Do males "physiologically" need to ejaculate?

Of course males often desire to ejaculate, and the desire can be so strong they perceive it, and describe it, as a need. But, absent momentary arousal, do they have a physiological need to ejaculate?

There have been some - not so controlled - studies that indicate regular ejaculation (one study says 21 times per month) can reduce the risk of prostate cancer. Google "Is ejaculation healthy". Some articles point to other health benefits that come with regular ejaculation. Read some of the articles and come up with your own conclusion.

Before the war, there was a semen retention theory, a sort of 'essence of life force' thing as in Doctor Strangelove. It was thought that ejaculation weakened a man and depleted his physical stamina and drained him of an essence. It was thought far better to retain semen instead of 'spending' it (as the old-fashioned term has it). One could say that the older term 'to spend' is a direct reflection of the idea that ejaculation weakened a man.

There were even movements that promoted male sterilisation so that semen would be retained inside the body, even with a male sexual climax.

I took up Rigel's suggestion of looking up articles on the health benefits of ejaculating a lot. Almost all of them agree the number is 21 times or more per month to reap the benefits. Here is a link to one.

The web site (which no longer works). states that men who ejaculate 21 times or more a month have a 31% less chance of getting prostate cancer and a 45% lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease . Plus overall add up to 4 years onto your lifespan!

I ejaculate at least 60 times a month so I'm all set! 😃

Oh and to keep on topic, I definitely feel a need to ejaculate.

Plus overall add up to 4 years onto your lifespan!

That sounds ever so dubious.

I've nothing against ejaculation mind you, but who averages so many ejaculations per month over long enough periods of time for it to make any difference?

When young I would try not to play with myself, as it was considered a sin... no matter how I tried, it was always only a matter of time till I'd have a wet dream and mess up my sheets with a large load of cum.. So, I'd say I had need to ejaculate...

I've nothing against ejaculation mind you, but who averages so many ejaculations per month over long enough periods of time for it to make any difference?

I Do !!! Plus there are probably lot's of men on this site who easily average 21 orgasms a month. 😃 😃 😃

I Do !!! Plus there are probably lot's of men on this site who easily average 21 orgasms a month. 😃 😃 😃

But spread out consistently over how many years or decades?

It's usually only five times a week for me. I guess I need to try to squeeze it in at least one more day extra at least one week each month.

The web site (which no longer works). states that men who ejaculate 21 times or more a month have a 31% less chance of getting prostate cancer and a 45% lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease . Plus overall add up to 4 years onto your lifespan!

More men die with prostate cancer than from it!

But, absent momentary arousal, do they have a physiological need to ejaculate?

Given the reality of nocturnal emissions/wet dreams, I would say "Yes."

I'm 68 and I've gone sometimes for several weeks or even a few months without ejaculating with no pain, swelling, discharge or anything feeling abnormal, except if I get very aroused for too long without an orgasm and develop "blue balls." If so, an orgasm usually gets rid of the testicular pain rapidly.

Eric

I'm 68 and I've gone sometimes for several weeks or even a few months without ejaculating with no pain, swelling, discharge or anything feeling abnormal, except if I get very aroused for too long without an orgasm and develop "blue balls." If so, an orgasm usually gets rid of the testicular pain rapidly.

Eric

Been a long time since I suffered/enjoyed “blue balls”! 😳

I think I meet the 21 day requirement for prostate health. My PSA and prostate size are normal. But my bladder muscle has weakened over the last 15-20 years so I have frequent urination and some leakage. Quit wearing khaki pants a long time ago! 😃 . I seldom have to get up at night, but pee frequently during the day. I can be out for a walk or shopping for three hours, bu as soon as I pull inn the driveway I am on the verge of losing it. One doc said that is proximity incontinence, another called it latch key incontinence. Both said it’s Common among us old farts

...My PSA and prostate size are normal. But my bladder muscle has weakened over the last 15-20 years so I have frequent urination and some leakage. Quit wearing khaki pants a long time ago! 😃 . I seldom have to get up at night, but pee frequently during the day.

I'm 76 and in a similar situation: PSA less than 1.0 until recently and a slightly smaller than normal prostate. Frequent urination and leakage started to be a problem about 10 years ago. I never khaki or other light colored pants. I get up to pee on the average of once or twice a night, and often during the day, especially if I drink anything caffeinated or carbonated (beer seems to be the exception, thankfully. A morning cup of French roast coffee at 8:00 will be on its way out of me by 9:00.

I don't particularly feel a psychological need to ejaculate. It takes a little longer to get an erection now, depending on the stimulus. I can still ejaculate although the volume is reduced as are the spasms or jolts that are such a pleasurable part of cumming. I can go a long time without thoughts of sex, but then I get very horny to the point that I feel compelled to take advantage of any opportunity to masturbate. Funny thing is, I don't necessarily need to actually cum to feel satisfied. I will sometimes reach point while I am walking away where I suddenly feel like "That's enough," and I can stop and the horny feelings have gone away. When I was at puberty and through my teens I experienced the same thing, perhaps because masturbation was a mortal sin, girls were inaccessible and exploring with other boys was a bigger sin than doing it alone.

I think I meet the 21 day requirement for prostate health.

Odd how doctors seldom seem to ask about this 'requirement'. I have never ever been asked anything about this or other prostate matters. Literally never.

You'd think if it were so important, it would be asked about, at least on occasion.

I think the need to ejaculate is driven by testosterone levels. When puberty hits boys usually around the age of 12 to 13, masturbation ramps up dramatically and stays up until at some point when their testosterone levels begin to drop with age.

I have mentioned on other threads that I was diagnosed with hypogonadism about 7 years ago. My urge to ejaculate was very minimal. I remember thinking at times when was the last time I had an orgasm and I really couldn't pin it down. But when I started testosterone therapy- wooosh, I was hornier than I was when I was 13. I believe a man's testosterone level absolutely drives behavior and it is telling your conscious brain to give your body an orgasm. So I would say "need" and urge to ejaculate is hormonally driven.

How does that old saying go "the little head does the thinking for the big head." Yep, I think that explains it.

Most people on this thread seem to have misread or ignored the OP’s question. It was is there a “physiological”, not psychological need. One poster nailed it by pointing out that wet dreams will occur if all other forms of “release” are absent. This will diminish with age, sadly.

Getting back to the tangent, I too suffer from proximity incontinence. I was beginning to think there was something in my front door that was causing it.

One poster nailed it by pointing out that wet dreams will occur if all other forms of “release” are absent. This will diminish with age, sadly.

While I still have sexual dreams, none ever end in a wet ejaculation - so in that sense they've diminished for m..

GreyDesigner does have a point. It is difficult to say what physiological need it may be. Is it a matter of warding off prostate cancer? Is it to alleviate some other pain or malady? It would be difficult to show causality.

I've experienced 'Blue Balls' only after periods of edging without ejaculation. I find it makes the eventual ejaculation quite satisfying and produces a very large volume of semen with great projectile force.

On the psychological side, I have been using topical testosterone supplements for a few years and find it definitely boosts my libido and my sense of well being (energy, etc.). I don't intend to give it up any time soon.

Put me down for twice a week, minimum; more if the need arises.

In puberty boys start to produce semen. After the hormone level gets higher they have their first ejaculation (semenarche) via a nocturnal emission (wet dreams) or masturbation. The same thing happens to men who constantly produce semen. Ejaculation is normal and natural, i think there is a physiological need to ejaculate.

Some years before, i had a time without sexual intercourse and did not stimulate me. After 10 weeks i had a wet dream and ejaculated a large volume of semen on the bedsheet.

Oh yes, it's definitely a physiological necessity. 5 years ago, when I first got ED and didn't feel any compulsion whatsoever to be turned on or ejaculate, and when I finally masturbated again, it hurt my pelvic muscles like hell when I ejaculated. And the entire year beforehand, I didn't have any nocturnal emissions whatsoever.

So a male's just got to keep himself emptied.

This topic exchange is like arguing "how many angels can sit on the head of a pin?". Physiological or psychological who really cares? Need or want? Just lie back and enjoy the experience of ejaculation, even more if you can arrange a great partner to heighten the experience, more power to you! Some experiences in life are to be simply enjoyed and not analyzed!

There are divergent opinions regarding the health benefits of ejaculation. Eastern mystics and Tantra practitioners warn that it drains life essence (See Stanley Kubrick's General Jack D. Ripper in the film "Doctor Strangelove"). The oft cited research, suggesting 21 times per month reduces cancer risk, argues the opposite. I tend to side with the pro-ejaculation crowd. It's exercise of a physiological system. Like other physical exercise, I believe it has a beneficial effect. Any exercise can be done to an excess, and to a point of diminishing returns. And, abstaining for a few days can increase ejaculatory volume and the intensity of orgasm (similar to a lactating woman "letting down" milk). However, in the absence of other serious conditions, I would suggest that once or even twice each day can be beneficial. Runners enjoy the release of endorphins they experience. I believe you'd have to run a marathon to get the level of endorphins released into the system by an ejaculation. Do that twice a day and you'll wear out your knees and other joints in short order.

If estrogen creates physiological needs for women, so does testosterone for men. The interesting word here is "need". Is it a physiological imperative? No. Ask men who are kept in long term chastity. As in cuckold relationships. Certainly they would say they "need" release, however it is provided. But suffer no ill health from denial.

We know the church historically frowned on masturbatory activities, but our needs take precedence in these matters. Lol, most all of us do it, and our mothers learned long ago to knock on our doors before entering.

A corollary question might be; do women "need" vibrators? Given the increasing success of the industry providing these lady pleasures. It certainly seems so.

The fact that the prostate gets rid of its sperm is very important for health. For 66 years I've only been concerned with orgasm and sperm evacuation. That's what I enjoy most. For me, masturbation is only a means to an end. 😄

The fact that the prostate gets rid of its sperm is very important for health. For 66 years I've only been concerned with orgasm and sperm evacuation. That's what I enjoy most. For me, masturbation is only a means to an end. 😄

Sperm is produced in the Testicles. The prostate gland secretes prostate fluid, one of the components of semen. The muscles of the prostate gland also help propel this seminal fluid into the urethra during ejaculation . During ejaculation, millions of sperm move from the testes through tubes called the vas deferens into the area of the prostate. At this point, the prostate contracts, closing off the opening between the bladder and the urethra, releasing fluid into the urethra and pushing semen on through. According to one article, the prostate contributes between 20–30% of fluid to the total semen volume. The remainder comes from the seminal vesicles (50–65%) and the testicles (5%) Some studies claim that regular ejaculation reduces the risk of prostate cancer.

Hmm, perhaps. …I’d often ask other guys if they ever thought that their PENIS ’craves’ EJACULATION, because it certainly feels that way sometimes. I’d tend to say yea, to keep things moving is always best.

Physiological need to ejaculate? If I go too long without I become grumpy (well, grumpier)...

Supposedly there are physilogical benefits to sex and orgasms: lower blood pressure, better rest, stress relief, stronger immune system….

https://www.everydayhealth.com/sexual-health-pictures/orgasms-for-a-better-life-the-surprising-benefits-of-sexual-pleasure.aspx