No, masturbation won’t stop you from catching coronavirus
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Everyone is looking for ways to protect themselves from the coronavirus pandemic right now, whether that’s by using hand sanitiser, face masks or… other methods.
One of those “other methods” is masturbation. While a number of studies have suggested that regular masturbation could boost the immune system and help stave off infections, it appears that this isn’t true after all.
Suggestions that masturbation can protect people from coronavirus are just rumours and are based on small and largely inconclusive studies, Health.com reports.
Masturbating probably won’t protect you from the coronavirus.
One of these often-cited studies is a 2004 paper published in Neuroimmunomodulation. The study looked at the effects of masturbation among a group of 11 men and found that they had a higher white blood cell count in the hour after masturbating. A higher white blood cell count can indicate that the body is fighting off an infection.
But that’s about all the study uncovered – not to mention the fact that its sample size of just 11 participants is notably small.
To my knowledge, no study says specifically that masturbation boosts the immune system in a way that prevents or helps fight off infection.
Gail Saltz, an associate professor in psychiatry at the New York-Presbyterian Hospital Weill-Cornell School of Medicine, told Health that studies have been too small and haven’t been replicated.
“There have been a couple of very small studies suggesting that chemicals related to the body’s immune system are impacted by sexual stimulation,” she said.
“To my knowledge, no study says specifically that masturbation boosts the immune system in a way that prevents or helps fight off infection,” she added.
Masturbation has plenty of positive health benefits – but staving of COVID-19 is not one of them.
That’s not to say that you shouldn’t bother masturbating at all. There are plenty of proven health benefits to masturbating – it relieves stress, can make you sleep better, improve your mood – the list goes on.
Furthermore, one study found that women who masturbate have happier relationships, while a number of studies have suggested that people with penises who masturbate more often are less likely to develop prostate cancer later in life.
So there are plenty of health benefits to regular masturbation – but it probably won’t stop you from contracting coronavirus.
On the bright side, if you’re looking for something to do to pass the time while you self-isolate from coronavirus, now could be the perfect time to experiment with your masturbation technique.
Meanwhile, the best way to stave off COVID-19 is to wash your hands. Health experts tell us that it is by far the most effective way to combat the spread of the virus.
