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Question:
Dear Dr. Konstance McCaffree:

I appreciate very much your expertise. May I ask you two question? Both of them are similar, but one question relates to the adolescent period and another one - to lifespan.

1) Do the age of beginning of adolescent masturbation and the duration it during adolescence have the significance for sexual well being? . Is the duration of the adolescent masturbation important for sexologist, sex therapists?

2) More general question: Do the age of beginning of masturbation and the duration it during lifespan have the significance for sexual well being? It it makes a difference for sexual health if masturbation has lasted for 2, 5, 10 or 80 years during a person's lifespan?

I appreciate very much your time. Robert

Answer:
by Konstance McCaffree: (06/04/2004)
These are very hard questions to answer because I don't know that we have enough research to know. Certainly there is anecdotal evidence to suggest that a person who begins masturbating during adolescence and has a positive experience, may very well continue that positive experience into adulthood - AND we know that sexual arousal through masturbation has many positive health results. In addition to cardiovascular enhancement, the chemicals produced during orgasm are healthy for the body often creating muscle relaxation and pain free body.

Your second question is even more difficult because we really don't know if there is positive sexual health based on the number of years masturbating except the new data that shows that in men, the years of masturbation may lessen the risk of prostate cancer.

Thanks again for your question.

Reviewed by Sexual Health Editorial Team

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