Does Masturbation Affect Immunity? What Research & Experts Say

Ever since COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, many of us became more attentive to our health. It started out by increasing the frequency of hand-washing and sanitizing. Then, we began looking up what foods best support immunity. And along the way, you may have even heard about things that seemed wildly unrelated to immune functioning but might actually play a role.

One of those things? Masturbation.

There isn't sufficient evidence to confirm whether or not masturbation meaningfully affects immunity, but some preliminary research suggests there may be some positive effects.

One small 2004 study found men had a higher white blood cell count1 following orgasm from masturbation, compared to their white blood cell count before orgasm. White blood cells (also called leukocytes) are responsible for finding and attacking bacteria, viruses, parasites, etc., in the body. "These findings demonstrate that components of the innate immune system are activated by sexual arousal and orgasm," the researchers state.

Tierney Lorenz, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist studying sexual health and immunity, says masturbation likely does affect immunity, though that may not mean what most people assume it does. "When people ask about immunity, they're often talking about your susceptibility to illness, but the immune system actually does a lot of different things," she tells mbg. "It helps your body recover from wounds, heal after exercise, and in the case of your period, helps it to tear down tissue that's not being used and later build it back up."

Since sleep is critical for immune functioning3, adding masturbation to your nightly routine every now and then may just give you an added bonus. There's plenty of anecdotal evidence and self-reported studies stating that masturbation can help people fall asleep, Lorenz says. One study, published in the Frontiers in Public Health, found that of the participants who masturbated before bed, 48.2% reported better sleep quality4, and 44.7% reported falling asleep more quickly. Of those who reached orgasm from masturbation, more than 50% reported better sleep quality. The effects were the same for both men and women.

Staying active lowers stress levels and keeps the body healthy overall so it will be more equipped to defend itself against certain illnesses. Sexual activity alone won't replace the levels of physical activity needed for overall health. But according to functional medicine physician Leah Johansen, M.D., it can certainly contribute to it. When studying healthy couples during sex5, researchers found that men's highest energy expenditure was higher during sex than 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise. "Meaning that they burned more calories during sex than working out," Johansen explains.