Key takeaways:
Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world.
There’s some evidence that frequent ejaculation could lower your risk of developing prostate cancer, but more research is needed before we can know for sure.
There’s clear evidence that sexual activity doesn’t cause prostate cancer.
The prostate is a small gland inside your body that makes fluid for your semen. Since your prostate is involved in ejaculation, it’s natural to wonder: Does ejaculating affect the risk of getting prostate cancer?
Here’s the short answer: It’s not clear. There’s some evidence that more frequent ejaculation might offer some protection against prostate cancer. But the reality is there isn’t enough research to say for sure. On the other hand, there’s evidence that sex doesn’t cause prostate cancer.
Read on for more information about the link between sex and prostate cancer, what the research says, and some tips on how to lower your risk of getting prostate cancer. Spoiler alert: It has very little to do with sex.
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What causes prostate cancer?
Prostate cancer develops when cells inside the prostate grow and divide uncontrollably.
It’s not clear what causes cells to behave this way in the first place. Scientists still don’t know what causes prostate cancer. But they have found it’s linked to a lot of different factors, including:
Does frequent ejaculation prevent prostate cancer?
There’s some evidence that ejaculating a lot is associated with a lower risk of prostate cancer, but the evidence isn’t good enough to be sure.
The strongest evidence so far comes from a 2016 analysis of about 30,000 men. This analysis found that people who ejaculated at least 21 days every month in the past had a 20% lower chance of getting prostate cancer compared with those who ejaculated 4 to 7 times a month.
As you can imagine, this study had some flaws. One problem was that the study relied on people to remember how much they ejaculated. The study used a survey — rather than tracking sexual activity over time. This presents a problem since memory isn’t perfect.
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Another issue was racial representation — the study mostly included white men. It also didn’t account for lifestyle factors that could influence prostate cancer risk.
So, while the study got a lot of mainstream attention, the results aren’t as clear-cut as the headlines might suggest.
Does having a lot of sexual partners protect you from prostate cancer?
It’s not clear whether having more sexual partners lowers your risk of developing prostate cancer.
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One 2014 research study found that men who had more than 20 female sexual partners in their life had a lower risk of prostate cancer.
But a 2018 review of studies found the opposite. The more female sexual partners someone had, the more likely they were to develop prostate cancer.
The 2014 study also found that among men who have sex with men, those who had 20 or more lifetime partners had a higher risk of prostate cancer.
To sum it up: Despite the research in this area, it’s just not clear how your number of sexual partners affects your cancer risk.
Does having a lot of sex cause prostate cancer?
Experts note that there’s no evidence that frequent sex increases the risk of developing prostate cancer.
In fact, there’s some evidence that ejaculating a couple of times a week (or more) could actually decrease your risk for prostate cancer. But remember, the jury is still out on whether or not this is true.
How can I decrease my risk of getting prostate cancer?
There are some prostate cancer risks you can’t change — like your age, race, and family history.
But there are steps you can take to lower your risk of developing prostate cancer. You can:
Quit smoking
Eat nutritious foods like whole grains, fruits, and vegetables
Cut back on alcohol
Eat less processed meats
Stay active
Maintain a weight that's within a healthy range
If you’re over the age of 40, you should also have a conversation with your healthcare team about whether prostate cancer screening is right for you.
Frequently asked questions
There’s no evidence that a lack of sex can make your prostate bigger. In one study, men who ejaculated less — whether from sex or masturbation — weren’t more likely to have bigger prostates.
There’s no evidence that taking a break from masturbation will harm your physical health. But there’s also no evidence that not masturbating will have a positive effect on your health either. In short, how often you masturbate is unlikely to impact your physical health.
Yes, it’s possible that prostate cancer can affect sexual function. But this isn’t common. A large tumor inside the prostate can lead to erectile dysfunction. Sexual dysfunction is usually a side effect of prostate cancer diagnosis and treatment. Research also shows that getting a prostate cancer diagnosis can lower your sex drive. This is likely related to the emotional strain of a new prostate cancer diagnosis. Some prostate cancer treatments can also cause sexual dysfunction.
There’s no evidence that a lack of sex can make your prostate bigger. In one study, men who ejaculated less — whether from sex or masturbation — weren’t more likely to have bigger prostates.
There’s no evidence that taking a break from masturbation will harm your physical health. But there’s also no evidence that not masturbating will have a positive effect on your health either. In short, how often you masturbate is unlikely to impact your physical health.
Yes, it’s possible that prostate cancer can affect sexual function. But this isn’t common. A large tumor inside the prostate can lead to erectile dysfunction. Sexual dysfunction is usually a side effect of prostate cancer diagnosis and treatment. Research also shows that getting a prostate cancer diagnosis can lower your sex drive. This is likely related to the emotional strain of a new prostate cancer diagnosis. Some prostate cancer treatments can also cause sexual dysfunction.
The bottom line
There isn’t really enough evidence to say for sure whether having a lot of sex — or ejaculating frequently — can protect you from prostate cancer. So far, there’s no evidence that sexual activity causes prostate cancer.
Why trust our experts?
References
American Cancer Society. (2023). Can prostate cancer be prevented?
City of Hope. (2022). Prostate cancer causes and risk factors.
Couteau, N., et al. (2021). Ejaculations and benign prostatic hyperplasia: An impossible compromise? A comprehensive review. Journal of Clinical Medicine.
Hyun, J. S. (2012). Prostate cancer and sexual function. The World Journal of Men’s Health.
Jian, Z., et al. (2018). Sexual activity and risk of prostate cancer: A dose-response meta-analysis. The Journal of Sexual Medicine.
Prostate Cancer Foundation. (n.d.). Understanding prostate cancer.
Rider, J. R., et al. (2016). Ejaculation frequency and risk of prostate cancer: Updated results with an additional decade of follow-up. European Urology.
Spence, A. R., et al. (2014). Sexual partners, sexually transmitted infections, and prostate cancer risk. Cancer Epidemiology.
Universite de Montreal. (2014). Prostate cancer risk is reduced by sleeping with many women, but increased with many men, study finds. ScienceDaily.
Urology Care Foundation. (2020). Does having more ejaculations lessen the chance of prostate cancer?
