Fellas, ever wondered if you're not masturbating enough? No, of course you haven't. However, maybe you should because there is an optimum number of times guys should be whacking it to keep themselves healthy.
Well, according to one study anyway, which found that men should be ejaculating at least 21 times a month to reduce their risk of prostate cancer.
The research, from Harvard medical school no less, found that men who are having 21 orgasms a month could cut their odds of developing prostate cancer by 33 percent.
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The researchers studied 31,925 healthy men who filled in a questionnaire about the frequency of their orgasms all the way back in 1992. The men, who were aged 20-29 and 40-49 were then monitored until 2010. During that time, 3,839 of them were diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Researchers then looked into the findings and found that those who said they ejaculated 21 times a month, were less likely than the guys who said they orgasmed four-seven times a month.
Researchers wrote: "We found that men reporting higher compared to lower ejaculatory frequency in adulthood were less likely to be subsequently diagnosed with prostate cancer."
However, they didn't speculate on why it reduces the risk of prostate cancer.
Writing about the findings on its website, the NHS says: "If you want to do it as a preventative method, then it wouldn't pose any health risks."
Adding that any 'lurid' stories you might have heard - like that it gives you hair palms or makes you go blind - are false. Good to know.
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This isn't the first study to link masturbation and reduced risk of cancer, either. All the way back in 2003, researchers in Aussie questioned over 1,000 men with prostate cancer and 1,250 who didn't have it, about their sexual habits. They found that those who had ejaculated the most between 20 and 50 were least likely to develop cancer.
Graham Giles, of the Cancer Council Victoria in Melbourne, who led the research team, told New Scientist: "It's a prostatic stagnation hypothesis. The more you flush the ducts out, the less there is to hang around and damage the cells that line them."
He added that masturbation was more effective than sexual intercourse, because it didn't carry the risk of STDs. He also said that the 'protective effect' was greatest while men were in their 20s.
And if that's not enough of a reason to convince you, Planned Parenthood also lists a bunch of other reason why men should be proud to be wankers - it can improve self-esteem, help you sleep better, reduce stress and relieve sexual tension.
So, unless its seriously impacting your life - you can find out more about sex addiction here - fill your boots.
Featured Image Credit: Universal PicturesTopics: Interesting, Health