Does masturbation cause hair loss? Myth or Reality?

Several theories run around for a myth: masturbation causes hair loss. Let’s see what these theories are.

• Masturbation Causes Body to Produce DHT:

DHT(Dihydrotestosterone), a male sex hormone, is the primary cause of male pattern baldness. The DHT binds itself to the receptors in the scalp and causes the hair follicle to shrink around the hairline and crown leading to hair loss in men who are genetically sensitive to DHT.  People claim that masturbation causes hair loss because masturbation results in releasing hormones, including DHT. But several studies show that sexual activity or masturbation doesn’t have any effect on testosterone or DHT production.

As we know DHT is a metabolite of testosterone. Whether it is masturbation or sexual intercourse, it doesn’t have any positive or negative effects on DHT Levels.

• Masturbation Lowers Protein Levels:

Semen does contain protein in a high amount. But masturbating or having sex doesn’t have any effect on the amount of protein available for your hair follicles. Do you know, 50% of the dry weight of the body is made up of proteins? So, even after excessive expulsion of seminal fluid, it won’t reduce the protein content of the body.

On average, 100ml of semen contains about 5040mg of proteins and the amount of semen released during ejaculation is about 3.7ml. Therefore, the amount of protein you lose when you masturbate is insignificant compared to the person’s dietary protein intake. For the sake of argument, even if you spend all day masturbating, you’ll still consume about 10 to 50 times as much protein in your diet, provided you eat relatively healthy. So, there is no correlation between masturbation and protein deficiency, which can cause hair loss.

• DHT Hormones Can Be Balanced by Controlling Ejaculation:

This, again, is a myth, a variation of the claim that masturbation and DHT levels are related. We have already approached the question “does masturbation cause hair fall?” and debunked the fact that masturbation has no effect on the DHT levels whatsoever.

However, there are other hormones that are affected due to masturbation or sex, but their levels in the body have nothing to do with hair loss. One of the hormones is oxytocin which affects the pleasure centers of the brain. Some pieces of evidence do point that oxytocin could affect the conversion of testosterone to DHT, but the studies don’t specifically show that it is masturbation that is having an impact on DHT and not other situations that produce oxytocin. So, there is no reason to worry about the release of oxytocin during sex or masturbation which could lead to hair loss.

The fact of this is a lot of men are genetically predisposed to hair loss. It is a common hair loss condition caused by heredity passed down from either side of the family where the person’s hair follicles are more sensitive to the adverse effects of DHT than others. It is the genetic sensitivity of hair follicles, which leads to thinning of hair, not a person’s high or low libido.

DHT is the major reason for male pattern baldness. DHT is made after converting testosterone through the enzyme, 5α-reductase. There is no role of masturbation or sex in the process where the hair follicles miniaturize and stop growing. So, if you notice that your hairline is receding or your hair is getting thinner, a lot of factors may be contributing towards it, such as nutrition, stress, lifestyle, etc. The claim that masturbation causes hair loss is not true. It can be treated by changing your diet and lifestyle or using medications to lower your DHT levels.

The actual cause of hair loss is a combination of heredity and hormones, not masturbation. Let’s see what are the common causes of hair loss.

·   Male-Pattern Baldness

·   DHT 

·   Stress 

·   Medical conditions 

·   Alopecia Areata

·   Anagen Effluvium

So, if you are losing your hair, your sex life does not have to suffer. It’s not what’s causing your hair loss and there are treatments for male hair loss that deal with the root problem.