Masturbation Downregulates Certain Androgenic Receptors [in The Brain] And Upregulates Certain Estro

[you]

A few interesting rat studies.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17239879

Estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha) participates in the neuroendocrine regulation of male sexual behavior, primarily in brain areas located in the limbic system. Males of many species present a long-term inhibition of sexual behavior after several ejaculations, known as sexual satiety. It has been shown that androgen receptor density is reduced 24 h after a single ejaculation or mating to satiety, in the medial preoptic area, nucleus accumbens and ventromedial hypothalamus. The aim of this study was to analyze if the density of ERalpha was also modified 24 h after a single ejaculation or mating to satiety. Sexual satiety was associated with an increased ERalpha density in the anteromedial bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BSTMA), ventrolateral septum (LSV), posterodorsal medial amygdala (MePD), medial preoptic area (MPA) and nucleus accumbens core (NAc). A single ejaculation was related to an increase in ERalpha density in the BSTMA and MePD. ERalpha density in the arcuate (Arc) and ventromedial hypothalamic nuclei (VMN), and serum estradiol levels remained unchanged 24 h after one ejaculation or mating to satiety. These data suggest a relationship between sexual activity and an increase in the expression of ERalpha (estrogenic receptor) in specific brain areas, independently of estradiol levels in systemic circulation.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12689608

Male sexual behavior is regulated by limbic areas like the medial preoptic nucleus (MPN), the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BST), the nucleus accumbens (nAcc) and the ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus (VMN). Neurons in these brain areas are rich in androgen receptors (AR) and express FOS-immunoreactivity in response to mating. In many species sexual satiation, a state of sexual behavior inhibition, is attained after multiple ejaculations. The mechanisms underlying sexual satiation are largely unknown. In this study we show that sexual activity reduces androgen receptor immunoreactivity (AR-ir) in some of the brain areas associated with the control of male sexual behavior, but not in others. Thus, one ejaculation reduced the AR-ir in the MPN and nAcc, but not in the BST and VMN. Copulation to satiation, on the other hand, reduced AR-ir in the MPN, nAcc and VMN, and not in the BST. The AR-ir reduction observed in the MPN of sexually satiated rats was drastic when compared to that of animals ejaculating once. Serum androgen levels did not vary after one ejaculation or copulation to exhaustion. These data reveal that sexual activity reduces AR in specific brain areas and suggest the possibility that such a reduction underlies the sexual inhibition that characterizes sexual satiety.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12914589

The present article reviews the current findings on the interesting phenomenon of sexual satiety. Knut Larsson in 1956 reported on the development of sexual exhaustion in the male rat after repeated copulation. We have studied the process and found the following results. (1) One day after 4 hours of ad libitum copulation, two-thirds of the population showed complete inhibition of sexual behavior, while the other third displayed a single ejaculatory series from which they did not recover. (2) Several pharmacological treatments, including 8-OH-DPAT, yohimbine, naloxone and naltrexone, reverse this sexual satiety, indicating that the noradrenergic, serotonergic and opiate systems are involved in this process. Indeed, direct neurochemical determinations showed changes in various neurotransmitters during sexual exhaustion. (3) Given enough stimulation, by changing the stimulus female, sexual satiety was prevented, suggesting that there are motivational components of the sexual inhibition that characterizes sexual exhaustion. (4) The GABA antagonist bicuculline, or the electrical stimulation of the medial preoptic area, did not reverse sexual exhaustion. These data suggest, on the one hand, that sexual exhaustion and the postejaculatory interval (which is shortened by bicuculline administration) are not mediated by similar mechanisms and, on the other, that the medial preoptic area does not regulate sexual satiety. (5) The androgen receptor density in brain areas closely related to the expression of masculine sexual behavior, such as the medial preoptic nucleus, was drastically reduced in sexually exhausted animals. Such reduction was specific to certain brain areas and was not related to changes in the levels of androgens. These results suggest that changes in brain androgen receptors account for the inhibition of sexual behavior present during sexual exhaustion. (6) The recovery process of sexual satiety after 4 hours of ad libitum copulation reveals that, after 4 days, only 63% of the males are able to show sexual behavior while after 7 days all animals display copulatory activity.

Human study
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11760788

This current study examined the effect of a 3-week period of sexual abstinence on the neuroendocrine response to masturbation-induced orgasm. Hormonal and cardiovascular parameters were examined in ten healthy adult men during sexual arousal and masturbation-induced orgasm. Blood was drawn continuously and cardiovascular parameters were constantly monitored. This procedure was conducted for each participant twice, both before and after a 3-week period of sexual abstinence. Plasma was subsequently analysed for concentrations of adrenaline, noradrenaline, cortisol, prolactin, luteinizing hormone and testosterone concentrations. Orgasm increased blood pressure, heart rate, plasma catecholamines and prolactin. These effects were observed both before and after sexual abstinence. In contrast, although plasma testosterone was unaltered by orgasm, higher testosterone concentrations were observed following the period of abstinence. These data demonstrate that acute abstinence does not change the neuroendocrine response to orgasm but does produce elevated levels of testosterone in males.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12659241

The purpose of this study is to gain understanding of the relationship between ejaculation and serum testosterone level in men. The serum testosterone concentrations of 28 volunteers were investigated daily during abstinence periods after ejaculation for two phases. The authors found that the fluctuations of testosterone levels from the 2nd to 5th day of abstinence were minimal. On the 7th day of abstinence, however, a clear peak of serum testosterone appeared, reaching 145.7% of the baseline ( P < 0.01). No regular fluctuation was observed following continuous abstinence after the peak. Ejaculation is the precondition and beginning of the special periodic serum testosterone level variations, which would not occur without ejaculation. The results showed that ejaculation-caused variations were characterized by a peak on the 7th day of abstinence; and that the effective time of an ejaculation is 7 days minimum. These data are the first to document the phenomenon of the periodic change in serum testosterone level; the correlation between ejaculation and periodic change in the serum testosterone level, and the pattern and characteristics of the periodic change.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17196592

Research points to an association between testosterone (T) and partnering in some women and men, and this association has been interpreted as an effect of either relationship status (i.e. differences in relationship status lead to differences in T) or relationship orientation (i.e. T is associated with the likelihood of entering relationships). To address whether physical partner presence was associated with decreased T, we examined T levels in people (72 women; 49 men) who were single, in long-distance relationships, or in same-city relationships. No participants were using exogenous hormones, including hormonal contraceptives. Participants provided a saliva sample and responded to questions about their relationship status. Single men had higher T than long-distance and same-city partnered men, which supports the relationship orientation interpretation. In contrast, same-city partnered women had lower T than single women and women in long-distance relationships, which supports the relationship status interpretation. We conclude that physical partner presence is not necessary to see an association between partnering and hormones in men (since same-city and long-distance partnered men had similar T levels), but may be necessary in women (since same-city partnered women had lower T than long-distance partnered women).

For long I have thought that masturbation reduces testosterone. While masturbation does very slightly do this through several ways, I've discovered that the feeling of weakness is actually caused by something else.

Masturbation downregulates certain androgenic receptors [in the brain] and upregulates certain estrogenic receptors and this is why we get the feeling of having lost testosterone - being weak, being feminine, etc.
It takes 3-4 days to recover from this receptor change and personally it always takes at least 3 days for me - 3 days of SLEEP.

Prolactin is increased after orgasm which causes a decrease in dopamine. Technically, if prolactin was all there was to it, all you'd need to do to regain the strength you had prior to the orgasm is to consume a strong dopaminergic agent or a prolactin inhibitor such as vitamin B6 (which is a strong inhibitor in 200+mg dosages).
Yet, having tested this myself, taking vitamin B6 does not cause me to feel well again sufficiently, though it slightly does.
This suggests, as mentioned, that the problem is really to do with androgenic receptors in the brain, amongst other things, and sleep really is the best way to recover.

Notice that downregulating of the androgenic receptors leads to "poor confidence," "passivity" and other unwanted side-effects.

 

[RPDiciple]

cool, thank you.

I guess sex is different

 

[paymanz]

great

 

[nikotrope]

The title is a bit misleading. The culprit is not masturbation but orgasm from the studies you quoted.

 

[cantstoppeating]

Fascinating. This is why I think it's important to maintain optimal thyroid levels, to levels of youth and early teenage years, along with low prolactin and low brain serotonin because all these factors reestablish recovery and renewal capacity as seen during those times.

 

[Uselis]

Sorry, can't wrap my head around these studies :)

Does it mean that frequent masturbation/orgasm is bad or vice versia?

Thank you

 

[halken]

I wonder what would happen in the brain if you were to abstain from masturbation for 6 months.

 

[Uselis]

As an experiment I abstained 4 months so far. I had to quit coffee because pent up energy from caffeine and abstaining resulted in strong anxiety. Other then that some positive and negative changes as well.

 

[mbarvian]

I know a subreddit that would have a field day with these.

 

[Zachs]

It's amazing that people can think orgasms are unhealthy. I don't care what any study ever says about that, I'll never give them up. Lol!

 

[Sheik]

As an experiment I abstained 4 months so far. I had to quit coffee because pent up energy from caffeine and abstaining resulted in strong anxiety. Other then that some positive and negative changes as well.

I have the same problem. I dont think of the coffee or abstaining as the problem. The problem is my life situation and how I think about it. I hate to have to avoid caffeine when other people love it so much.

Don't let ANYONE bully or manipulate you into anxiety. Nobody is better than you. Live that fact and let the ***t fly. It's a lot easier to do on nofap anyway.

It's amazing that people can think orgasms are unhealthy. I don't care what any study ever says about that, I'll never give them up. Lol!

I wouldnt say they're unhealthy as a rule. I think they're unhealthy in excess. One of the reasons I'm doing nofap is to help me get more comfortable with hot women. I think if you do nofap, it could keep you on top of your game. If a hot woman wants to have sex with you, great! If you have too much sex and start to act like a wuss, the sex stops. There's no cheating yourself.

 

[Anonymous]

Like most things in life, you should listen to your body. Are you masturbating to relieve stress created by your mind? Or do you legitimately have a raging boner that needs to be taken care of. If you are in full alignment with the decision to masturbate, then it is probably okay. But if you don't feel like the tank is full and you want to masturbate because you are bored, it probably is taking a toll on your body. Only you know if masturbation is a problem for you. The body knows best, not the mind.

 

[mt_dreams]

You would think with something that happens this frequently we could have some human studies. Doesn't porn take up 1/3 of all bandwidth?

I would love to compare ejaculation by yourself, ejaculation with a partner, non-masturbation, & non-ejaculation masturbation. My strongest perceived testosterone days usually come out of a sexual experience, or to a less extent, non-ejaculation masturbation.

my ejaculation control was non-existent before I starter masturbating with a purpose (that being to control ejaculation), so there was definite real world benefit that came about from porn usage. I can't speak for all males, but I wold imagine the non-mutilated ones will not have ejac control unless they practice control, or have a strong maxamus & lower pelvic region. If you spend much of your childhoold & teens sitting, then these muscles will probably be under developed... though I'm sure vit & min levels also play a role in ejac.

 

[ChrisRay]

I wouldn't abstain from ejaculating for too long of a time period. Ejaculating is extremely healthy for your Prostate. Your prostate flex's and produces some of the semen, so if your not ejaculating, your Prostate isn't totally being used.

 

[Brian]

If you are noticing negative results from ejaculating at a reasonable frequency (1-3 times a week), then the root of your problem isn't that. You probably have estrogen dominance and low androgens. I wouldn't be surprised if ejaculating twice a day for a long time could get someone into that hormonal imbalance if they are already in a state of stress from their diet and sleep schedule.

Not ejaculating for months isn't necessarily going to fix your hormonal imbalance. Anything you can do to lower estrogen/serotonin/cortisol/prolactin, increase testosterone/dopamine/DHT/thyroid hormone is on the right track. It's probably helpful to at least reduce ejaculation frequency while trying to get back in balance, but stopping for months isn't necessary (once a week should be fine though). Everyday is probably way too stressful for someone in poor metabolic/hormonal health.

 

[Zachs]

Mt_Dreams,

Without ever practicing for control, I experienced profound control from raising my test to est ratio and gaining substantial improvement in bloodflow. It was enlightening.

 

[forterpride]

As an experiment I abstained 4 months so far. I had to quit coffee because pent up energy from caffeine and abstaining resulted in strong anxiety. Other then that some positive and negative changes as well.

This is common for many people who refrain from pmo. If "energy and structure are interdependent at every level"...as Ray says...then think about how incredibly profound the implications of nofap are if everyone who does it notices a definite increase in energy.

Also... from the study....


"Orgasm increased blood pressure, heart rate, plasma catecholamines and prolactin.



And here straight from Ray Peat...

"The toxicity of catecholamines has been known for over thirty years, and estrogen's stimulating effects are partly the result of its conversion to catechol-estrogens which increase the activity of brain catecholamines. Estrogen's powerful ability to nullify learning seems never to be mentioned by the people who promote its use. The importance of a good balance of brain steroids for mood, attention, memory, and reasoning is starting to be recognized, but powerful economic forces militate against its general acceptance."

 

[mayweatherking]

nice post.. i can say with 100% confidence that if i refrain from orgasm, my hair stops feeling "itchy", the itch is associated with hair falling out. this is widely posted across /r/nofap on reddit as well.

 

[mayweatherking]

I wouldn't abstain from ejaculating for too long of a time period. Ejaculating is extremely healthy for your Prostate. Your prostate flex's and produces some of the semen, so if your not ejaculating, your Prostate isn't totally being used.

this isn't accurate. this is based off a study that was done that asked people in their 80s how often they masturbated throughout their lives. then, based on those answers, they saw how many health problems they had. basically, they decided health based on a questionaire of how often they masturbated throughout their whole life and didn't look at any other factors. i dont think it is too accurate to ask someone who is old how often they masturbated, how can they give an accurate answer lol.

 

[dookie]

Obsessive-Excessive masturbation is often also tied to a biochemical or hormonal issues, and I mean the hormonal issue came first, then the excessive masturbation