Medically reviewed by Mark Strehlow, MD, Medical Director — September 2026
A regular, satisfying sex life is linked with real benefits for men. They include a lower risk of prostate cancer in men who ejaculate often, a lower risk of heart disease in some studies, better sleep, faster recovery from stress and a closer relationship. But nearly all of this evidence shows that these things go together, not that sex causes them: healthier men tend to have more sex. And more isn’t always better. In large surveys, well-being rises with how often people have sex only up to about once a week.
Below is what the research shows, where it’s weaker than you may have read, and what to do if your erections or interest in sex have changed.
Benefits of sex for men at a glance
| Benefit | What the research shows | How strong the evidence is |
|---|---|---|
| Prostate cancer | Men who ejaculated 21 or more times a month had about a 20% lower risk than men who ejaculated 4 to 7 times | A long-term study of 31,925 U.S. men; another study found a mixed picture |
| Heart disease | Men who had sex once a month or less had a higher risk of heart disease than men who had sex twice a week or more | A study of 1,165 men; a study of older men found the opposite |
| Erections | Men aged 55 to 75 who had sex less than once a week developed erectile dysfunction (ED) at twice the rate of men who had sex weekly | A 5-year study of 989 men |
| Sleep | Less time awake during the night after sex or masturbation | A pilot study with sleep monitors (14 people) |
| Stress | Physical affection between partners went with faster recovery from stress | A lab study of 183 couples |
| Relationship | Sexual satisfaction stays higher for about two days after sex | Two studies of newlyweds |
| Exercise | About 100 calories per session for men, at moderate intensity | A study of 21 young couples |
What the research can and can’t tell you
Most research on sex and health asks men how often they have sex, then follows their health for years. That shows two things go together. It can’t show which one causes the other. Poor health lowers sexual activity: in a national study of older adults, people who rated their health as poor were less likely to be sexually active and more likely to report sexual problems. So a man who has sex often may simply be healthier to begin with. Keep that in mind for every benefit below.
Does sex lower your risk of prostate cancer?
It may. The strongest study followed 31,925 U.S. men for 18 years. Men who reported 21 or more ejaculations a month, in their 20s or in their 40s, were about 20% less likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer than men who reported 4 to 7. The link was mostly with low-risk cancers, and it held after the researchers accounted for screening and other differences between the men.
Not every study agrees. A British study of men diagnosed at 60 or younger found that frequent masturbation in their 20s and 30s went with a higher risk, and in their 50s with a lower one. Frequent ejaculation hasn’t been shown to prevent prostate cancer, and it doesn’t replace talking with your doctor about screening.
Sex and heart health
The evidence here points in different directions. In the Massachusetts Male Aging Study, men who had sex once a month or less had a 45% higher risk of heart disease over the following years than men who had sex at least twice a week, even after accounting for erectile dysfunction.
But in a national study of 2,204 older adults, older men who had sex more often had a higher risk of cardiovascular events five years later. How satisfying sex was seemed to protect older women’s hearts, but not men’s.
What is clear is that erections and heart health are connected. The American Urological Association advises that men with erectile dysfunction be told it can be a warning sign of heart disease.
Is sex risky for your heart? Rarely. Sex is moderate exercise: young men in one study burned about 100 calories per session. A review found that sex briefly raises the risk of a heart attack, but the added risk is small, about 2 to 3 extra heart attacks per 10,000 people a year for each extra hour a week, and smaller in people who exercise regularly. If you have heart disease or get chest pain with exertion, ask your doctor whether you’re fit for sex. If you take nitrate medicines for chest pain, such as nitroglycerin, tell your doctor before taking an ED medication.
Does sex help you sleep?
It may help a little. In a 2025 pilot study, 14 people in live-in couples (7 of them men) wore portable sleep monitors for 11 nights. After partnered sex or masturbation, they spent less time awake during the night than on nights without sex. They didn’t feel they had slept better, though, and the study was small. The hormone prolactin rises at orgasm and stays up for at least half an hour, but whether that explains the sleepiness some men feel hasn’t been shown.
Is sex a stress reliever for men?
There’s some evidence that closeness helps. In a lab study of 183 couples, partners who showed more physical affection recovered faster from a stress test, as measured by the stress hormone cortisol, in men as well as women. That study measured affection, not sex itself. In a lab study of 10 men, orgasm didn’t change cortisol. Oxytocin, a hormone tied to trust and bonding, rises during orgasm and during a hug.
Sex also carries into the rest of a relationship. In two studies of newlyweds, sexual satisfaction stayed higher for about 48 hours after sex, and spouses with a stronger “afterglow” were more satisfied with their marriages months later.
Does regular sex protect your erections?
Possibly. In a Finnish study of 989 men aged 55 to 75 who didn’t have erectile dysfunction at the start, men who had sex less than once a week developed it at twice the rate of men who had sex once a week, over five years. The researchers accounted for other health problems. But it’s the same kind of study as above, and men with early, undetected problems may simply have sex less.
Is it good for a man to have sex every day?
There’s no medically recommended number. In three studies of more than 30,000 people, those in relationships were happier the more often they had sex, but only up to about once a week. Beyond that, they were no happier. When researchers asked married couples to double how often they had sex for three months, the couples did have more sex, but they reported less desire and less enjoyment.
So daily sex is fine if you both want it, but it isn’t a health goal in itself. Two practical notes:
- Headaches. Headaches during sex seem to be more common in men. A sudden, severe one, especially the first time, needs medical care right away to rule out a serious cause.
- Infections. The CDC recommends that everyone aged 13 to 64 be tested for HIV at least once. Ask your provider which other tests make sense for you.
When erections or desire change
Changes are common and worth raising. In a national study of adults aged 57 to 85, 37% of sexually active men reported erection problems, yet only 38% of men had talked about sex with a doctor since turning 50.
Erectile dysfunction can be an early sign of heart and blood-vessel disease, and the American Urological Association recommends checking morning testosterone in men with ED. Low desire has many possible causes, including low testosterone, erection or ejaculation problems, depression, anxiety and stress, relationship problems, some medicines (such as antidepressants and blood pressure medicines), drinking too much, and conditions such as diabetes and heart disease.
The right treatment depends on the cause, so an evaluation comes first. Options include FDA-approved ED tablets, treating an underlying condition, changing a medicine, testosterone therapy when labs confirm low testosterone, and counseling or sex therapy. To learn what affects testosterone, see what lowers testosterone in men.
How Rock Creek Wellness can help
If your erections or desire have changed, start by finding out why. Our sexual wellness care is led by Hannah Osborn, APRN, and Angela Barnett, MD, also sees patients for it. Your consultation covers your history and medicines, a short questionnaire about erections, and labs where they help, such as testosterone, blood sugar and cholesterol.
What comes next depends on what we find:
- ED medication. We prescribe tablets such as sildenafil and tadalafil when they suit you.
- Hormone care. If your labs confirm low testosterone, we’ll discuss hormone care for men.
- Shockwave therapy. For some men with mild ED linked to blood flow, we offer low-intensity shockwave therapy. The evidence for it is limited, especially for radial devices like ours, and no shockwave device is cleared by the FDA for ED.
- Referral. When a urologist is the better route, we’ll refer you.
Consultations are private and free. Treatments are cash-pay, and you’ll get the price in writing at your consultation. See all of our sexual wellness care.
Looking for the women’s side? Read the benefits of sex for women.
Common questions
Does masturbation have the same benefits?
For some, yes. In the sleep study, masturbation and partnered sex had similar effects, and the prostate study counted all ejaculations. Benefits tied to a partner, such as the afterglow, come from partnered sex.
What hormones are released during sex?
In lab studies of men, prolactin rose at orgasm and stayed up for at least 30 minutes, and oxytocin rises with orgasm too. Testosterone and cortisol didn’t change. There’s no good evidence that sex raises or “balances” your testosterone.
Do the benefits change with age?
Sexual activity tends to fall with age and with poor health. In the national study of older adults, 73% of people aged 57 to 64 were sexually active, compared with 26% of those aged 75 to 85. In the prostate study, the link with ejaculation showed up in men’s 20s and in their 40s.
Do these findings apply to gay and bisexual men?
Many of these studies involved men with female partners, and none of them reported results by partner gender. The prostate study counted all ejaculations, whatever the source. The CDC recommends that sexually active gay and bisexual men be tested for HIV, syphilis, chlamydia and gonorrhea at least once a year.
Sources
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- American Urological Association. Erectile dysfunction: AUA guideline. 2018. AUA
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- Carnegie Mellon University. Carnegie Mellon researchers find more sex doesn’t lead to increased happiness. 2015. Carnegie Mellon University
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