"Masturbation: Yes or No?" is one of the decisions men make with some frequency. (Although often the decision is made before the question even formulates itself.) Studies indicate that some form of masturbation is generally good for a guy’s long term penis care, but what about masturbation and decisions? Can masturbating impact the quality of the decisions a guy makes?

The answer would appear to be yes - but whether that impact is for good or bad is ambiguous.

One study

A study from 2006 is often pointed to as evidence that masturbation produces a situation in which a man falls prey to bad decision-making - at least in terms of sexual relationships. In this study, 25 college men were instructed to masturbate (although it’s unlikely very little instruction was needed). They then were asked questions about sexual matters, including things like would they slip a drug to a girl in order to have sex with her.

The scientists discovered that "sexual arousal acts as an amplifier…(so that) activities that are not perceived as arousing…become sexually charged and attractive" when the man is aroused. Some have pointed to this as evidence that masturbation leads to bad decision-making, certainly where sexual etiquette and respect for other individuals is concerned.

Yet it’s hard to trust the results of this study for a number of reasons. First, the study size - 25 young men - is too small to be useful for anything other than a pilot study. In addition, the study focuses on college students, a group which is perhaps more inclined to being sexually "at the ready" than usual.

But much more objectionable are two other facts. Number one, the men do not masturbate to orgasm, only to a level of arousal (and one, might say, frustration), which is very different than the emotions most men feel upon completion of a masturbatory experience. And number two, the attitudes of these men were not measured before the study began, so there’s no way of knowing whether their answers to the questions would be different after becoming aroused or not.

Another point of view

Many doctors reach another conclusion about masturbation and making decisions. They feel it puts a man in a state of mind to make better decisions.

Why should that be? Well, it is an established fact that most people make better decisions when they are in a more relaxed, open frame of mind than when they are feeling stressed or anxious. In other words, when a person has a clear head, he is better able to assess the pros and cons of a situation and is in a better place to arrive at a good decision.

And masturbation does put a man in a "clearer head" state. When a guy orgasms, two hormones (oxytocin and prostaglandin) are released into the body as part of the process. These hormones work together in much the same way as a medical antidepressant. The body and mind relax, tension is cleared away (at least temporarily) and a man is in the frame of mind to weigh both sides of an issue.

So while rigorous controlled trials have not been conducted, it does seem that, based on anecdotal evidence and logic, masturbation is likely to help a man with his decisions rather than hinder him.

One of the decisions he should have no trouble making, even without masturbation, is whether to regularly apply a top rate penis health crème (health professionals recommend Man1 Man Oil, which is clinically proven mild and safe for skin) . The answer is an overwhelming "Yes!" Another decision that’s a no-brainer: choose a crème that includes both vitamin A and vitamin C. Vitamin A is an expert at fighting blemishes on the penis skin and has the added benefit of keeping stubborn penis odor at bay. Vitamin C is a key component of the tissue that gives penis skin its tone and elasticity, which benefits the penis when erections occur.