Does releasing sperm affect muscle growth?

Does releasing sperm affect muscle growth? For centuries, coaches and athletes have sworn by abstinence as a way to preserve energy, maintain high testosterone, and reach peak performance. 

The good news for those whose pre-workout ritual culminates in orgasm is that you’re in the clear. There’s no real evidence that ejaculation meaningfully interferes with your strength, muscle gains, or athletic performance.

So, why did Muhammad Ali reportedly abstain from sex for six weeks before a fight — and Mike Tyson for years? 

While ejaculation can cause short-term hormonal fluctuations, those changes don’t seem to translate to worse performance or less muscle. 

Ahead, we’ll break down what the research actually says and whether masturbation or semen retention can help (or hurt) your workouts.

No, releasing sperm doesn’t appear to affect muscle growth. While direct research on muscle gain and ejaculation is limited, studies show that sexual activity within 30 minutes to 24 hours before exercise has no meaningful effect on strength, endurance, or aerobic performance. In other words, having sex or masturbating before working out isn’t likely to affect your gains.

In fact, some studies suggest that sex and masturbation may offer small psychological benefits through improved sleep quality and stress reduction that could influence how you feel during a workout.

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Not directly. Research suggests that sex and masturbation don’t boost strength or endurance, but they may offer indirect benefits, like reduced stress and better sleep, which can support athletic performance. 

Potential benefits of sex and masturbation on athletic performance:

• Better sleep: Some research suggests that athletes report better sleep quality and fall asleep faster after having an orgasm, either with a partner or by themselves. Since sleep is essential for recovery, training, and overall athletic performance, this could indirectly support better workouts.

• Improved mood and reduced pain: Research suggests that sexual activity releases hormones like oxytocin, dopamine, and endorphins, which may reduce pain perception and improve mood. While direct evidence in athletes is limited, these effects could plausibly aid athletic performance.

No, abstaining from sex or masturbation doesn’t appear to improve your workout performance or enhance muscle growth, but it’s a common misconception that dates back centuries.

In ancient Rome and Greece, athletes were often encouraged to abstain from sex before a competition. This belief was partly based on the idea that ejaculation drains testosterone, and part of this thinking still persists today.

While ejaculation doesn’t deplete testosterone, it can cause hormonal fluctuations over the course of sexual activity. Research shows that testosterone levels can briefly rise during sexual activity or masturbation and return to baseline shortly after. That post-activity return to baseline  can make it seem like testosterone is being depleted, but it’s simply returning to pre-erection levels and doesn’t drop below normal. 

Because testosterone plays a key role in muscle growth, it’s easy to assume that abstaining can give you an edge, especially with the misconception that  testosterone drops after sex. In reality, minor hormonal fluctuations associated with ejaculation aren’t enough to have a lasting impact on strength, muscle growth, or performance.

That said, some research suggests having sex too close to a workout could affect your perception of how intense the workout is. Ultimately, you’ll have to see how ejaculating before a workout affects you personally.

Does masturbation cause muscle loss? Does releasing sperm make you weaker? Let’s separate myth from reality:

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If your pre-gym routine involves solo or partnered sex, there’s no need to worry. There’s no strong scientific evidence that releasing sperm meaningfully affects muscle gain or athletic performance. 

Here’s what you should remember:   

• Having sex or masturbating before working out won’t make you weaker. There’s little evidence that sex or masturbation reduces athletic performance.

• Testosterone changes are short-lived. Hormone fluctuations after sex are temporary and don’t impact long-term muscle growth.

• Abstaining from sex or masturbation won’t give you an edge. Skipping sex doesn’t appear to improve strength, aggression, or workout performance.

• Focus on sleep and recovery instead. Poor sleep — not ejaculation — is more likely to affect your workouts.