Would you mind playing No Nut October against yourself? Not so fast, guys.
Men who sign up for a 30-day handshake challenge are actually just fooling themselves, says a medical expert.
Founded in 2011 and wildly popular on forums such as Reddit, its proponents claim that a month without masturbation can lead to greater mental clarity, reduced addiction to pornography, increased testosterone levels and improved athletic ability.
But one doctor says there is no serious research to back up these medical claims, and even warns that the problem could have harmful effects.
Urologist. Reena Malik recently spoke to Insider about the dangers of complete abstinence - due to worrying epididymal hypertension.
This condition is commonly known as "blue balls" and is described by the National Institutes of Health as "testicular pain after intense sexual stimulation that does not lead to orgasm."
In a video posted on YouTube this time last year, Malik expressed his concerns and gave five reasons why men should not take part in the competition.
First, the doctor said that low secretion can reduce sperm quality.
“While you abstain, sperm count and quantity increase over time, but sperm quality decreases,” he said.
He also stated that an analysis of 5,000 semen samples showed that men who had not ejaculated for more than a week had lower sperm motility.
Secondly, Malik argues that abstaining from orgasm does not significantly increase testosterone levels in the long term.
The urologist said the study disproving this claim was conducted on only 10 men and found only a temporary increase in hormone levels.
Likewise, Duke reported that nine separate studies found no link between improved athletic performance and sexual abstinence or masturbation.
He said: “Since Roman and Greek times, scientists have talked about the benefits of abstaining from sex before sporting performances.” “They believed that sexual frustration would lead to increased aggression.”
Instead, the studies Malik cites show that not exercising before a workout does not affect many areas of exercise, including attention and grip strength.
In addition, Malik says, participants may also have epididymal hypertension and possible pelvic floor dysfunction.
The doctor explains that the second may be associated with orgasm, that is, approaching the threshold of orgasm without a short pause.
November participants tend not to set their own rules. While some completely abstain from sex and masturbation, others do not completely renounce pleasure and do not indulge in explosions.
“The pelvic floor muscles take a lot of pressure,” says Malik. "If you're under a lot of stress and constantly trying to control your ejaculation, [the muscles] can become tight."
Pain during ejaculation, pain in the testicles, and pain during bowel movements are possible signs of pelvic floor dysfunction, says Malik.
Malik isn't the only one to criticize the issue: a popular sex industry commentator spoke out against No Nut last November, saying it reinforces the stigma and shame around masturbation.
Some men responded to the criticism by saying they were still up for the challenge, while others said they hoped it would help them kick their porn habit.
“I do this to detoxify dopamine, as a step toward quitting porn and reconnecting with real women in the real world,” he wrote. “This is what I need and I want to solve this problem.”
Another shouted: “Everyone be strong.” Now no one can break us. We are getting stronger and will stay that way for a month without touching each other.