Masturbating is a more standard action than we imagine. According to data from the Self-Pleasure Barometer study, carried out by the Japanese sexual products company Tenga on a sample of 10,000 people from different countries, 93% of Spaniards claim to have masturbated at some time.
This report places our country as number one in this habit, above the English (91%), Germans (89%), Americans (84%), and French (82%). However, despite being a widespread activity, there are still myths around it, many of them negative. In this information, we list the ten most popular.
Masturbating negatively influences infertility
“There is no scientific evidence that masturbating negatively affects fertility,” says Jesus, director of the Sexological Institute. In fact, as Ana Ares, a sexologist at the Metamorphosis Project, clarifies, “one of the functions of sex is survival as a species; therefore, the belief that the more we masturbate, the more chances of infertility we have makes no sense .”
When a man is trying to be a father, “it is recommended that he not abandon masturbation and the best thing is that he does it every two or three days to renew the sperm and increase the chances of having children,” encourages Ruth, Mariea sexologist and professor of the Autonomous University.
This fluid renewal “is positive for your body since ejaculation increases the hormone cortisol levels, which helps improve and regulate the immune system,” adds Ana Ares. On the other hand,” in men, the adequate and fluid expulsion of semen keeps the tracts and ducts clean, which keeps possible bacterial infections at bay .”
Thus, successfully becoming parents will not depend “on the frequency but on the previous quality men have,” says Rodríguez. “If this sperm is of quality, it will retain motility and normal sperm concentrations, even if you ejaculate daily .”
We must take what into account the moment of ejaculation. “If the man masturbates and ejaculates before having a sexual relationship with someone, leaving little time between it and the sexual encounter, it may be that when the man has intercourse, he only gets excited and enjoys himself, but without the desire to ejaculate,” describe Ana Ares s. It’s the only thing to keep in mind. If the man still ejaculates, “the quality of the sperm will be the same.”
Improves “sexual potency.”
Fake. “Almost everything that says that it improves the sexual potency of men is a myth,” says Rodríguez. “For gullible people, daily masturbation can produce a confidence boost and a placebo effect, but little else, since the concept of sexual potency does not exist in the scientific literature or the field of health professionals.”
Ana Ares agrees. “If by the term sexual potency we mean being adequately prepared and healthy for our sexual life, masturbation will help, since, in both men and women, it strengthens the pelvic floor, which affects the general health of both.”
In addition, in the case of men, “it prevents erectile dysfunction and in women, urinary incontinence, so it helps improve quality of life in all aspects,” he adds.
According to Maria, “masturbation helps both men and women feel better and have a broader understanding of their body .”
Has repercussions on the skin
Real. Masturbating does have repercussions on the skin, but positive ones. “When we masturbate, our body relaxes, the blood vessels dilate and, therefore, the blood supply increases, improving the skin and its oxygenation,” informs Ana Ares.
When we have sex, in the company or alone, “we secrete endorphins and oxytocin, which improves our mood and physical and mental appearance,” adds Maria.
Masturbating can decrease sexual pleasure with a partner.
How masturbating influences the ejaculatory and orgasmic response and the sensitivity of the person who practices it. “When we do it, our body is more sensitive and receptive,” says Ana Ares. According to the expert, “many men, after having ejaculated, are more sensitive in the glans area and need time to be touched again .”
In the case of women, he continues, “after orgasm, they need the same time not to touch the clitoris because so much excitement generates a sensitivity that can become annoying if that area continues to be stimulated.”
Regarding whether or not it improves relationships as a couple, Rodríguez indicates that “in the case of women, masturbating can be key when it comes to having difficulties reaching orgasm with their partner.” According to the expert, “those women who often use vibrators with high stimulation frequencies will find it very difficult to reach orgasm during penetration, even though they rub against their partners very intensely.”
In addition, he adds, “those women who masturbate directly with their hands will have more difficulty than those who rub against a surface when it comes to reaching orgasm during intercourse.”
This greater sensitivity in the area may seem harmful for sexual relations as a couple, but it is not. In the opinion of Maria, “masturbation allows us to understand our body better and know where to touch to cause more pleasure, and that helps improve and enhance sexual relations.”
The more you do it, the more you want to keep doing it.
“Masturbation is like sports. The more you do it, the more you want to continue doing it”, says. Marie For her, it is key to have a sexual routine alone or with our partner to have better physical and mental health.
Rodríguez agrees: “Masturbation is an activity that should be kept active throughout the entire life cycle, regardless of whether we have a partner. Stopping it implies a key sexual behavior for sexual health.
It does not mean that masturbating all the time is excellent and healthy. “The virtue is in the middle point since doing it compulsively can be as problematic as not doing it,” indicates the expert. “If masturbation ends up being compulsive, it will be necessary to analyze whether there is an underlying problem that must address,” recommends Ana Ares.

Orgasms are better
Orgasms with Masturbation are neither better nor worse but different. “Everything will depend on the moment, the situation, the trust, and the communication we have with the couple or ourselves,” says Ana Ares.
The main difference is that in Masturbation, “fantasy and stimulation are controlled by ourselves, and that ensures us good experiences, although sex with another person can produce indescribable doses of pleasure and very intense orgasms.” They are two different ways of seeing and understanding sex.
Helps relaxation
For the experts consulted by the medical center, it is clear and more than evident that Masturbation helps relaxation and improves mood. “The neurochemical response associated with an orgasm causes effects very similar to an anxiolytic and an antidepressant,” highlights Rodríguez.
When Masturbation is satisfactory, “our brain releases neurochemicals such as serotonin and oxytocin, which are related to feelings of relaxation and happiness, and dopamine, also known as the neurotransmitter of pleasure,” describes Ana Ares.
Reduces urinary tract infections
All experts agree that no scientific evidence exists that Masturbation reduces urinary tract infections. What is certain is that, in the case of women, with Masturbation, “the vaginal walls move and fluids and mucus are expelled. In addition, the cervix is opened and mobilized. All of this can help prevent and eliminate bacteria that can lodge in the area and cause infections, ” explains Ana Ares.
In men, he adds, “an adequate and continuous expulsion of semen through the ducts and ducts also means that bacteria do not accumulate .”
Reduces period pain
Regarding menstrual pain, Rodríguez points out that “although orgasms can have an analgesic effect, the reality is that women with medium or intense menstrual pain usually refer to an increase in said discomfort due to the stimulation of the genital and erogenous areas during masturbation.”.
For his part, Ana Ares maintains that the “analgesic effect of oxytocin and serotonin help to cope with menstrual pain.” According to her, “in many women, sexual desire increases in this cycle phase.”
Reduces the risk of prostate cancer
This benefit is perhaps the most important of all Masturbation has for men. According to the Institute of Sexology director, “recent scientific reviews published in recent years indicate that ejaculating between 2 and 4 times a week is related to a lower risk of prostate cancer .”
In this sense, Mariea encourages men to “stimulate the prostate with specific massages to reduce the risk of suffering from this disease.”