Episode 405: What We Get Wrong About Masturbation (Essential Listen)

There’s a surprising amount of anti-masturbation content on social media, much of it suggesting that masturbation is bad for your health. In today’s show, we’re going to delve into whether abstaining from masturbation actually boosts testosterone, whether you can really become “addicted” to masturbating, what science says about the purported health benefits of semen retention, and more.

In this episode, we’re revisiting a conversation with Dr. Eric Sprankle, which originally aired back in episode 275. Dr. Sprankle is an Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology and the co-director of the Sexuality Studies program at Minnesota State University, Mankato. He’s also a licensed clinical psychologist and AASECT-certified sex therapist, as well as author of the book, DIY: The Wonderfully Weird History and Science of Masturbation.

Some of the specific topics we explore include:

• Why is the concept of semen retention increasingly popular?
• Are there any health benefits to abstaining from ejaculation?
• Is an orgasm obtained from self-pleasure really any different from an orgasm obtained through partnered sex?
• Can women become “addicted” to their vibrators?
• Is there an objective standard for what constitutes “too much” masturbation?

You can check out Eric’s website to learn more about his work.

Got a sex question? Send me a podcast voicemail to have it answered on a future episode at speakpipe.com/sexandpsychology.

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Thank you to our sponsors! 

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I’m excited to announce a new online course I’m teaching on the topic of fantasies at the Kinsey Institute. Be sure to register for “The New Science of Sexual Fantasies” workshop, which will take place on July 19th, 2025.

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Credits: Precision Podcasting (Podcast editing) and Shutterstock/Florian (Music). Image created with Canva; photos used with permission of guest.