Ejaculation frequency and prostate cancer (2022)

Research into whether sexual activity affects prostate cancer risk has found no sign that frequent ejaculation increases risk; instead, higher frequency is associated with lower risk. In a US study, 29,342 health professionals reported how often they ejaculated at different stages of life. Men reporting at least 21 times monthly had a 31% lower prostate cancer risk than those reporting four to seven times monthly. The association remained after researchers accounted for other lifestyle factors and differences in PSA testing. Ejaculations included intercourse, masturbation, and nocturnal emissions.

An Australian study of 2,338 men found a similar pattern: those averaging 4.6 to seven ejaculations weekly were 36% less likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer before age 70 than men averaging fewer than 2.3 weekly. The apparent reduction was strongest for ejaculation frequency in young adulthood, though it appeared across age groups. These findings do not explain why the association exists or establish that ejaculation itself prevents cancer. They do suggest that exposures during early prostate development may shape risk much later, and point to early adulthood as a period worth investigating in future research.