In terms of men’s health issues, prostate cancer features high on the agenda. It’s the
second most diagnosed cancer in men globally – closely followed by lung cancer. And it’s the
most common cancer in men in the UK.
As the prostate is a reproductive organ with its main job being to help make semen – the fluid that carries sperm in ejaculate – researchers have long questioned the effect of sexual factors on a man’s prostate cancer risk. Specifically, does ejaculation protect against prostate cancer risk?
Interestingly, there is some evidence that supports this idea. A recent
review looking at all the relevant medical investigations taking place over the last 33 years showed that seven out of the 11 studies reported some beneficial effect of ejaculation frequency on prostate cancer risk.
Although the mechanisms are not completely understood, these studies fit with the idea that ejaculation can reduce prostate cancer by decreasing the concentration of toxins and crystal-like structures that can accumulate in the prostate and potentially cause tumours.
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Similarly, ejaculation may
alter the immune response within the prostate reducing inflammation – a known risk factor for cancer development – or by increasing immune defence against tumour cells.
Alternatively, by
reducing psychological tension ejaculation may lower the activity of the nervous system which then prevents certain prostate cells from dividing too rapidly and increasing the chance of them becoming cancerous.
Despite these suggested mechanisms, in the research implying ejaculation is protective, it appears that specifics are important.
Age plays its part. Sometimes frequency of ejaculation was only protective at
ages 20-29,
or 30-39, and sometimes
only in later life (50s and older) and actually increased the risk in younger life (20s).
Other times, ejaculation in adolescence (when the prostate is still developing and maturing) had the
greatest impact on the risk of prostate cancer decades later.
