How Often Do Men Masturbate?
There is not a singular, magical answer to this question because while many studies have been done around the world, men’s willingness to report their masturbation frequency truthfully can affect the data’s accuracy.
Studies have found that 61% of American men have reported masturbating within the past year, while 66% of British men have done so within the past month.
This particular report analyzed multiple studies from around the world, with researchers noting that these numbers may be underreported due to men’s unwillingness to disclose this information.
Masturbation isn’t necessarily a “comfortable” topic for many — but it’s a global practice that deserves discussion, nonetheless.
Another study found that 35.9% of men reported masturbation at least once per week (compared to just 8.8% of women) during the previous year to counteract loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic, and only 10.4% of men said they’d never masturbated — ever.
“There are many reasons why someone may report having never masturbated,” Dr. Susan Milstein, a human sexuality health educator on our medical review board, said. She continued:
“Some may be lying, which is often the joke, but there are others who just aren’t comfortable with the idea of masturbating. It may be that it goes against their morals, ethical or religious beliefs. They may feel that doing so is cheating on their partner.”
A study by The National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior at Indiana University collected data from almost 6,000 people between the ages of 14 to 94.
The data found that 42.9% of men had masturbated alone within the past month, while 3.6% reported doing the same with a partner present.
Additionally, 62.1% of men had reported masturbating alone within the past year, with 5.2% doing so with a partner.
A few factors at play here — such as age, libido, or a willingness to disclose such information honestly — can shift those percentages, but overall, the majority of men do masturbate with some regularity, alone and with a partner.
One global research study found that 92% of men in the United States have tried masturbating at some point in their life.
That same study also looked at the coverage of masturbation as part of sex education.
In the US, for instance, only 28% of respondents cited masturbation as being addressed in sex ed classes.
This is an important thing to note, considering that masturbation is a practice that often starts early in a male’s life.
Considering all age groups collectively, one study found that 73.8% of teenage boys report engaging in masturbation.
By the age of 14, 62.6% of males have masturbated at least once, with the number jumping to 80% by the age of 17.