6,353
edits
Fapstinence: Difference between revisions
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
→Lack of scientific evidence
| Line 23: | Line 23: | ||
In the US's long-running General Social Survey (GSS), pornography non-use was a significant predictor of sexlessness in the years 2000-2018, suggesting that abstention from pornography is generally associated with a lower sex drive, voluntarily celibacy, and perhaps a slower [[life history theory|life history speed]].<ref>https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2767066</ref> | In the US's long-running General Social Survey (GSS), pornography non-use was a significant predictor of sexlessness in the years 2000-2018, suggesting that abstention from pornography is generally associated with a lower sex drive, voluntarily celibacy, and perhaps a slower [[life history theory|life history speed]].<ref>https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2767066</ref> | ||
== Lack of scientific evidence == | == Lack of scientific evidence == | ||
The hype around fapstinence appears to have gained impetus from a 2011 [[Reddit]] post to /r/TIL about a single Chinese study claiming fapstinence would boost T levels by 45% above baseline ( | ===Testosterone and fapping=== | ||
The paper has since been retracted because "it significantly overlaps with a previously published article in Chinese (Jiang, 2002)", and so the original study it is based on has not been translated to English.<ref>Jiang M, Xin J, Zou Q, Shen JW (2003)"A research on the relationship between ejaculation and serum testosterone level in men." Journal of Zhejiang University Science A. 4 (2): 236–240. doi:10.1631/jzus.2003.0236.</ref><ref>https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12506329/</ref> | The hype around fapstinence appears to have gained impetus from a 2011 [[Reddit]] post to /r/TIL about a single Chinese study claiming fapstinence would boost T levels by 45% above baseline (paper stated 145.7% above baseline after 7 days of abstinence).<ref>https://old.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/i514e/til_when_men_dont_masturbate_for_7_days_their/</ref> | ||
This study went on to spark discussion on Reddit that led to creation of the initial no fap subreddit. | |||
The paper has since been retracted because "it significantly overlaps with a previously published article in Chinese (Jiang, 2002)", and so the original study it is based on has not been translated to English, making the specific methodology used uncertain.<ref>Jiang M, Xin J, Zou Q, Shen JW (2003)"A research on the relationship between ejaculation and serum testosterone level in men." Journal of Zhejiang University Science A. 4 (2): 236–240. doi:10.1631/jzus.2003.0236.</ref><ref>https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12506329/</ref> | |||
This experiment was furthermore based on a tiny sample and has not been independently replicated. More recent experiments have discovered that exposure to pornography and masturbation can ''increase'' free testosterone levels,<ref>https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12610-021-00148-2</ref> which is supported by earlier research.<ref>https://theconversation.com/nofap-can-giving-up-masturbation-really-boost-mens-testosterone-levels-an-experts-view-157701</ref> Though the effects of masturbation and porn usage on men's hormonal profiles seems to be transitory and of little practical significance both ways, and the research in this realm can be considered to be in its infancy.<ref>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.693121</ref> | This experiment was furthermore based on a tiny sample and has not been independently replicated. More recent experiments have discovered that exposure to pornography and masturbation can ''increase'' free testosterone levels,<ref>https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12610-021-00148-2</ref> which is supported by earlier research.<ref>https://theconversation.com/nofap-can-giving-up-masturbation-really-boost-mens-testosterone-levels-an-experts-view-157701</ref> Though the effects of masturbation and porn usage on men's hormonal profiles seems to be transitory and of little practical significance both ways, and the research in this realm can be considered to be in its infancy.<ref>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.693121</ref> | ||
Explaining these seemingly contradictory findings, is possible that masturbation causes a small spike in testosterone release (seemingly associated with sexual arousal in general),<ref>https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0306453093900056</ref> but that abstaining from masturbation can also weakly boost testosterone, possibly as an adaption to increase mating drive as testosterone does increase libido. This explanation, however, may not be sufficient to explain this T boost as even the administration of reasonably large amounts of [[anabolic steroid|exogenous testosterone]] (roughly equivalent to 4x the amount of testosterone most men produce naturally, disregarding differences in individual metabolism of exogenous T) only moderately increases libido in most males.<ref>https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1440244099800073</ref> | Another experiment, this one using a repeated measures design with a mere 10 male subjects, found a small increase in serum testosterone levels specifically ''in response'' to sexual arousal and masturbation after three weeks of complete sexual abstinence.<ref>https://www.researchgate.net/publication/225384248_Endocrine_response_to_masturbation-induced_orgasm_in_healthy_men_following_a_3-week_sexual_abstinence</ref> The baseline testosterone levels of the men were similar both before and after abstinence, and the difference between the two conditions was only marked following sexual arousal. The authors concluded that "on the other hand, the increased testosterone concentrations may have resulted from enhanced sensitivity to anticipatory cues, since testosterone secretion increases in anticipation of sexual interaction" (ibid). Thus, this study simple seems to find that being exceptionally horny can increase men's testosterone levels. | ||
Explaining these seemingly contradictory findings, is possible that masturbation causes a small spike in testosterone release (seemingly associated with sexual arousal in general),<ref>https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0306453093900056</ref> but that abstaining from masturbation can also potentially weakly boost testosterone, possibly as an adaption to increase mating drive as testosterone does increase libido. This explanation, however, may not be sufficient to explain this T boost as even the administration of reasonably large amounts of [[anabolic steroid|exogenous testosterone]] (roughly equivalent to 4x the amount of testosterone most men produce naturally, disregarding differences in individual metabolism of exogenous T) only moderately increases libido in most males.<ref>https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1440244099800073</ref> Furthermore, Exton et al. (2001) only found higher serum testosterone was associated with abstinence per se when combined with sexual primes, as noted above. | |||
The short-term boost in testosterone in this study, moreover, if replicable, was likely so small and of such a short duration that it would play no practical role in driving differences in behavior, sexual drive, or physiological changes. Hormone studies have discovered it seems to generally require both large,<ref>https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/406451</ref> and possibly chronic<ref>https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ab.10050</ref> doses of testosterone to drive even modest behavioral changes in test subjects. | The short-term boost in testosterone in this study, moreover, if replicable, was likely so small and of such a short duration that it would play no practical role in driving differences in behavior, sexual drive, or physiological changes. Hormone studies have discovered it seems to generally require both large,<ref>https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/406451</ref> and possibly chronic<ref>https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ab.10050</ref> doses of testosterone to drive even modest behavioral changes in test subjects. | ||
| Line 35: | Line 39: | ||
It is unlikely that this small increase in androgen receptor density in the brain (assuming this holds true for humans) would play much of a function in altering behavior to any large degree (especially in the absence of large changes in T levels). This neural change likely mainly serves to inhibit excess sexual activity on behalf of male mammals, as the down-regulation in receptor density was the largest among rats that were allowed to copulate ''ad libitum'' with receptive females. | It is unlikely that this small increase in androgen receptor density in the brain (assuming this holds true for humans) would play much of a function in altering behavior to any large degree (especially in the absence of large changes in T levels). This neural change likely mainly serves to inhibit excess sexual activity on behalf of male mammals, as the down-regulation in receptor density was the largest among rats that were allowed to copulate ''ad libitum'' with receptive females. | ||
Thus, these rat studies likely simply prove that no-fap makes one more sexually motivated due to sexual frustration, which is pretty obvious prima facie. | Thus, these rat studies likely simply prove that no-fap makes one more sexually motivated due to sexual frustration, which is pretty obvious prima facie. | ||
===Is masturbation harmful=== | |||
The bulk of scientific research suggests masturbation is not harmful unless it is excessive or occurs in public.<ref>George R. Brown, MD (July 2019). "Overview of Sexuality". Merck Manuals Professional Version. Retrieved 4 March 2020.</ref> Pornography consumption is unlikely to cause inceldom,<ref>https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2378023121996854</ref> and even consumption of degenerate porn is unlikely to affect mental functioning as it is generally [[antifragility|hard to perturb]]. Porn consumption is correlated with some negative life outcomes, but this is suspected to be explained by other variables rather than by porn itself.<ref>https://raceandconflicts.home.blog/2021/02/18/on-the-effects-of-pornography/</ref> | The bulk of scientific research suggests masturbation is not harmful unless it is excessive or occurs in public.<ref>George R. Brown, MD (July 2019). "Overview of Sexuality". Merck Manuals Professional Version. Retrieved 4 March 2020.</ref> Pornography consumption is unlikely to cause inceldom,<ref>https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2378023121996854</ref> and even consumption of degenerate porn is unlikely to affect mental functioning as it is generally [[antifragility|hard to perturb]]. Porn consumption is correlated with some negative life outcomes, but this is suspected to be explained by other variables rather than by porn itself.<ref>https://raceandconflicts.home.blog/2021/02/18/on-the-effects-of-pornography/</ref> | ||