Masturbation is a normal, healthy, usually very enjoyable activity that a whole lot of people engage in! That said, there are some myths and misconceptions floating around about certain things that masturbating can (or can’t) do. A few of those are related to penis size. Some folks wonder if masturbating will make their or their partner’s penis bigger, and others worry about masturbation causing penis shrinkage (I WAS IN THE POOL!)
So, let’s put your mind at ease and take a look at some masturbation misconceptions you can stop worrying about ASAP. We’ll also talk a bit about male enhancement and things you can do if you wish your penis were bigger (even though, btw, your body is awesome the way it is).
Can masturbation make my penis grow?
I’m going to cut directly to the chase. NO, it absolutely cannot.
It’s not clear where this misconception came from. Some believe it stems from the idea that doing male Kegel exercises and other penile muscle and tissue manipulations (like masturbation) can increase muscle strength. This may have led to the notion that stronger muscle equals bigger size — which is false.
Frankly, if masturbation made penises bigger, we’d have a world full of folks with impractically enormous packages. Don’t despair, though! There are many real health benefits of masturbation (plus the orgasms, which are always nice).
The misconception of penile shrinking
When it comes to misconceptions about masturbation’s effect on penis size, it goes both ways! Masturbation won’t make your penis bigger, but it definitely won’t result in a make it smaller penis, either.
Again, we can’t pinpoint the origin of this myth, but one possible source is a combination of two OTHER common questions: does masturbation lower testosterone levels? And, does testosterone make your penis bigger? Put those two incorrect beliefs together, and you have a recipe for believing that masturbation makes penises shrink.
So, let’s clear all of this up right now:
1. Masturbating doesn’t affect how much testosterone that naturally occurs in your bloodstream. In the moment, the act of masturbation can cause an elevation in testosterone levels. Likewise, ejaculation can cause them to lower, but these are normal fluctuations without long-term effects.
2. Also, penis size is mainly dictated by genetics. Testosterone levels have just about nothing to do with it.
Can masturbation stunt my growth?
This is another misconception brought on by confusion about what testosterone levels do, but it is not true.
While testosterone plays a key role in penis growth, especially during the teenage years, other hormones are responsible for growth throughout life. Honestly, an unhealthy diet, sedentary lifestyle, and exposure to pollutants in the air and water are far more likely to stunt penis growth than masturbation ever could.
Can lifestyle changes affect penis size?
Maybe you’ve wondered, “Does your penis get bigger when you lose weight?” or if there are exercises that can make your penis bigger. Sadly the answer is no. Have you ever heard rumors about what foods make your penis bigger? Lots of people want to know, “Does apple juice make your penis bigger?” Again the answer here is no. You will not get a bigger or smaller penis due to changes in your diet, substance use, or exercise routine.
Not so fast, though! This one comes with a “but”! While it’s true that lifestyle factors will not change the size of your penis, they can help keep your dick healthy and your erections big and powerful! How so? An erection is created by blood flowing into the penis, so anything you do to maintain or improve blood flow will help keep your erections going strong.
But here’s a caveat: a healthy penis has a lot to do with blood flow. When you get an erection, blood flows into three cylindrical pieces of tissue in the penile shaft. Anything you can do to improve blood flow will be beneficial to your penis health. So, what can you do? So glad you asked!
- exercise regularly
- reduce stress
- reduce or eliminate alcohol and smoking
- eat foods rich in folate like spinach
- drink caffeine in coffee or caffeinated tea
- drink 8-10 glasses of water daily
- take vitamin D supplements (no pun intended)
Is it possible to increase penis size?
Frankly, no.
Please remember that all penises are different and there is no standard penis size or appearance. Some surgical penis enlargement options are available, but they offer minimal results and no actual health benefits. They also have the potential to do genuine harm by causing loss of blood flow, penile injury, or loss of sensation in the area.
You can make your penis look bigger with grooming techniques, weight loss, or using a cock ring, but in general, a penis is what it is. And, honestly, it’s pretty great, so embrace your penis. If that is difficult, I recommend talking to your partner(s) who likely also think your penis is pretty awesome, or a mental health professional specializing in sexual health.
Other common myths about masturbation
While we’re here, let’s take a moment to shut down some other myths about masturbation!
Myths:
- Excessive masturbation can lead to erectile dysfunction.
- Masturbation is not a normal part of sexual development
- There are no health benefits of masturbation
- People only masturbate when they’re alone
- Frequent masturbation can cause blindness/hairy palms/some other bodily impairment
Facts:
Masturbation is a natural activity that is a normal part of sexual development for many (but not all, so no worries if you aren’t/weren’t into it!). It has health benefits in terms of muscle building and penile health. People often practice it in healthy, sexually fulfilling relationships, whether alone (especially with the help of male masturbator sex toys) or together (mutual masturbation is pretty cool!). Also, it should go without saying but, just in case, no one has ever gone blind or sprouted hair on their palms due to masturbation. Those myths were born out of sexual repression and shame.
The Upshot
Masturbation won’t affect your penis size one way or another, but it can have some real health benefits and help you have a satisfying, well-rounded sex life. So, even though it won’t get you a bigger penis, you should still feel free to enjoy masturbation. We encourage the use of a pocket pussy or a mouth masturbator to make it just that much more pleasurable.
If you want to try cock rings, penis pumps, extenders, sleeves, or other male enhancement products, check out PinkCherry’s huge selection!
More information on dehydration and erectile function here.