A doctor has listed the side effects of masturbating too much, as another expert revealed how to know when you’re at your limit.

Dr Surya Bhagwati, the chief in-house practitioner at Dr Vaidya’s, in India, has debunked some myths about what can happen to your body if you ‘beat the meat’ too often.

Taking to a blog, she wrote: “Masturbation itself is not bad. It is perfectly innocuous and has many positive effects in moderation, for example, reducing stress or helping one get a good night’s sleep.”

However, the medic went on to note that ‘sometimes some amount of masturbation can cause problems’ before listing some of the potential side effects.

It comes as intimacy educator Leeza Mangaldas shared how much is too much when it comes to self-stimulation.

Mangaldas said in part on her YouTube channel: “There is no single one-size-fits-all answer for this, you get to decide.”

How much is too much? (Getty Stock Image)

Side effects of excessive masturbation

Feelings of guilt

According to Dr Bhagwati, ‘excessive masturbation may bring feelings of guilt, often socially, culturally, or even personally’.

Though the expert noted: “For whatever reason, no one by nature really has to feel ashamed, but people do tend to feel guilty if their habits interfere with other things in life.”

Lower self-esteem

The chief in-house practitioner added: “A person, if being uncomfortable about his masturbation practices, might start to beat himself for it or lose self-esteem.”

If you feel this may be an issue, then she advised speaking ‘with a mental health professional’ to ‘help in lose such feelings’.

Lack of focus

“One of the harmful effects of masturbation is that it can affect the degree of concentration and productivity because it acts as an obstruction between work, study, or personal activities and has to be regulated by setting personal boundaries for focus,” Dr Bhagwati noted.

Fatigue

She also described how too much masturbation can lead to fatigue if it keeps you up late at night and robs you of sleep.

Dr Bhagwati added: “It can also become tiring when done excessively without recovery time. Generally, it varies with rest and moderation.”

Excessive masturbation can cause various side effects (Getty Stock Image)

Social awkwardness

“Some people who experience over masturbation side effects become extremely shy in social communities due to reasons of potentially feeling guilty or ashamed about their actions,” the doctor said, before noting this could eventually lead to someone ‘having low self-confidence and self-esteem’.

Impact on personal life

Dr Bhagwati mentioned that if masturbation interferes with your ‘everyday responsibilities, relationships, or personal’ then it can ‘affect the quality of one’s life’ – something that Mangaldas also referenced in her video.

Speaking on her channel, she said that ‘as long as it’s not getting in the way of any activities, like school or work, or your family obligations’, it should be fine.

Swollen genitals

Writing in the blog, Dr Bhagwati explained: “Excessive masturbation might sometimes cause temporary swelling of the genital area because of the increased blood supply to that region.”

However, she said this is ‘harmless’ and usually ‘resolves on its own’.

Decreased sexual sensitivity

“Overstimulation through too much masturbation can sometimes reduce the sensitivity, and it becomes difficult to enjoy the pleasure in actual sexual intercourse,” the expert said. “This is a temporary phenomenon that can be lessened through control over frequency and by changing habits.”

Pleasuring yourself too frequently can actually lead to swollen genitals (Getty Stock Image)

Premature ejaculation

Dr Bhagwati explained that some people may experience premature ejaculation as a side effect ‘because the routine may perpetuate speedy arousal and ejaculation patterns that may spill over to a relationship’.

Debunking myths about masturbating

Dr Bhagwati also mentioned a few myths surrounding masturbation and explained they have no scientific evidence to support them.

These are that excessive masturbating leads to hair loss, penis shrinkage, low sperm count, lower back pain and prostate cancer.

Speaking of the latter, the doctor wrote: “There are no clear conclusions involving masturbation and the risks of prostate cancer. On the contrary, increased frequency of ejaculation – be it from masturbation or any sexual activity-is believed to offer protection by helping flush out unhealthy substances in the prostate.”

While also highlighting that lower back pain is likely due to bad posture, although it is possible that someone could develop it from carrying out the act in a position that is not good for their back.

“One should know what side effects of excessive masturbation can do to you. It’s good to make informed choices about your sexual health and overall well-being,” Dr Bhagwati concluded.

“You can also try natural remedies for erectile dysfunction, but always remember that moderation is the key.”

So, as we’re probably all already aware by now – everything in moderation!