Masturbation is common in the animal kingdom, but is particularly present in primates, to which humans also belong. A new study has shown that it has an evolutionary purpose and is a healthy sexual behavior.
According to a new study the masturbation has one evolutionary purposefavoring the reproduction and protecting from pathogens transmitted through the sexual intercourse. So it is a healthy behaviorwell rooted in receive (including humans), although its benefits in terms of fitness – or reproductive success, the ability to procreate – do not seem immediately clear. Indeed, all too often masturbation is considered an itchy topic and is even compared to pathological behaviors e socially unacceptable, a sort of “by-product of an underlying elevated sexual arousal,” as explained by the authors of the new study. but theautoeroticismas indicated, appears to play a very important role in primate evolution.
This was determined by a British research team led by scientists from the Department of Anthropology of University College London and the Institute of Zoology of the authoritative Zoological Society of London, who collaborated closely with colleagues from the Center for Research on Biodiversity and Environment – Department of Genetics, Evolution and the Environment and Queen Mary University. The researchers, coordinated by Professor Matilda Brindle, reached their conclusions after collecting a large number of data, the richest ever dedicated to primate masturbation. The information was compiled from approx 400 sources, as noted in a press release. These include “246 published academic papers and 150 questionnaires and personal communications from primatologists and zookeepers.” From the analysis of these data, the researchers obtained a broad overview of masturbation, considering it very probable that masturbation was a widespread behavior also in thecommon ancestor of all monkeys. After all, masturbation is common in the Animal Kingdom, however in primates – an order of mammals to which Homo sapiens also belongs – it is particularly present, despite being apparently non-functional.
But what evolutionary advantages would masturbation offer? Dr. Brindle and colleagues have advanced some hypotheses for males, two of which are the most significant. The first of them is the one called “post-copulatory selection hypothesis”, which would ensure greater reproductive success in a context of great competition between male specimens. The masturbation without ejaculation it would help males to get excited before intercourse and to ejaculate more quickly during the act; this would help low-ranking males, who have little time left before being chased away by the stronger and more dominant ones. That with ejaculation, on the other hand, would favor the replacement of the “older” and poor quality sperm with a fresher and more vital substance, able to better compete with the sperm released by other males in the female reproductive tract.
The second hypothesis, always for males, is instead linked to theavoid pathogens after mating: masturbation, in simple words, would allow to clean the urethra with the ejaculate, effectively reducing the risk of sexually transmitted infections, which very often affect the urinary tract. Masturbation is also present in females, however the data collected by scientists are not sufficient to determine its evolutionary aspects. Further studies will be needed to understand it from this point of view.
“Our findings help shed light on a very common but poorly understood sexual behavior and represent a significant advance in our understanding of the functions of masturbation. The fact that autosexual behavior may serve an adaptive function, is ubiquitous throughout the primate order, and is practiced by captive and feral members of both sexes demonstrates that masturbation is part of a repertoire of healthy sexual behaviors.” commented Professor Brindle. And it would not be just a matter of “healthy” behavior. As demonstrated in a statistical study conducted on 30,000 men from Harvard University do, in fact, masturbate over 20 times a month would significantly reduce the risk of developing the prostate cancer. The details of the new research “The evolution of masturbation is associated with postcopulatory selection and pathogen avoidance in primates” have been published in the authoritative scientific journal Proceedings of The Royal Society B.