A new research by University College London (UCL) has suggested that masturbation could increase a male primate’s chances of having offspring.
According to the researchers, the act of self-pleasuring may help with successful fertilisation by increasing arousal before sex.
They also noted that ejaculating after masturbation helps shed low-quality semen, leaving fresh sperm available for mating.
The researchers added it may also reduce the risk of contracting sexually-transmitted infections (STIs).
On the other hand, they stated that the benefits of female masturbation – from an evolutionary perspective – remain less clear.
Harping on the development, Lead researcher Dr. Matilda Brindle said: “Our findings help shed light on a very common, but little understood sexual behaviour and represent a significant advance in our understanding of the functions of masturbation.”
According to records, masturbation is common among animals but is thought to be more prevalent in primates, including chimpanzees, apes and humans.
It was gathered that the study, published in the journal Proceedings of The Royal Society B, focused on primate animals, both wild and captive.
Local reports have it that Dr. Brindle and her colleagues gathered information from 246 published academic papers and 150 questionnaires, with the aim to understand when and why masturbation evolved.
The scientists also analyzed personal communications from primate experts and zookeepers.
According to findings, masturbation was most likely present in the common ancestor of humans and all other primates.
Brindle and her team are of the proponent that a hypothesis that suggests masturbation without ejaculation can increase reproductive success by aiding successful fertilization.
In their words, ejaculating after masturbation may allow males to get rid of low-quality semen, leaving fresh sperm available for mating.
The researchers also proposed a second hypothesis which suggests masturbation reduces the chance of contracting an STI after sex.
The team also stated that semen from sexual self-gratification can cleanse the urethra – the tube that removes semen and urine from the body, which is also the main site of infection for many STIs.
“The fact that autosexual behaviour may serve an adaptive function, is ubiquitous throughout the primate order and is practised by captive and wild-living members of both sexes demonstrates that masturbation is part of a repertoire of healthy sexual behaviours,” Dr. Brindle said.
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