# Is ejaculation physically depleting? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 10, 2005, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-ejaculation-physically-depleting/283954 "2005-01-10T00:03:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2005, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-ejaculation-physically-depleting/283954/1 "2005-01-10T00:03:20Z")
If this has been covered in numerous “is masturbation bad for you?” threads, my apologies. But can a guy uh, run himself down, whether it’s masturbation or sex? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9bd4f/32.png) [@The\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Cat)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2005, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-ejaculation-physically-depleting/283954/2 "2005-01-10T00:41:11Z")
lol, haven’t you ever tried. I’d say experiments of this type occupied about half my time when I was 14. Eventually you just can’t get an erection anymore. Or it becomes so raw that it ceases to be enjoyable. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9bd4f/32.png) [@The\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Cat)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2005, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-ejaculation-physically-depleting/283954/3 "2005-01-10T00:42:38Z")
also to clarify, are you talking about the long term or short term effects of beating off? ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2005, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-ejaculation-physically-depleting/283954/4 "2005-01-10T01:02:29Z")
Orgasm definitely takes a toll on the central nervous system, and it gets your cardiovascular system going pretty well too. But that’s not gender-specific, and I don’t know anything special about ejaculation. ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2005, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-ejaculation-physically-depleting/283954/5 "2005-01-10T01:11:01Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > But can a guy uh, run himself down, whether it’s masturbation or sex? Do you mean “run himself down” in the sense that he can’t come any more, or “run himself down” to the point where he becomes utterly exhausted and damages his health? The former, of course! The latter . . . well, I don’t know, but it seems like the former would kick in early enough to preclude it! ---
**Author:** ![SlickRoenick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@SlickRoenick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlickRoenick)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2005, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-ejaculation-physically-depleting/283954/6 "2005-01-10T02:23:01Z")
I don’t know if this will help answer your question since this is just my experience that i’ve recently noticed. Lately when i reach my climax, i feel really exhausted. But it might have something to do with standing up, turning around, and lifting the toilet seat lid in a really fast motion. I feel fine a few seconds after that though. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2005, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-ejaculation-physically-depleting/283954/7 "2005-01-10T02:29:57Z")
Not really. It’s certainly less so that the vast majority of exercises. Sperm and semen are pre-produced, so all you lose is a bit of fluids, and a few calories burned for the involuntary muscles. _Can_ you deplete yourself? Not easily. When the body decides it has had enough, it will stop responding. Of course, some obsessed individuals will make orgasm their lifestyle and neglect vital hygiene, work habits, and socialization. This can lead to physical depletion, but the culprit is not the ejaculation, but the behavior associated with it. QtM, MD ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2005, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-ejaculation-physically-depleting/283954/8 "2005-01-10T07:34:04Z")
I just came from Cleveland, and boy… (sorry, either you’ll get it, or you won’t.) ---
**Author:** ![SuperNelson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7feea3/32.png) [@SuperNelson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuperNelson)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2005, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-ejaculation-physically-depleting/283954/9 "2005-01-10T14:44:17Z")
[General Jack D. Ripper]Such behaviour depletes the body’s precious bodily fluids. It is the result of the greatest communist conspiracy since fluoridation.[/General Jack D. Ripper] ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2005, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-ejaculation-physically-depleting/283954/10 "2005-01-10T15:40:55Z")
> [@Qadgop the Mercotan](#): > > _Can_ you deplete yourself? Not easily. Nobody said it would be easy. Few things worth doing ever are. But if you are willing to give 110% than you can do it! Now get out there and… Damn Steeler bye week 😉 ---
**Author:** ![picker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/picker/32/13969_2.png) [@picker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picker)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2005, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-ejaculation-physically-depleting/283954/11 "2005-01-10T16:17:35Z")
> [@Qadgop the Mercotan](#): > > Of course, some obsessed individuals will make orgasm their lifestyle I find your ideas intriguing and would like to subscribe to your newsletter. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2005, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-ejaculation-physically-depleting/283954/12 "2005-01-10T19:34:53Z")
> [@NattoGuy](#): > > I just came from Cleveland, and boy… > > (sorry, either you’ll get it, or you won’t.) Or if you know anything about Cleveland, you won’t _want_ to get it. 😛 ---
**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:** [January 10, 2005, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-ejaculation-physically-depleting/283954/13 "2005-01-10T20:11:47Z")
> [@SlickRoenick](#): > > I don’t know if this will help answer your question since this is just my experience that i’ve recently noticed. Lately when i reach my climax, i feel really exhausted. But it might have something to do with standing up, turning around, and lifting the toilet seat lid in a really fast motion. I feel fine a few seconds after that though. Well that’s a little exercise I’d never thought of. But doesn’t it kinda spoil the moment? ---
**Author:** ![slortar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@slortar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slortar)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2005, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-ejaculation-physically-depleting/283954/14 "2005-01-10T20:29:11Z")
It’s extremely exhausting if you do it with barbells. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2005, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-ejaculation-physically-depleting/283954/15 "2005-01-10T21:29:04Z")
What I meant was that some sources claim that your body loses zinc through ejaculation. Reminiscent of the old Eastern idea of conserving your Yang. And not specificly masturbation but damn few of us have the opportunity to have sex multiple times a day for several months. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2005, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-ejaculation-physically-depleting/283954/16 "2005-01-10T22:38:23Z")
Also though hard to measure, if someone has a sexual urge that goes unanswered, that can also be physically depleting.