Busting 5 More Masturbation Myths

Let’s expose the truth about masturbation misinformation! If busting makes you feel good, then you want to know it also does good, right? Well, if your wank has ever had you a bit worried, we’re here to tackle five more myths about your handy habit.

Does choking the chicken affect your testosterone levels?

Amongst this often asked question are a whole host more about decrease or increase in muscle mass, lowered sperm count and even hair loss. What’s one thing these all have in common? Testosterone.

A 2003 study suggested that abstaining from jerking off for a few days can increase levels of testosterone, but it peaked at 7 days. It’s worth noting that this particular report has been retracted as of 2021. It’s important to know that several of the studies done around the topic of testosterone were performed on rats… not humans.

Testosterone naturally rises during sex and masturbation, returning to normal levels afterwards. For context, there is free T, and total T. Masturbation only affects free T but not overall levels of the hormone. So, from my research, I can tell you that if your testosterone levels are yoyo-ing, it’s unlike that the cause is wanking. There isn’t loads of studies covering this topic, however, no long-term effects on testosterone level have been linked to self-pleasure.

If you are worried about your hormone levels, please seek medical attention from a Doctor or your GP.

This myth also feeds into the idea that men and women have different sex drives, which, realistically, they do not. Testosterone affects everyone’s sex drive, not just men, and it is one of many contributing factors to a person’s libido. Plus, if you’re looking for a reason to get intimate, a Boston University study found that frequent ejaculation is linked to a decrease in prostate cancer!

So, if your main concern is that you’ll be spunking away your ‘male essence’ by wanking too much, then don’t worry.

Does masturbating burn calories? Will it help me lose weight?

According to a 2013 study by PLOS ONE, men burn an average of 4 calories a minute during moderately active sex, while women burn an average of 3 calories a minute. If you clock in a 15-20-session session, that’s only 45-60 calories.

There aren’t any official studies of your fat-burning potential while you jerk it, but it stands to reason that having a wank could burn some calories too. There’s far less movement involved than during PinV sex, though, so it’ll probably be even lower. I guess it’s up to you to use your smart watch and discover the numbers… Fap for scientific discovery!

Do asexual people masturbate?

Being asexual doesn’t mean you don’t masturbate or have sex; it just means you don’t desire sex. A great metaphor someone used to explain it to me was, “It’s like not having a favourite food but still enjoying eating.”.

I’ve found it’s best to break things down into three key points. There is a difference between Libido, Sexual Desire and Sexual Attraction:

• Libido, aka Sex Drive. This is the want to have sex and experience pleasure and release from sex.
• Sexual Desire. This is a want to have sex for any reason, including pleasure, connection or conception.
• Sexual Attraction. This is finding someone sexually appealing and wanting to have sex with them.

Some Ace people may describe themselves as touch averse, meaning they have no desire to be touched by people or to touch others. Touch aversion is not exclusive to the Ace/Aro community though; there are plenty of reasons someone may not like being touched.

There are plenty of people out there with low libidos that aren’t asexual. And there are plenty of asexual people out there who still have high libidos. Some asexual people may choose to have sex or to masturbate as a form of intimacy as opposed to because of a desire to have sex. So, basically, yes. Some asexuals do masturbate; Others don’t. It’s entirely down to personal preference and comfortability.

Masturbation changes the shape of your vagina and vulva.

NO… Part of me doesn’t want to write more, but it’s my job, so I will. *WARNING – lots of vulva ahead*

No kind of masturbation, sex or any other sexual activity will change the shape and appearance of the vulva or vagina. Even if you’re engaging in some more extreme practices, like stretching.

The vagina is a muscle and does not lose elasticity, regardless of how many people you’ve fucked or how you have sex. DO NOT let anyone tell you otherwise. A lot of the time, rhetoric like this is designed to shame and put down womxn. Here at Bondara, we’re sexually positive.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of people who are embarrassed or grossed out by their own vulvas. Work being done by The Vulva Gallery, Photographer Laura Dodsworth with 100 Vulvas, and Artist Jamie McCartney with The Great Wall of Vulva are integral to people overcoming their shame around very normal anatomy.

Does wanking too much make you go blind?

Ah, the schoolyard wanking rumours! Up there with “masturbating will make your hands hairy” and celebrities that removed ribs to give themselves blowjobs, the myth that a quick handy will make you blind has been around for a while.

A 2014 study did show in very incredibly rare cases rigorous sex can occasionally cause a blood vessel in the eye to rupture, causing issues with sight.

However, the idea that rubbing one out causes blindness is false. Although there aren’t extensive case studies, masturbating ‘too much’, or at all, is not going to cause vision loss.

If you’re interested in Sensory Play, a blindfold can be a great way to spice up a cheeky wank. With a focused sense of touch and hearing, everything will feel much more sensitive.

So, why are there so many myths about masturbation?

A lot of the myths surrounding masturbation have come from shame or misinformation about sexual health. This is why good quality sex education is incredibly important, and that’s something we strive for at Bondra.

We want you to make your own decisions about your sex life. It’s okay to masturbate all the time, sometimes or not at all. But don’t base that feeling on the fears and myths spread by other people – You have to do what feels good for you.

MYTHS BUSTED!