Masturbation causes a surge of dopamine and oxytocin. This improves our mood. Oxytocin, in fact, reduces cortisol, a stress hormone generally present during times of anxiety, fear, panic or distress.
This, in turn, can help boost our immune system because cortisol actually helps maintain your immune system if released in small doses, allowing us to protect ourselves against certain diseases or infections (Has anyone thought about the coronavirus?).
Masturbation and white blood cells
According to A study carried out by the Department of Medical Psychology of the University Clinic of Essen (in Germany), Masturbation increased white blood cell count and strengthened the immune system.
During this experiment, each participant's white blood cell count was analyzed through measurements taken 5 minutes before and 45 minutes after achieving a self-induced orgasm.
The results confirmed that sexual arousal and orgasm increased the number of white blood cells, particularly natural killer cells that help fight infections.
The immune system is organized through a balanced network of cells and organs that work together to defend against infections and diseases by stopping threats such as bacteria and viruses from entering your system.
While there are many things we must do to keep our immune system functioning at optimal levels, Masturbation (or other means of achieving orgasm) has been shown to have positive effects.
Meanwhile, bad habits (such as a disordered sleep schedule) can do just the opposite. So, given the pleasure it brings, sex seems like a better option.
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The news
Masturbation can help protect you from viral and bacterial infections
was originally published in
Xataka Science
by
Sergio Parra
.