Climactic protection against prostate cancer

Dear Dr G,

I recently read that having frequent ejaculations lowers the risk of prostate cancer.

Contrary to Asian beliefs, I consider frequent sex to be good for overall health.

Throughout my early twenties and thirties, I ejaculated every alternate day, which averages out at 15 times a month.

As I venture into my forties, I would like to ask Dr G if there is a credible study that supports the claim that more ejaculations lowers the risk of prostate cancer.

What is exact mechanism of this and is there a “recommended” frequency for protection against prostate cancer?

Will having frequent ejaculations in my forties protect against cancer?

Warmest regards
Clement

The Harvard Health study on this topic has been in the spotlight since it was published in 2016. Researchers surveyed nearly 32,000 healthcare professionals in New England, obtaining sexual behaviour data spanning nearly three decades from 1992 to 2010.

In addition to sexual intercourse, participants were asked to record their frequency of masturbation and wet dreams, with the sole intention of stratification of the relationship between orgasm and prostate cancer.

The study revealed participants who ejaculated at least 21 times a month in their 20s were 19% less likely to develop prostate cancer than those who ejaculated fewer than seven times per month.

Additionally, it found men in their forties who ejaculated more than 21 times a month would have further protection – as they are 22% less likely to develop prostate cancer compared to their less active counterparts.

But the Harvard study was not the first to reveal the protective benefit of frequent ejaculations – a smaller study of 2,338 Australian men shared a similar conclusion. This study from Down Under found that men who ejaculated on five to seven times a week on average before the age of 70, were 36% less likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer as compared to those who ejaculated fewer than 2.3 times per week.

In other words, daily ejaculation for men up to the age of 70 could help to protect them against prostate cancer!

Although both studies were published in well-established scientific journals, the exact mechanism of cancer risk reduction by frequent ejaculation is unknown.

Many critics of the studies offered the explanation that frequent ejaculation was more indicative of the overall health status of an individual, saying men who are sexually active tend to be healthier and therefore a lower risk of cancer.

The contrary view proposed that frequent ejaculation could remove accumulation of sperm or unknown pathogens possibly responsible for inflammatory changes in the prostate gland. Perhaps that may shed some light on the reasons behind protective effects of frequent evacuation of semen.

In reality, there is no set number of times a person should be ejaculating in order to reduce their risk of prostate cancer. Contrary to any conservative belief that frequent ejaculation is harmful to health, science suggests a dose-dependent relationship where the risk becomes lower with more ejaculations.

Hans Hofmann, an abstract expressionist artist once said; “In nature, light creates colour. In the picture, colour creates the light!”

When Dr G is put on the spot to shed some lights on the colourful world of scientific research into sexual health, his attitude is; “The potential of sex can only be guided by the light of research in order to reveal the true colour of nature!”

On that note, in conjunction with the festival of lights, I wish all readers a wonderful Deepavali!