Is masturbation healthy?

The retrieved studies do not directly answer whether masturbation is healthy for a general person. They describe it as a behavior that occurs in various contexts, not as an intervention with measured health outcomes.

The evidence here is thin and off-target. One 1995 case report describes a therapist suggesting masturbation as a coping tool for a teenage boy with alcohol dependence, with a reported positive outcome [1]. A 1995 study on female orgasm found that a "directed masturbation" workshop increased orgasm frequency by 27% in married women, though the study was small (17 participants) and had no long-term follow-up [2]. A 2001 survey of German couples found that masturbation rates dropped during pregnancy and postpartum, but this tells you nothing about health effects [3]. The remaining records cover liver disease, a drug study, and a theological education program—none of which test the health question.

No study in this retrieval measured physical or mental health outcomes from masturbation in a healthy population. There is no data on hormone changes, prostate health, immune function, or psychological effects. The evidence does not support a claim of benefit or harm. The question remains unaddressed by these records.

My call: the retrieved evidence does not answer whether masturbation is healthy. Confidence: not clear—the question was not studied in these records.