Does Edging Increase Testosterone? What Science Says
Consider a young man who has noticed his libido and energy levels have dropped. He seeks natural solutions to boost testosterone levels and, after researching online, stumbles onto edging. But after a few hours digging deeper, he finds conflicting information. Does NoFap Edging increase testosterone or not?
This confusion is common for those looking to quit porn and improve their lives. This guide will help shed light on the relationship between edging and testosterone production to help you make informed decisions about your journey. Before moving on, QUITTR can help you quit porn and get your life back on track. You will find valuable tips and tools to help you achieve your goals.
Table of Contents
What Is Edging and Why Do People Think It Affects Testosterone?
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What Is Edging and Why Do People Think It Affects Testosterone?
Edging is the practice of stimulating yourself sexually up to the point of orgasm, then intentionally stopping to delay ejaculation. This cycle of building arousal and pulling back can be repeated several times within a single session. Some individuals use edging to heighten sexual pleasure, aiming for a more intense eventual orgasm. Others engage in prolonged edging sessions — sometimes lasting hours — in pursuit of what they describe as a powerful, euphoric mental or physical state. At its core, edging is about sustaining arousal without completing the sexual act.
Does Edging Increase Testosterone?
There’s a popular theory — especially among self-improvement and NoFap communities — that by delaying ejaculation, a man can "store up" sexual energy, leading to a boost in testosterone. The basic belief is that orgasm or ejaculation depletes vital energy, while restraint builds it up, making you physically more assertive, more confident, and even more aggressive.
Several factors feed into this assumption
Traditional beliefs hold that sexual abstinence strengthens male vitality.
Anecdotal reports of individuals feeling more focused, driven, or energetic during periods of sexual restraint.
Misinterpretations of scientific studies about abstinence and hormone changes.
One often-cited scientific result adds fuel to this idea
A 2003 study published in the Journal of Zhejiang University found that after seven days of abstinence from ejaculation, men's testosterone levels increased by about 145%, before returning to baseline shortly afterward. This study measured complete abstinence from ejaculation, not edging, and the rise was temporary, not a sustained or permanent boost.
The Problem with Assuming Edging Boosts Testosterone
While it’s true that brief periods of abstinence can create small, temporary hormonal changes, edging doesn't neatly fit into this dynamic.
Here’s why
Edging does not involve complete abstinence.
Orgasm may eventually occur, even if it’s delayed.
There’s no strong scientific evidence that edging without ejaculation leads to sustained or significant testosterone increases.
The sensations people describe (e.g., higher energy, competitiveness) are likely due to dopamine and psychological tension, not hormonal shifts.
This means that while edging may create a temporary sense of heightened drive or sexual tension, it doesn’t biologically increase your testosterone in a lasting or meaningful way based on current scientific research.
Related Reading
What Science Says About Edging and Testosterone Levels
What Happens to Testosterone After Ejaculation?
After ejaculation, testosterone levels might drop slightly or remain stable, depending on the individual. However, the decline is minimal and short-lived. Research shows that the body is designed to restore hormonal balance after sexual release quickly. The small temporary fluctuations after orgasm are natural and normal, not something that dramatically impacts muscle growth, strength, or masculinity. A 2001 study published in Urology found that there was no significant long-term change in testosterone levels between men who ejaculated and men who abstained during the study period.
Does Edging Without Ejaculating Change This Dynamic?
Some people believe that by edging—getting sexually aroused without finishing—they can somehow cause testosterone levels to rise. Scientifically, no studies show that edging causes a meaningful or lasting increase in testosterone.
Key points to remember
Edging is not true abstinence. Sexual arousal itself doesn’t stimulate more testosterone production.
The act of “holding back” orgasm doesn’t trigger a hormonal boost the way full abstinence might temporarily.
Even complete abstinence (without stimulation) only shows a small testosterone spike around day 7, not before or after.
What About the Famous 7-Day Abstinence Study?
You might have heard about the 2003 study in J Zhejiang Univ Sci B that found: After 7 days of no ejaculation, testosterone levels peaked by about 145% compared to baseline levels. However, after that peak, hormone levels returned to normal.
Important clarification
This study measured complete sexual abstinence—no masturbation, no edging, no sexual activity at all. It did not study men who were edging or stimulating themselves without climax.
The Real Biological Explanation
Modern research tells us
Testosterone production is regulated by a complex system known as the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis.
Simple behavior changes like edging do not easily hack this system.
Minor daily activities like sexual stimulation have almost no impact on overall testosterone output unless they are extreme, prolonged, and combined with other major life factors (such as sleep deprivation, extreme stress, and obesity).
Thus, even if done frequently, edging does not meaningfully or sustainably "build up" testosterone in the body.
Why Edging Is Bad (The Hidden Dangers People Ignore)
Edging Bombards Your Brain with Dopamine — Until It Breaks
Edging repeatedly triggers your brain’s pleasure center without allowing normal release and reset. Each stroke, each near-orgasm builds up more dopamine, creating an unnatural surge of pleasure chemicals. At first, this feels amazing. But over time, your brain gets used to the high levels of stimulation and starts demanding more. “You keep giving yourself a lot of dopamine during edging,” explains one former addict on Reddit. “The circuit in your brain will start getting used to that and it will only ask for more of it.” In other words, your brain builds a tolerance, meaning everyday pleasures (socializing, exercise, hobbies, even real sex) stop feeling good enough. Bottom line? Edging rewires your brain toward constant craving, not satisfaction, making real-world happiness harder and harder to access.
Edging Weakens Your Self-Control Over Time
One of the biggest myths is that “edging helps you practice self-control.” In reality, it does the opposite. When you keep dancing on the edge of orgasm without release, you’re keeping yourself in a permanent state of sexual arousal and tension. This puts your rational, logical brain under enormous stress. Eventually, the primitive, instinct-driven part of your brain (the limbic system) takes over — the part that doesn't care about your goals or promises. It just wants release, and it will push you into relapse faster than you realize. “After a while even edging isn’t going to be enough anymore,” one Redditor said bluntly.
“The rational part of your brain will shut off and rely on instincts that will make you open that incognito tab much faster than you would like to admit.” If you're serious about quitting porn or compulsive sexual behavior, feeding the urges through edging is like pouring gasoline on a fire you’re trying to put out.
Edging Desensitizes You to Normal Sexuality
Another hidden danger of edging — especially when combined with porn — is desensitization. When you constantly expose your brain to high-intensity, endless sexual stimulation without orgasm, you train yourself to need more extreme material or longer sessions just to feel the same rush. “Edging, especially with porn, is like being a large pole in a storm that's just asking to get struck by lightning — the lightning being desensitization to sex and pornography,” explains a former addict.
Over time, normal intimacy with a real partner may feel dull or unsatisfying. Worse, many find themselves spiraling into more extreme genres of pornography — even fantasies they would have never sought out initially — because what used to excite them no longer works. Bottom line? Edging rewires your arousal system in dangerous, subconscious ways, damaging your ability to enjoy real relationships and healthy sexuality.
Edging Increases the Risk of Escalating Into Immoral or Addictive Behavior
One of the most serious warnings about edging comes from long-term quitters: If you don’t stop, it almost always escalates. More time spent edging. Riskier porn searches. Growing emotional detachment from real life. Potential drift into fantasies or material you never thought you’d consume. "If you don't put a lid on it you may actually find yourself with immoral fantasies and porn habits," warns one Reddit commenter.
In other words, the line between “harmless fun” and “out-of-control addiction” gets thinner the longer you edge. Tools like QUITTR focus heavily on breaking the edging cycle early, using structured daily streaks, dopamine detox strategies, and relapse prevention plans. Because once escalation starts, it becomes much harder to stop. If you want to quit porn for good and break the cycle of edging, QUITTR is here to help. Our app focuses on the latest science to help you quit porn, no matter how long you’ve been addicted. Try the #1 science-based way to stop porn by joining our 28-day challenge to compete with other people for the longest streak.
Related Reading
How to Stop Edging and Porn Fully (What to Do)
Make a Clear, Unbreakable Decision
The first step to quitting edging and porn isn’t a tool — it’s a commitment. You must draw a line in the sand and say, “I am done — not just with porn, but with edging too.” Partial commitments don’t work. If you leave the door open to “a little bit of edging,” your brain will exploit it every time cravings hit. Full abstinence is the only path to complete healing. This is why QUITTR emphasizes setting a clear, trackable starting point — your first clean day is your foundation for recovery.
Tip
Write your commitment somewhere visible (your phone wallpaper, journal, bathroom mirror).
Install a System to Block Temptations
Next, you must protect yourself from relapse by making bad decisions that are harder to execute. Install content blockers on your devices immediately. Use accountability apps if needed. Move devices out of your bedroom at night. Create “clean zones” in your home where screens are never used for anything except work or essentials. QUITTR includes tools like the Advanced Content Blocker built specifically for Gen Z and digital natives, closing loopholes that traditional blockers miss.
The goal
Reduce your exposure to sexual triggers so you’re not fighting unnecessary battles all day.
Create a Recovery Routine
You can’t just “stop” porn and edging — you must replace them with healthier patterns that satisfy your brain’s need for stimulation, challenge, and reward.
Build a daily system that includes
Morning exercise (even if it’s just stretching and pushups)
A daily streak check-in (like QUITTR’s streak tracker)
Short breathing or meditation sessions when cravings hit
New hobbies or projects that use your energy creatively (music, writing, coding, business building)
QUITTR helps structure your day with mini-milestone celebrations and a Life Tree feature, showing how your real-world progress grows every day you stay clean. Recovery isn’t just about resisting urges. It’s about building a stronger, better life that makes porn and edging feel irrelevant by comparison.
Expect Withdrawal Symptoms — and Prepare for Them
When you quit both porn and edging fully, expect symptoms like:
Brain fog
Strong cravings
Mood swings
Emotional numbness (the “flatline”)
Restlessness or agitation
This is normal. Your brain is healing from years of overstimulation.
Tips for managing withdrawal
Stay busy — don’t leave large, unstructured blocks of time.
Journal your thoughts daily to process emotional swings.
Use the Panic Button inside QUITTR when cravings feel overwhelming. It provides immediate, real-time support to calm your brain and regain focus.
Withdrawal is temporary.
Every hard day is a deposit into the new, powerful version of yourself you’re building.
Join a Community That Understands the Battle
Trying to fight addiction alone is one of the biggest reasons people fail. Isolation breeds shame, and shame fuels relapse.
Instead, surround yourself with a community where
Everyone knows what you’re going through.
Progress, not perfection, is celebrated.
Support is instant when you feel weak.
QUITTR’s built-in community chats, forums, and leaderboards connect you with others on the same journey — people who can lift you when you feel like giving up. The more you stay engaged with a like-minded recovery community, the faster and smoother your progress will be. "This is a war. You don't have to win in one day. But you do have to fight. Every day."
QUITTR: A Supportive App To Help You Stop Watching Porn
QUITTR is a science-based and actionable way to quit porn forever. Our app combines practical tools with supportive features like an AI-powered support system and community leaderboards, meditation exercises, and progress tracking. We've included essential features like a content blocker, streak tracker, AI Therapist, recovery journal, leaderboard, meditation games, lessons, education, relaxing sounds, side-effect awareness, life tree features, and more! Whether you're seeking support, education, or practical tools to quit porn forever, QUITTR offers a private, understanding space to work toward your personal goals. Try the #1 science-based way to stop porn by joining our 28-day challenge to compete with other people for the longest streak.
Join Our 28-day Challenge & Quit Porn Forever with the #1 Science-based Way To Quit Porn
QUITTR is a science-based tool that helps you quit porn. The app helps you understand and track your addiction to porn, while providing practical tools and a supportive community to help you stop watching porn for good.
