# Are there any physiological effects of abstinence? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 18, 2016, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-physiological-effects-of-abstinence/763188 "2016-08-18T17:30:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mr.Kobayashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@Mr.Kobayashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Kobayashi)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2016, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-physiological-effects-of-abstinence/763188/1 "2016-08-18T17:30:43Z")
Or, does no nookie/dates with Rosie palm have any upsides? Other than the well know effect of making you a wizard if you go without it until 30, that is. All I can find is tons of bro-science about it increasing your testosterone levels supposedly making gym gains easier to all sorts of claims about having higher energy levels and less confusion. What’s the SD? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2016, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-physiological-effects-of-abstinence/763188/2 "2016-08-18T18:39:20Z")
> [@Mr.Kobayashi](#): > > Or, does no nookie/dates with Rosie palm have any upsides? Other than the well know effect of making you a wizard if you go without it until 30, that is. > > All I can find is tons of bro-science about it increasing your testosterone levels supposedly making gym gains easier to all sorts of claims about having higher energy levels and less confusion. What’s the SD? My Doc sez it is good for your prostate to ejaculate. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2016, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-physiological-effects-of-abstinence/763188/3 "2016-08-18T18:47:30Z")
[http://www.harvardprostateknowledge.org/does-frequent-ejaculation-help-ward-off-prostate-cancer](http://www.harvardprostateknowledge.org/does-frequent-ejaculation-help-ward-off-prostate-cancer) _Two relatively large studies of this question, reported in 2003 and 2004, yielded good news for sexually active men: high ejaculation frequency seemed to protect against prostate cancer._ ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2016, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-physiological-effects-of-abstinence/763188/4 "2016-08-18T18:48:28Z")
You can’t go without ejaculating. If you don’t due to stimulation, it’ll end up happening in your sleep. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2016, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-physiological-effects-of-abstinence/763188/5 "2016-08-18T20:46:04Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > You can’t go without ejaculating. If you don’t due to stimulation, it’ll end up happening in your sleep. TMI warning! I’ve had “nocturnal emissions”. I’ve also gone long periods without ejaculating. I’ve not observed a strong correlation. > [@](#): > > The frequency that one has nocturnal emissions has not been conclusively linked to frequency of masturbation. > **[Nocturnal emission](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nocturnal_emission)** > > A nocturnal emission, also known as a wet dream, sex dream, or sleep orgasm, is a spontaneous orgasm during sleep that includes ejaculation for a male, or vaginal lubrication and/or an orgasm for a female. > Nocturnal emissions happen after stressful dreams in REM sleep which activate the sympathetic nervous system hence leading to ejaculation. > Nocturnal emissions can start as early as age nine and are most common during adolescence and early young adult years, but they may happen any time after ... ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2016, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-physiological-effects-of-abstinence/763188/6 "2016-08-19T06:23:15Z")
> [@naita](#): > > I’ve had “nocturnal emissions”. I’ve also gone long periods without ejaculating. I’ve not observed a strong correlation. This. Both my husband and I have always had frequent sex and/or masturbation. And we’ve nevertheless both had nocturnal (or diurnal) emissions. ---
**Author:** ![D18](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@D18](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D18)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2016, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-physiological-effects-of-abstinence/763188/7 "2016-08-19T16:14:02Z")
^Sure, rub it in! (So to speak.) ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2016, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-physiological-effects-of-abstinence/763188/8 "2016-08-19T16:36:00Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > My Doc sez it is good for your prostate to ejaculate. My doctor told me the same thing, but I let him know in no uncertain terms that I wanted to keep our relationship on a professional level. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2016, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-physiological-effects-of-abstinence/763188/9 "2016-08-19T17:25:12Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > My doctor told me the same thing, but I let him know in no uncertain terms that I wanted to keep our relationship on a professional level. So, now he pays _you_? (rimshot)😛 ---
**Author:** ![Vicsage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/e68b1a/32.png) [@Vicsage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vicsage)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2016, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-physiological-effects-of-abstinence/763188/10 "2016-08-19T17:37:42Z")
According to a Seinfeld episode, lack of sex makes men smarter and women dumber. Everything I know comes either from Seinfeld or Star Trek. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2016, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-physiological-effects-of-abstinence/763188/11 "2016-08-19T19:39:08Z")
Well, it tends to correlate with childlessness to a statistically significant degree… ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2016, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-physiological-effects-of-abstinence/763188/12 "2016-08-19T19:57:40Z")
> [@Vicsage](#): > > According to a Seinfeld episode, lack of sex makes men smarter and women dumber. Everything I know comes either from Seinfeld or Star Trek. Ah, that explains Spock. …And Sheldon Cooper. ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2016, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-physiological-effects-of-abstinence/763188/13 "2016-08-19T21:59:15Z")
> [@md2000](#): > > Ah, that explains Spock. …And Sheldon Cooper. And Sherlock. ---
**Author:** ![albino\_manatee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/albino_manatee/32/2_2.png) [@albino\_manatee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/albino_manatee)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2016, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-physiological-effects-of-abstinence/763188/14 "2016-08-21T19:10:35Z")
the voices inside my head tell me if one does not ejaculate regularly … the calcium deposits which normally coagulate/flow out from the urethra will start coagulating/creating into gall-bladder-stone … or was it kidney-stone? ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2016, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-physiological-effects-of-abstinence/763188/15 "2016-08-21T19:23:59Z")
> [@albino\_manatee](#): > > the voices inside my head tell me if one does not ejaculate regularly … the calcium deposits which normally coagulate/flow out from the urethra will start coagulating/creating into gall-bladder-stone … or was it kidney-stone? You need to teach the voices some human physiology then. The kidneys are not involved in ejaculation, neither is the gall bladder or the liver. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2016, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-physiological-effects-of-abstinence/763188/16 "2016-08-21T19:32:39Z")
So just the kidney, gall bladder and liver, then? ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2016, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-physiological-effects-of-abstinence/763188/17 "2016-08-21T22:00:52Z")
> [@teela\_brown](#): > > And Sherlock. Which one?