How Often Do Men Masturbate & Can You Masturbate Too Much?

It can be hard to tell whether your personal masturbation habits are within the range of what's normal because people don't tend to talk about this stuff openly.

Some men masturbate weekly, some men masturbate daily, some masturbate a few times a month, and still others hardly masturbate at all. All of these masturbation frequencies are considered within the normal range for men.

In comparison, a 2008 study1 of British people between ages 16 and 44 found 73% of men had masturbated in the past four weeks, compared to 37% of women. (Here's our guide to how often women should masturbate, for reference.)

"There is a ton of variation in how much people masturbate, and it fluctuates throughout our lives due to things like health, stress, schedule, desire, partnerships with others, and so forth," sex and relationship therapist Shadeen Francis, LMFT, tells mbg.

"There is no set standard for frequency of masturbation," board-certified urologist Jamin Brahmbhatt, M.D., tells mbg. "Daily, weekly, monthly...it's personal preference."

Masturbation is a common and very low-risk habit, and in fact, masturbation comes with many health benefits. In general, people should masturbate as often as it feels good for them.

"You should masturbate whenever you want to and have the time and privacy to do so," Francis says. "Pleasure is healthy."

A 2016 study found men who ejaculate 21 times a month or more were significantly less likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer, compared to people who ejaculated four to seven times per month.

In general, most people don't have to worry about masturbating too much. Of course, even healthy habits can become unhealthy if done in excess or in extremes, and that's as true for masturbation as it is for habits like exercise and hand-washing.

How much masturbation is too much will vary from person to person.

"There is no objective measure of how much anyone should masturbate," Francis explains. "Your health is an individual consideration.

If your masturbation habits are causing you mental, emotional, relational, or physical distress, that is an indicator that you may be masturbating more than is currently healthy for you."

In general, there's no set amount of masturbation that's considered "too much" across the board. Some people masturbate several times a day without any negative consequences.

"There are no known downsides or major side effects to daily masturbation," Brahmbhatt says. The same goes for daily ejaculation and daily sex, he adds.

The biggest risks of frequent masturbation have more to do with how a person masturbates than how often they do it, Francis explains.

For example, she notes there's a chance of tissue damage or skin irritation if a person masturbates really vigorously without enough lubrication. (Soreness, tenderness, swelling, or bruising would be signs if this were the case, she adds.)

A person can also get used to a particular type of stimulation or stroke.

You cannot run out of sperm from frequent masturbation. Adults with penises produce new sperm every single day and will continue to do so their entire lives, barring any medical complications.

If you're currently trying to conceive and begin a pregnancy, masturbation can affect sperm count and quality. As Brahmbhatt explains,

if you've recently ejaculated, your next ejaculation may have a lower volume of fluid, a lower sperm count, and a lower concentration of sperm because your body may not have had enough time to build back its sperm (and sperm fluids) just yet.

"When patients have to give us a semen sample, we ask them to refrain from ejaculation for two days prior to giving us a sample," he notes. "If you have a normal system, you should always have some sperm in your ejaculate, even if you have emptied five times in one day. You may just not have a high count of sperm."

Some people choose not to masturbate for personal, spiritual, or religious reasons. "Some feel controlling their desire to masturbate helps their mental focus and other aspects of their life," Brahmbhatt explains.

Abstaining from masturbation can be part of semen retention, a spiritual sexual practice wherein people avoid ejaculation because they believe semen is a source of "life force energy." 

There's a lot of variety when it comes to how often men masturbate. Some men masturbate daily or more, others masturbate rarely or never, and still many others fall somewhere in between.

In general, masturbation is a healthy, safe, and normal habit, and most people don't have to worry about masturbating "too much."

If your masturbation habits are causing you any physical or emotional trouble, reach out to a professional who can help.

You may also want to consider adjusting your masturbation frequency if you're trying to conceive, to last longer in bed, or to reach orgasm more easily. Otherwise, whatever feels good to you probably is good for you.