Researchers are revisiting long-standing assumptions about how ejaculation frequency may affect sperm health. For years, popular advice around male fertility has included everything from dietary changes to limiting sexual activity, yet many of these beliefs were based more on speculation than science.
Trends like “No Nut November” have also promoted the idea that abstaining from ejaculation boosts testosterone or improves fertility. Medical experts, however, generally disagree. Some research suggests that long periods without ejaculation may contribute to increased stress or low mood rather than offering physical benefits.
Emerging scientific findings point in another direction. A major review from the University of Oxford examined 115 studies involving nearly 55,000 men and found that extended abstinence was linked to declines in important markers of sperm quality. These included reduced movement, lower survival rates, and greater DNA damage.