Millions of men embark on ‘No Nut November’ today that will see them abstain from masturbating or having sex for a month

The annual Internet challenge for men to give up any kind of sexual release for the entire month of November has begun, but men’s health experts say the benefits are all in your head.

Since its inception in 2011, followers of the No Nut November movement (a name derived from the unpleasant term “cracking a nut”) have credited abstaining from ejaculation for improving their mental health and clarity, their gastrointestinal problems, and their increased self-confidence.

No Nut November has attracted millions of men around the world in the hope that it will increase their sperm count and health, increase testosterone levels, and have better athletic performance.

Reddit forums dedicated to the Internet challenge lit up early Wednesday with countless men detailing their struggles during the first of the 30 days and many others issuing football locker room-style pep talks urging them to keep going.

The self-discipline required to go 30 days without ejaculating is probably responsible for people’s improved self-confidence, proving to themselves that they can set a goal and achieve it.

But experts told DailyMail.com that if men want to see higher testosterone levels and more eager sperm, No Nut November is not the way to achieve it.

Dr Fenwa Milhouse, a board-certified urologist with expertise in sexual dysfunction, told DailyMail.com: ‘My first honest impression of No Nut November was that clearly a urologist didn’t think about it.

‘As we know now, there is actually no solid scientific evidence that it is beneficial to intentionally withhold ejaculation, especially for that period of time.

“And in fact, there is more evidence about ejaculation and its potential benefits than anecdotal reports, which is basically what we have, reports of improved well-being.”

Many men who embark on the No Nut November journey aim to increase testosterone, but neither masturbation nor ejaculation have been shown to have long-term positive or negative effects on testosterone levels.

Dr. Fenwa Milhouse told DailyMail.com that, contrary to what No Nut November followers believe, there is more evidence showing the benefits of ejaculating regularly.

In fact, some studies, including one published in the Sexual behavior files In 2016, they reported that testosterone levels increased after orgasm.

Men may also claim that they want to try No Nut November to improve the health and volume of their sperm.

Although studies have shown Semen volume and sperm count. increase after two days of abstaining from any sexual release, when it came to the health of that sperm, abstinence seemed to have a negative effect.

The motility, or ability to move and shape sperm, which allows them to fertilize an egg to start a pregnancy. It decreases after two days of abstinence..

After one day of abstinence, an estimated 42 percent of the sperm moved normally. But by the 10th, that rate dropped to 38 percent, and even further to 33 percent by the 14th.

Some men may take the challenge as a way to improve their physical prowess, an idea that gained popularity with world-famous boxer Mike Tyson, who abstained from sex for five years to improve his boxing performance, a move most He later called it “stupid.”

The notion of retaining semen to improve performance goes back even further than Mr. Tyson’s trend. In ancient Greece and Rome, sexual activity before a sporting event was often considered to cause suboptimal athletic performance.

The most touted benefit among No Nut November participants is the improved mental health and self-confidence that comes with the ability to moderate overwhelming physical impulses.

Dr Boback Berookhim, a New York-based urologist and specialist in men’s sexual health, told DailyMail.com: “From a philosophical point of view, having control over the various bodily impulses has a benefit in terms of self-discipline, self-control and kindness “. to improve one’s overall sense of self over time.

Dr. Boback Berookhim said that while there is no real harm in trying to go 30 days without ejaculation, there are also no clinically proven benefits.

‘Does that mean that person needs to abstain from sexual activity for a month?’ He doesn’t convince me but to each his own. “It certainly won’t be harmful.”

While holding back can increase a man’s sense of awareness and mental clarity, there is more evidence to support sexual liberation.

The feel-good hormone oxytocin increases during sex, which can relieve stress and improve feelings of relaxation, resulting in better sleep.

During sex, the brain also releases a flood of dopamine in response to sensations of pleasure. Dopamine is known as the pleasure chemical, but it is also essential for feeling romantic attachment and intimacy. That is why a healthy sex life is essential to maintain the romantic bond between the couple.

There is even a link between ejaculating regularly and the prevention of prostate cancer, although more clinical research on this association needs to be completed before scientists can establish a possible causal link.

It’s unclear how many followers No Nut November has, but the dedicated Reddit page has 145,000 followers.

The page has been active since the early hours of November 1 with cheesy messages of encouragement to fellow ‘soldiers’ around the world.

The act of abstaining is uncomfortable, something very evident in the number of online posts by men in distress showing images of falling cartoon airplanes and many versions of a popular meme showing a boy trying so hard not to speak that his veins of his skull become visible.

Withholding sexual release can cause emotional distress and difficulty concentrating.

And at the end of the day, the body can still find a way to expel ejaculate in the form of nocturnal emissions, more commonly known as wet dreams.

Wet dreams are not always the product of sexual arousal. Rather, they are a way for the body to filter out old sperm to make room for new ones.

Dr Berookhim said: ‘There are concepts of this everywhere. You have a dry January and there is intermittent fasting. I think people in general are trying to take control of some of their more bodily impulses. And that in itself I don’t think is so negative.

“There is certainly an element that someone who controls their impulses will have greater self-confidence.”

“But to assume that this will lead to important physiological differences in terms of sports performance or in terms of hormonal fraction, simply does not exist.”