What are the 'No Nut November' rules and are there any benefits?

It’s that time of year again – the leaves are falling from the trees, the nights are drawing in, and men across the world are refraining from masturbating in the name of No Nut November.

The phenomenon has been around for just over a decade, with the first recorded reference to it spotted back on internet forums back in 2011.

No Nut November is not, as you might think, a month spent refraining from eating nuts. Instead, it sees participants avoid sex and masturbation entirely.

While actually getting aroused and watching pornography seem to be allowed within the rules, refraining from climax is a must.

The idea has grown in popularity over recent years, but is it healthy?

While people who take part in No Nut November often frame it as portray it being good for your physical and mental wellbeing, according to urologist Dr. Rena Malik there is no hard evidence to back it up.

Is No Nut November good for our health?iStock

In fact, Malik spoke to Insider and said that the benefits of ejaculation include reduction of stress and even possibly reducing the risk of prostate cancer.

Malik cited a 2016 study from European Urology, which suggested that men in their 20s and 40s who ejaculated more than 21 times a month were less likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer than those in their age group who ejaculated much less frequently.

The urologist also discussed the idea that masturbation can lead to reduced performance in sports, before dismissing it as something that doesn’t have a basis in science.

"If [refraining from masturbation] feel like it's helping [men] have more clarity and they're not bothered and they feel great, then by all means that's fine. But if you are having issues, there's no point in putting yourself through torture because someone said that you should do it," she said.

According to clinical psychologist and certified sex therapist Dr. David J. Ley, it could also reduce testosterone levels.

“Our sexuality is like a muscle, and failing to exercise it actually weakens it, it doesn’t make it stronger,” Dr. Ley told InsideHook. “Researchers find that, in men, abstinence and refraining from ejaculation appears to decrease testosterone.”

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