A new study suggests there may be a connection between how frequently a man ejaculates and the overall quality of his sperm.
Researchers from the University of Oxford have reported evidence indicating that ejaculation frequency — whether through sex or masturbation — could influence sperm health.
In their conclusions, the team said men who ejaculate more regularly may produce sperm of higher quality than those who abstain for longer periods.
According to the study, avoiding sex or masturbation was linked to increased DNA damage and oxidative stress, alongside poorer sperm motility and reduced viability.
The researchers said these changes may contribute to lower chances of successful fertilization and could be associated with reduced embryo quality.
They also reported that sperm kept “stored” in the body can decline in quality quickly, and that this decline appeared to happen regardless of a man’s age.
Co–lead author Dr Rebecca Dean, from the University of Oxford, discussed what the team observed and why sperm may be particularly vulnerable during extended storage.
She said: “Because sperm are highly mobile and have minimal cytoplasm, they quickly exhaust their stored energy reserves and have limited capacity for repair.
“This makes storage particularly damaging compared to other types of cells. Our study highlights how regular ejaculation can provide a small but meaningful boost to male fertility.”
To reach their findings, the team conducted a large review of existing research. This included 115 human studies involving close to 55,000 men, as well as 56 studies covering 30 non–human species.
Lead author Dr Krish Sanghvi said: “Ejaculates should be viewed as populations of individual sperm which undergo birth, death, ageing and selective mortality.”
At present, World Health Organization (WHO) guidance commonly recommends between two and seven days of abstinence before providing a semen sample for assisted reproduction.
Based on the results of their analysis, the researchers cautioned that the top end of that range — seven days — may be longer than is ideal.
The study lands at a time when male fertility — and the factors that may contribute to infertility — is receiving growing attention.
Infertility is often defined as being unable to conceive after at least a year of frequent, unprotected sex, and it is estimated to affect nearly one in seven couples.
Doctor Bobby Najari has also pointed to a particular issue he says may be the “most common cause of infertility” in two out of five affected couples.
Writing for the New York Post, he said a leading cause of male infertility is varicocele — enlarged veins in the scrotum.
He explained that these veins can reduce sperm production and impair sperm movement, both of which may directly reduce fertility.