Is too much masturbation unhealthy?

Is too much masturbation unhealthy? Can it damage my sex drive?

Dr. Sawyer: But what is too much masturbation?  Although they wouldn’t admit it, many young men, from puberty through college, masturbate on a daily basis. Some masturbate as a substitute for a non-existent partner, others simply because they can. Women also masturbate, although usually, not at the stupendous rate of men. If the masturbation reaches obsessive levels, where similar to sex addiction, problems begin to arise, then obviously this ceases to be a positive activity, and then it’s too much.  

I once worked with a male who masturbated 5-8 times daily, and because he’d begun to experience less sensation (no shit!) he’d taken to pouring rubbing alcohol on his penis which then had the look of a pound of ground beef … not good. Masturbation won’t affect your sex drive, and for you men, the news is even better. A recent Australian study found that males who ejaculated more between the ages of 18-34 were much less likely to develop prostate cancer. So now men, you’re under doctor’s orders, you have to do it … strictly for medicinal purposes, right?   

Dr. Robin Sawyer is a professor of health and human sexuality at the University of Maryland. He's the author of Sexpertise: Real Answers to Real Questions About Sex and producer of four films on human sexuality. Want his answers? Send your questions to [email protected] We’ll keep it confidential.