Does Watching Porn Increase Testosterone? - The Facts

Ever since the dawn of civilization (or at least since the invention of film) man has tried to answer an ancient question. One of the most profound, existential queries that has ever faced us as a species. “Does watching porn increase testosterone?” Now, in the year 2019, we have finally found the long-awaited answer. Will viewing others having sex stimulate our t-levels, will watching the raw display of raging testosterone instantly boost our own T just by watching it? If porn and testosterone were to join forces, could it be that you can indirectly boost your performance in the gym by watching more porn at home? The answer is here folks - you might want to sit down for this one! via GIPHY Let’s look into how porn and testosterone are exactly linked and how porn and sexual abstinence can help your low T. Last - but certainly not least - let’s see how you can make sure you’re not overdoing it, because like with most good things in life, you gotta make sure you know when to stop...

• How are porn and testosterone linked?
• Benefits of sexual abstinence
• Dangers of porn addiction
• How to stop watching porn

How are porn and testosterone linked?

Chances are you’ve heard at least one of these statements before:

• Watching porn can increase testosterone
• Having sex regularly can increase testosterone
• Climaxing too often can make you lose testosterone
• Holding off on sex (abstinence) can increase testosterone

These are just a few of the many claims out there about the relation between sex, ejaculation, porn, and testosterone. Everybody seems to know they’re linked in some way, but nobody seems to really be sure about HOW they’re linked. So let’s have a look at the science behind it all to understand what that link is exactly.

Sex vs porn

Watching sex and having sex are very different things. You know that, we don’t have to tell you that, but it’s important to stress it at this point in our post. The thing is, whether sex can increase your testosterone and, if so, how often you should have sex to increase testosterone is a whole different topic. Same thing as the exact connection between masturbation and testosterone. Of course, it’s all really closely related, so even though it’s not the focus, we will definitely touch upon some of these touchy-topics too. But for now, let’s dig deeper into testosterone and porn! via GIPHY

The science

Let’s start off with the good news. There are loads of scientific studies out there that tried to figure out if there’s a link between testosterone and watching pornography. Main conclusion? Yep, they are definitely linked. Which, to be honest, is really quite obvious. Testosterone is not only the hormone that gives you energy and strength, but it’s also the hormone that promotes your sex drive, your libido, your mojo... via GIPHY Tons of studies have proven the connection between testosterone and libido; it’s simply a fact. So it only seems logical that this means testosterone and sex/porn are connected as well. By now, it’s no longer just common sense; it’s scientifically proven. For example, in one study a bunch of guys were shown different types of films - sexual, aggressive, stressful, or neutral - and before and after their testosterone levels were checked. Conclusion? A significant increase of testosterone in the men who watched the sexual film. Similarly, in a different study, a group of athletes watched a film that was either sad, eroitic, aggressive, humorous, motivational, or neutral. Conclusion? Just like in the previous study, rising testosterone and porn watching were clearly linked! Ok, one more example to finish it off, done in a slightly different setting. A study conducted in a U.S. sex club monitored the testosterone levels of men as they enjoyed a live performance, of others having sex. What do you think happened? That’s right. Up went the D, and so did the T. via GIPHY Awesome stuff! Time to close this tab and make your way to Pornhub, right...? Well, no. It’s not the time to be jumping up with joy just yet. Like we said, that was the good news, but unfortunately, there’s also some bad news.

The side notes to consider

So even though testosterone and watching porn are indeed connected, and your testosterone levels rise as you watch some bare-booty action, there are a lot of other buts to consider. Here’s a few of them:

• Blowing it all

As you watch porn, you get excited (duh, that’s the whole point). The longer you watch it, the more you can feel the tension building up inside you. You feel your heartbeat rising, your blood pumping, your excitement taking control of you, your hands shaking (on purpose or not)... Until finally, the pressure becomes too much, and all you’ve been building up is violently released in a climactic outburst! The feeling is great, we all know that, but some studies have shown that you might want to hold off on ejaculating as you might actually shoot away more than just your swimmers…

• Finding the balance

Researchers aren’t really 100% sure yet about HOW testosterone and porn are connected. They know they are, and they know watching porn can boost your t-levels, but they don’t know all there is to know... And because they don’t know exactly how it works, they also don’t know exactly just how much porn one should watch. Because the thing is, when you watch too much porn, the effect on your testosterone is not that great anymore. Especially if you go all the way every time you watch porn, you might be blowing it all away. But even without ejaculating all the time, too much porn can be dangerous. Porn addiction is a serious matter for many reasons, and dropping testosterone levels is one of them. But more on that later. First, let’s have a look at another way in which people try to boost their testosterone levels: sexual abstinence...

Benefits of sexual abstinence

It’s a popular belief among athletes: abstain from sex to perform better in the gym, the ring, on the pitch, or whatever the location of your sport! It’s especially common among boxers, following the logic that sex calms a man’s aggression, while abstinence pisses him off. So abstaining from sex before a fight would make a guy more angry; which comes in handy before kicking someone’s ass! via GIPHY A famous example is Muhammad Ali, who supposedly wouldn’t have sex for weeks prior to an important fight. Many other people have followed his example in the past, from 49ers linebacker Bill Romanowski to professional boxer Lennox Lewis. Question is though, does it really work? Can you really increase your T by forcing yourself to not have sex for a while? Can abstinence boost your overall athletic performance? Well, like with most things, the answer is not a simple yes or no: it depends on how you balance it. And then still, research on the matter is conflicting and inconclusive... Take this German research for example, where men’s testosterone levels were checked after 3 weeks of sexual abstinence. The study showed: increased T for those holding off on sex! But that’s only 3 weeks of abstinence. An Italian study looked at men who weren’t sexually active for a much, much longer time, and they found the opposite result: decreased T levels! And that sums up the research out there. Some say yes, some say no, but generally it seems like short-term abstinence can help increase your T, while long-term abstinence won’t help your performance. Unfortunately, nobody has really found the “golden rule” yet, so for now it seems a bit of a guessing game… via GIPHY Nevertheless, the effects of short-term abstinence do seem promising, and with a legend like Muhammad Ali supporting it, you might want to give it a try for yourself. Combine it with watching porn, and you might just be able to reach new testosterone heights! So yeah, if you go back to the question “does watching porn increase testosterone” the answer is: if you do it right then it definitely can!

Dangers of porn addiction

Before you go and enjoy your new-found knowledge, there is a little extra side note that needs to be added here: the dangers of pornography addiction. Of course, you can’t wait to browse for some hot stuff and treat yourself to a movie night, in preparation of a big day in the gym tomorrow, but please be careful! Porn addiction is a thing, and it can have disastrous effects on both your testosterone levels AND the rest of your life! Watching too much pornography causes the problem that you get desensitised. In other words, you just don’t get excited anymore because of all the porn you’ve been watching. Many experts have started suggesting the link between pornography addiction and sexual dysfunction. Erectile dysfunction, delayed ejaculation, diminished libido, dropping testosterone levels: all have been linked to porn addiction! That’s not even all; think about stuff like social isolation due to it. Like with any addiction, your life starts to revolve around it, and as it does the rest of your life has to give in. You become more socially awkward in public and you more often feel the urge to sneak away during a party or don’t go to the gym because you’re too busy watching porn...

How to stop watching porn

Easier said than done of course! But no worries, you don’t have to stop watching pornography completely; especially not if you want to increase your testosterone. But if it seems to be getting out of hand, especially if you start to notice your sex life is being affected by it, you might want to take steps to nip it in the bud. So here are a few tips to help you when you’re wondering how to stop watching porn:

1. 1. Admit you have a problem and open up about it to your partner, best friend, or anyone else you feel comfortable sharing it with. Next step: install anti-porn software and let them come up with a password you don’t know.

1. 1. Get rid of any magazines or dvds you have lingering around at home; throw out everything that might tempt you.

1. 1. Find a hobby to focus on. For example, you can start working out more and hit the gym more often. Or how about whenever you feel the urge to watch pornography you go for a run instead?

1. 1. Still too difficult to avoid? Then you might want to look for professional help. You can always make an appointment with your doctor to see what options there are.

Conclusion

So, porn and testosterone, what’s the verdict? Does watching porn increase testosterone? The answer - as backed by science - is a very clear yes! But there are loads of buts to consider, from whether or not you blow your load to getting sucked in and developing a pornography addiction. The exact balance has not been scientifically proven yet, so for now the only advice we can give you is to be sensible, and don’t overdo it.