Most men between 18 and 59 masturbate a few times per month to a few times per week. About a quarter do so a few times per month to weekly, roughly 20% report two to three times per week, and fewer than 20% masturbate more than four times a week. There’s no single “normal” number, but those ranges give you a realistic picture of where most men fall.
How Frequency Changes With Age and Relationships
Masturbation frequency tends to be highest in the late teens and twenties, then gradually decreases with age. That said, plenty of men in their 40s, 50s, and beyond masturbate regularly. Age shifts the average downward, but individual variation is enormous at every stage of life.
Being in a relationship doesn’t eliminate the habit. A study of men in steady heterosexual relationships found they still masturbated about twice per week on average. Sexual activity with a partner and solo masturbation often coexist rather than replace each other, driven by differences in libido, schedules, or simply personal preference.
Physical Effects of Frequent Masturbation
One of the most common concerns is whether frequent masturbation lowers testosterone. It doesn’t in any meaningful way. Testosterone rises briefly around ejaculation and returns to baseline within about 10 minutes. There’s no evidence that masturbating regularly causes a lasting drop in testosterone levels.
Fertility is another worry, especially for men trying to conceive. Some data suggests sperm quality is best after two to three days without ejaculation, but men with normal sperm counts generally maintain healthy motility and concentration even with daily ejaculation. If you’re actively trying to conceive, spacing things out slightly before your partner’s fertile window can help, but daily masturbation alone isn’t a fertility problem for most men.
Potential Health Benefits
A well-known study that followed 32,000 men over 18 years found that those who ejaculated at least 21 times per month had a 20% lower risk of prostate cancer compared to men who ejaculated four to seven times per month. The relationship was dose-dependent: the more frequently men ejaculated, the lower their risk. This included all ejaculation, not just masturbation, so sex counts too. The study showed a correlation, not proof of cause and effect, but the size and duration of the research make it notable.
Masturbation also triggers a release of hormones that promote relaxation. After orgasm, the body releases oxytocin, prolactin, and endorphins while suppressing cortisol (a stress hormone). That hormonal cocktail is why many men feel sleepy afterward. Oxytocin in particular is linked to lower cortisol levels and better sleep quality, which is why masturbating before bed is a common, if rarely discussed, sleep aid.
Research has also found that masturbation to orgasm increases levels of the body’s own cannabis-like compounds (part of the same system that produces a “runner’s high”). Interestingly, the same study found that cortisol levels weren’t significantly changed by masturbation, suggesting the relaxation effect comes more from the release of feel-good chemicals than from a direct reduction in stress hormones.
When Frequency Becomes a Problem
The number itself almost never matters. Masturbating once a day, or even more, isn’t inherently unhealthy. What matters is whether the behavior is causing problems in your life. The clinical threshold, recognized in the international classification of diseases, centers on a persistent inability to control sexual urges that leads to real consequences: neglecting responsibilities, damaging relationships, continuing despite wanting to stop, or feeling significant distress about the behavior.
Physical irritation from friction is the most common practical issue. If the skin on the penis is sore, raw, or chafed, that’s a signal to take a break or use lubrication. Grip pressure matters too. Some men develop a pattern of gripping very tightly during masturbation, which can make it harder to feel enough stimulation during partnered sex. Varying your technique and grip can prevent this.
If masturbation is something you enjoy, doesn’t interfere with the rest of your life, and isn’t causing physical discomfort, the frequency is almost certainly fine, whether that’s a few times a month or once a day.