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Uhhhhh. Wow.
By Aly Walansky — Written on Jun 28, 2016
Guys will tell you that it's really dangerous for them to not have sex. They've been saying it since high school. But is it really dangerous? Can their penis suffer from lack of getting laid?
Well, yes and no. Just with the female sexual organs, lack of sex will have an impact on a man's penis. Some crazy things DO happen, and it may not be what you expect.
Men who have sex less often are more likely to suffer erectile dysfunction. The penis is, after all, a muscle. Does frequent "exercise" help it to stay in shape? Maybe. We consulted the experts on this and other penile issues. Here's what happens to a man's penis when he stops having sex.
1. The risk for erectile dysfunction increases.
Like the vagina, the penis is a "use it or lose it organ" in a way.
"Research has shown that men who have more frequent and regular sex have a lower risk of developing erectile dysfunction compared to men having less frequent sex. The penis is a muscle and like any other muscle in your body, it requires some exercise. Luckily, it doesn't matter how you get your workout, whether it's with a partner or on your own," says Tristan Weedmark of We-Vibe.
2. Arousal can plummet.
When a person hasn't had sex in a while, he may start to want sex less.
"Don't be alarmed if your libido lowers. It's a normal side effect of not having sex. There is some good news here: once you get back in the action, your libido should bounce back, too," says Weedmark.
3. The risk for prostate cancer increases.
The more you ejaculate, the lower your chances of getting prostate cancer.
"Prostate cancer treatments can cause penile shrinkage of up to 1.6 inches. Regular ejaculation reduces this risk by up to 20 percent," says Weedmark.
4. Nocturnal emissions increase.
Is it a use or or lose it scenario? It doesn't really work that way, thank God.
"A man will not experience erectile dysfunction just because he is not having intercourse. Likewise, men will not have a decrease in penile length in the erect or flaccid state just by not having intercourse. Men have nocturnal erections which provide blood flow to the penis and maintain the tissues," says Jordan Siegel, M.D., urologist.
5. His penis could get smaller.
"Men with erectile dysfunction will not being getting erections, even nocturnal erections, and therefore will not being getting the same blood flow to the penis. This will cause a penile shortening over time that has been observed in multiple studies of men with ED," says Siegel.
6. Sex drive takes a major blow.
"Some men who are not sexually active may have decreased libido or sex drive due to low testosterone. This can also negatively impact your erections and should be evaluated," says Siegel.
7. More erections while he sleeps.
While it's true that if you don't use it, you lose it, you don't have to have sex to keep your penis healthy.
Sexologist Dr. Jess says, "Your penis health is (partially) maintained through erections via a fresh supply of blood and oxygen. However, you don't have to have sex (with yourself or with a partner) to get an erection, as the body takes care of this while you sleep."
