Frequent ejaculation may decrease prostate cancer risk

Conclusion This research showed an association between ejaculating more frequently and a lower chance of getting prostate cancer in three different age groups. Before too much is read into these findings, there are some limitations of the research to consider: Three age groups were looked at; ages 20-29, 40-49 and 50 and over. It is not known what the differences are within these groups and it is not known what the outcomes would be if ejaculation was measured in different age categories. Although the authors adjusted for some variables, there are still some factors that might have influenced the results, such as sociodemographic background, education level and whether the men had children. The circumstances of ejaculation were not considered – in other words whether the occurrences were mostly through masturbation or with a sexual partner. This might have had an influence on the results. The questionnaire relied on self-reporting and considering past history, which may have led to recall bias where participants inaccurately reported their ejaculation history. Prostate cancer was self-reported through medical history and not specifically screened for. It might be that men who are more sexually active are less likely to seek cancer screening and therefore may be unaware of the presence of prostate cancer. The study was conducted on mostly white health professionals in the US and might not be generalisable to the entire UK male population – especially as p...
Source: NHS News Feed - Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Cancer Source Type: news