancer is not fully understood and there is a real need for more research, frequent ejaculation (within reason) certainly won’t do any harm, it will probably do some good. and therefore should be part of a man’s healthy lifestyle.’
More than 52,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer each year on average in the UK, making it the most common cancer in men. Around 12,000 men die each year from this disease, the equivalent of one every 45 minutes.
The risk of prostate cancer increases with age, with most cases developing in men aged 50 and over, the NHS says.
Symptoms may include needing to urinate more frequently, having to wait longer before being able to urinate, erectile dysfunction, blood in the urine, weight loss, or any new, unexplained lower back pain.
Among the celebrities who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer is Stephen Fry, who said he was “shocked” after discovering he had the disease in 2018.
In 2022, musician Jools Holland revealed that he had been successfully treated for prostate cancer after a diagnosis in 2014.
In August, Prostate Cancer UK also announced that referrals for the disease had reached a record level in the last year (an increase of 17 per cent) thanks to the ‘Bill Turnbull’ effect.
They said they believe the death of the ambassador and presenter encouraged men to go and get tested.