Bei Frauen neigt die Masturbationsfrequenz bis zu ihren frühen 30ern vor leicht abnehmendem, während für Männer die Praxis zwischen 19 und 50 Jahren relativ stabil bleibt. Diese Muster waren weitgehend unabhängig davon, wie oft Personen mit einem Partner Sex mit einem Partner beschäftigt.

I’ve linked to the news release in the post above. In this comment, for those interested, here’s the link to the peer reviewed journal article:

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00224499.2025.2489091

From the linked article:

New longitudinal study reveals how masturbation habits evolve from young adulthood to midlife

A new study published in The Journal of Sex Research provides a detailed look at how masturbation frequency changes over a significant portion of the human lifespan. The research found that **for women, masturbation frequency tends to increase until their early 30s before slightly declining, while for men, the practice remains relatively stable from age 19 to 50. These patterns were largely independent of how often individuals engaged in sex with a partner**.

The analysis first revealed distinct trajectories for women and men. For women, the frequency of masturbation showed a gradual increase from age 19, reaching a peak around age 31, after which it began a slow decline. For men, the pattern was quite different. Their masturbation frequency remained largely stable across the entire age span from 19 to 50. The study also confirmed previous findings that men, on average, masturbate more frequently than women.

The researchers then explored how these patterns were affected by the frequency of partnered sex. When they statistically accounted for how often individuals had sex with a partner, the developmental trajectories for both women and men did not change in any significant way. This result lends strong support to the idea that masturbation is an autonomous sexual behavior, pursued for its own reasons and not simply as a replacement for or an extension of partnered intimacy.

The picture became more complex when other factors were introduced, particularly for men. While men’s masturbation rate appeared stable at first glance, this changed when the frequency of sexual fantasizing was taken into account. Controlling for sexual fantasy revealed an underlying pattern of declining masturbation from age 19 until about age 36, followed by an increase. A similar shift occurred when accounting for partnership status, which uncovered a trajectory that peaked in the mid-30s. In contrast, women’s masturbation patterns were not substantially altered when accounting for either sexual fantasizing or partnership status.

Life events such as parenthood also played a role. Individuals who did not have children showed a different masturbation trajectory compared to those who became parents. Childless participants experienced a more pronounced increase in masturbation frequency up to about age 30, but this was followed by a steeper decline later on. This suggests that major life transitions connected to family formation are associated with how solitary sexual habits evolve.

Other personal characteristics were linked to masturbation frequency as well. Participants who identified as nonheterosexual reported masturbating more frequently than strictly heterosexual individuals at all ages. The overall shape of their trajectory over time, however, was similar to their heterosexual peers. The study found no significant differences in masturbation patterns based on a person’s level of education. Religious affiliation was associated with a lower initial frequency of masturbation for women at age 19, but it did not affect their long-term trajectory, and it had no observable effect on men’s habits.

At least once a day keeps the doctors away!

I’ll quit when they pry it out of my cold dead hand!