Ace trying to understand low energy from masturbation

[Wildebeest]

Hi, I'm not sure where exactly to post this. Hopefully someone can push me in the right direction.

I'm 33 and Ace. Attracted to women in some way but no desire to have sex with them yada yada. I have been lucky to have been in a decent number of (complicated) close platonic relationships/friendships with some beautiful women.

I didn't masturbate at all most of my life and gave it zero attention, though I would have an occasional wet dream without really knowing why. In my early 20s I became aware of a "fetish" I have (for tickling) and started watching some videos which I enjoyed, but for whatever reason didn't put 2 and 2 together that I could/should masturbate to them, I just viewed it as something I enjoyed. Almost 2 years ago, I started masturbating on occasion to certain videos, which it turns out I enjoyed.

Shortly after I started masturbating somewhat regularly, I noticed my energy levels really diminished. I had been playing tennis pretty regularly and I just lost the energy to even play and run around. I could just tell it was somehow related to masturbating. Seemed like the lethargy was emanating from my genital area (if that makes any sense), and if I did it more frequently I seemed to lose more energy. So naturally I cut down the frequency. But I still never really regained my full energy level even now, almost 2 years later. I met with a few doctors to try to figure out the issue. I assumed it was Testosterone. I met with an endocrinologist and she tested my T count a few times and it was within the "normal" range, though towards the low end of it. She also said that frequency of masturbation should have no relation to it and so I shouldn't worry about anything. I also went to a urologist who did a scan and everything looked normal and functional. Last year I went to a testosterone clinic to find out more information, and they did a test and my count was very high. I think I hadn't masturbated in a while before I did that testing though and I felt particularly good that day. They claim that even if that was high that the counts don't fluctuate very much. But I'm not sure if this is true, and given that my count was on the low end of the normal range the prior year, it seems obvious that for me it fluctuates a lot.

Anyway, possible my issue is not Testosterone-related at all. I am clueless about all of this stuff (went majority of my life putting no thought into it). I do notice some improvement when adding in a lot of carbs/sugar to my diet. But really it seems clear that I just get low energy when I masturbate regularly.

One obvious solution is just to stop doing it completely, or do it not very frequently. It is kind of sad though to have found something I enjoy and not be able to do it. If there were some medical solution (such as T therapy) I would like to at least try it. But I don't even know what kind of doctor to go see at this pt. In any case, I need to be healthy and exercising regularly. Sad that this has to be incompatible with regular masturbation apparently, which I am enjoying now. I just know there is a better doctor to talk to and a solution, but I am just so clueless on these topics.

Thanks so much for any information/feedback/thoughts. I realize this is more of a medical than asexuality question, but I think asexuality is very related and not sure who else would understand the situation than here.

[God of the Forest]

It's normal for men to be tired after masturbation. When a man orgasms, prolactin(a hormone that makes you feel sexually satisfied) is released, the reason why you feel tired after is because prolactin causes sleepiness or drowsiness (which is also why a men often have a difficult time ejaculating again immediately after orgasm).

Also during ejaculation, men release norepinephrine, seatonin and nitric oxide, a combination which causes relaxation.

So, the best way to combat your tiredness due to ejaculation is to lower your prolactin levels and to do that would be intake of something that increases your dopamine levels (tyrosine), you've gone the right direction with increased sugar intake, try decreasing your caffeine intake (if you haven't already) and eat things that contain tyrosine (bananas, almonds, beans, apples) and try that for a week and if it doesnt work then try tyrosine supplements.

[Wildebeest]

Thank you HappyBunny. To clarify, I wouldn't say I feel "tired"/"drowsy." I'd describe it more as decreased energy. Something just feels off and I don't feel like I could really do any physical activity, even like light jogging/pushups/tennis, and it can last for a long time.

[God of the Forest]

Thank you HappyBunny. To clarify, I wouldn't say I feel "tired"/"drowsy." I'd describe it more as decreased energy. Something just feels off and I don't feel like I could really do any physical activity, even like light jogging/pushups/tennis, and it can last for a long time.

in that case, try a vitamin b12 supplement

[Wildebeest]

I have been taking multivitamins for a years. My current one has 50 mcg (833%) of vitamin b12. I take it this dose is pretty high and there is no need for additional supplement? I just started this one relatively recently though, not sure about the dosage of prior one.

I have been searching around and there does not seem to be anything linking masturbation to decreased b12 (e.g., https://www.quora.com/Can-masturbation-cause-vitamin-b12-deficiency).

I really appreciate the comments, as you obviously have expertise in this area. I really feel like there is some hormonal or dietary issue that could be resolved easily. But other than eating a lot of carbs/sugar (I will also add in more of the high tyrosine foods you suggested), I don't know what else I could do. Issue does not seem to be T related.

[God of the Forest]

I have been taking multivitamins for a years. My current one has 50 mcg (833%) of vitamin b12. I take it this dose is pretty high and there is no need for additional supplement? I just started this one relatively recently though, not sure about the dosage of prior one.

I have been searching around and there does not seem to be anything linking masturbation to decreased b12 (e.g., https://www.quora.com/Can-masturbation-cause-vitamin-b12-deficiency).

I really appreciate the comments, as you obviously have expertise in this area. I really feel like there is some hormonal or dietary issue that could be resolved easily. But other than eating a lot of carbs/sugar (I will also add in more of the high tyrosine foods you suggested), I don't know what else I could do. Issue does not seem to be T related.

did you notice the dip in energy before or after you started taking the b12 supplement? over supplementing b12 can actually have the opposite effect and I wouldn't be surprised if you were over supplementing, taking 833% DV. i didn't necessarily think that your masturbation was causing your low energy. It may be a simple situation of correlation without causation, which means two events that happened at the same time doesn't mean they are related. It could just mean you are getting older and you need to pay closer attention to your diet, or it could mean that you are over supplementing b12 and you need to lower it, or it could mean that mean that you are lacking in the essential amino acid tyrosine. Also, to help you keep track of your nutrition, I highly recommend using cronometer to track the nutrition in what you eat and start eating foods that have whatever nutrients you are lacking based on what it tells you that you are not getting enough of.