What Percentage Of Men Masturbate? We Look at the Prevalence, Frequency, and Benefits

Recently there has been a more significant focus on a person’s sexual pleasure and the importance of identifying safe sexual preferences and activities. Yet, there is still so much shame centered around talking about one’s sexual desires and sexual activity in society. 

One of the more taboo topics that many feel uncomfortable talking about is masturbation. A survey found that 54% of people don’t feel comfortable talking about masturbation, yet millennials, unsurprisingly, were the most open-minded about discussing masturbation among all generations. 

Statistically, according to a 2018 Global Self Pleasure Report conducted by Tenga Co. Ltd., 78% of all adults in the world masturbate. However, when the survey respondents who were a part of the report were asked how many people they believe masturbate regularly, they underestimated the amount. Most of the respondents underestimated the number of people they believed to routinely masturbate by an average of 11%. 

There are many popular misconceptions surrounding masturbation. For example, many people believe the number of men who masturbate is significantly higher than the number of women who masturbate. Others believe men’s and women’s masturbation preferences to be wholly different, and some believe there to be hardly any benefits associated with personal pleasure. 

Additionally, some people are convinced that almost 100% of men masturbate regularly but is this the case? Should you have a burning desire to discover what percentage of men actually masturbate and some other key masturbation information continue reading this article. 

How Often Do Men Masturbate?

As many of us are aware, there is nothing wrong with self-love. However, many people often wonder how frequently men masturbate. Generally, men masturbate daily, weekly, a few times a month, or not at all. All these timeframes are within normal parameters, but they don’t really answer the question. 

To better understand how often men masturbate, we need to examine a 2009 study conducted by the renowned National Survey of Sexual Health and behavior. The findings from this study were fascinating. It should be noted that the group of men that were studied were all between the ages of 25 and 29 years old. 

According to the study, 17% of the men in the study had not masturbated in the last year, while 15% of men in the study had masturbated a few times each year. The findings also demonstrated that 25% of men within the 25 to 29-year-old age group masturbated a few times a month to weekly while 23% masturbated two to three times each week.

Moreover, it was discovered that approximately 20% of men masturbated more than four times each week. Furthermore, a 2008 study that examined men and women between the ages of 16 and 44 found that 73% of men masturbate every month. In contrast, 37% of women masturbate every month. 

What Percentage of Men Masturbate?

Now it’s time to examine the burning question of what percentage of men masturbate. Contrary to popular belief, not all men masturbate and the actual numbers based on study findings might surprise you. 

A masturbation study conducted by Tenga revealed that 88% of all respondents had masturbated. It was shown that of the men who responded, 95% of them admitted to masturbating, while out of the women respondents, 81% admitted to masturbating. 

Additionally, a study conducted by Indiana University cited that approximately 75% of straight men admitted to masturbating within a one-month timeframe.

Five Thirty Eight/National Survey of Sexual Health and Behaviour

Are Married Men Less Likely To Masturbate?

Another popular point of discussion centers around if married men are less likely to masturbate than their single counterparts. The answer to this popular question is somewhat complex as usually several factors need to be considered. Yet, it should be noted that for most married couples, masturbation is a part of their sexual lives. 

Even though masturbation is increasingly common with married couples, not every married man is going to masturbate, and this is because of a number of reasons. For example, married men might not feel the need to masturbate, their spouse might not be comfortable with them masturbating, or there might not be enough trust in the relationship to promote masturbation. 

Ultimately each marriage is different, and what works for one marriage will not work for another. However, research has shown that on average single people masturbate 16 times monthly while those in a committed relationship masturbate 10 times a month. 

How Men Masturbate vs. How Women Masturbate

Interestingly there are subtle differences between the masturbation habits of men and women. According to a We-Vibe study that polled 1032 people, men and women have different masturbation routines, desires, and patterns. 

The study revealed that one in three men think about a celebrity when they are masturbating. Additionally, when looking at the findings, it was revealed that the main celebrities men most often picture while masturbating include Jennifer Lopez, Carrie Underwood, Megan Fox, Jessica Alba, and Beyonce. 

In comparison, only one in five women think about a celebrity while masturbating. The most commonly thought of male celebrities that women picture when masturbating include Ryan Gosling, Channing Tatum, Justin Timberlake, and Johnny Depp. 

Another study by Bespoke Surgical in 2019 concurred with We-Vibe, finding 34.4% of American’s fantasies about celebrities in the bedroom. This was closely followed by ex-romantic partners (33.6%), friends (33%), and pornstars (28.8%).

Bespoke Surgical

A finding from the We-Vibe study revealed that most men follow masturbation routines. According to the data, 69% of men will watch pornography, listen to music, look at photos or use a vibrator each time they masturbate. In comparison, only 54% of females will do the same thing. 

The study by Bespoke Surgical agreed with the We-Vibe findings, with the majority of men surveyed stating they’re 1.8x more likely to watch porn while masturbating. A surprising 22% of women never watch porn, while only 6% of men admitted to wanking without the visual aid of porn.

Bespoke Surgical

The most commonplace for masturbation is the bedroom, but another favorite spot is a car. Why people are getting off in a car solo is anyone’s guess, but when interviewed, 20% of men admitted to masturbating in a car, but only 19% of women admitted to doing the same thing. Another thoroughly interesting comparison between men and women is that men believe in watching adult content to spice up their love lives while women believe in incorporating toys.

The We-Vibe study found that 91% of males believe in watching adult content to spice up their masturbation routines with themselves and their partners. In contrast, only 67% of women believe in watching adult content, while 53% believe in incorporating sex toys to better their sexual activities. 

The Benefits Associated With Masturbation

There are many known benefits to masturbation. One of the key benefits associated with masturbation is improved sexual health through the promotion of intimacy with one’s self. Masturbation also helps with the prevention of highly transmissible diseases such as STIs and HIV, and it helps prevent teen pregnancies. 

Below we have identified some of the other sexual and general health benefits associated with masturbation. 

• Masturbation helps people relax, and it promotes better sleep.
• Masturbation can effectively relieve sexual tension while allowing people to explore their sexuality confidently.
• Masturbation causes feelings of mental and physical well-being due to the release of opioid-like neurotransmitters. 
• Masturbation is an excellent form of sexual activity that is available to all people, no matter their gender. 
• Masturbation helps people become aware of what they find pleasurable, which is beneficial to those in relationships. 
• Masturbation helps relieve menstrual cramps and alleviates pain. 

The Myths Surrounding Masturbation

Unsurprisingly, there are many myths surrounding masturbation. Unfortunately, many people feel ashamed of masturbating because of outdated myths, even though most of them have been debunked numerous times. Below are a few of the common masturbation myths that many still believe.

• If you masturbate, you will go blind. 
• If you masturbate, you will become infertile. 
• If you masturbate, you will develop mental health issues. 
• If you masturbate, you will have reduced sexual function. 
• If you masturbate, you are practicing sexual perversion. 
• If you masturbate, you will get hairy palms. 
• If you masturbate, you will develop penis curvature. 
• If you masturbate, your penis will shrink. 
• If you masturbate, you will develop a low sperm count. 
• If you masturbate, you will become physically weak.  

Can Men Masturbate Too Much?

As with any sexual activity, it is essential to uncover if there are any potential hazards to your physical or mental well-being. A frequent question many men ask is if they can masturbate too much. Usually, most people, including men, don’t need to be concerned about masturbating too much. Scientifically speaking, there is no definitive measure as to how much masturbation is too much as each person’s health is measured differently. 

Yet if not done in moderation, there can be significant negative drawbacks. Should your masturbation habits be causing you physical, mental, relational, or emotional distress, it could be an indicator that you are masturbating too frequently. Below we have pointed out a few signs you should be aware of that could indicate that your masturbation habit isn’t healthy. 

• When masturbating feels like a need rather than a personal choice. 
• Your masturbation habits are not allowing you to have a satisfying sex life with your partner. 
• When you masturbate, and it no longer feels pleasurable because of numbness, pain, or a loss of pleasure sensations. 
• Masturbating is getting in the way of your daily life and work duties because of how often you feel the need to masturbate. 

The Take-Away

Essentially it can be determined that masturbation plays a significant role in men’s lives, with 95% of men having practiced masturbation. However, although masturbation plays a slightly less important role in women’s lives, women are almost masturbating as much as men. 

Additionally, men are sexually active more often than women, and they have different sexual habits, routines, and preferences when compared to women. Again these differences are not as significant as many believe. Moreover, masturbation has many health benefits that shouldn’t be easily dismissed. It’s likely that as the years progress, the divide between how many men and women masturbate will narrow.