Does NoFap Raise Testosterone? Reading the “145.7%” Claim

The claim that seven days without ejaculation raises testosterone by 145.7% contains two problems: the percentage is often misread, and the paper behind it was retracted. Both matter before using it to make decisions about sexual health.

What the number meant

The 2003 paper by Jiang and colleagues reported observations in 28 men. Its day-seven value was 145.7% of baseline. If the starting value were 100, the reported value would be 145.7, an increase of 45.7. An increase of 145.7% would instead produce 245.7.

Even read correctly, a reported measurement in a small study would not establish a sustained hormonal change, muscle growth, improved concentration, or better health. Those outcomes would require their own evidence.

Why the retraction matters

The journal issued a retraction notice in December 2021. It describes substantial overlap with a previously published Chinese-language article. That is the stated publication problem; it should not be rewritten as a finding that the data were fabricated.

The retraction also should not be ignored when repeating the result. This paper cannot serve as reliable evidence for a lasting testosterone benefit from abstinence. Nor does withdrawing it establish the opposite claim that sexual behavior can never be associated with short-term hormonal variation.

How to use the information

If you are worried about low testosterone because of fatigue, reduced desire, or erection difficulties, discuss the symptoms with a clinician. Those symptoms can have different causes. The day count on a NoFap app is not a hormone test, and you do not need to complete a challenge before seeking an assessment.

If your concern is spending more time on porn than intended, that is a different question. You can evaluate time use, sleep, and control over viewing without making a claim about testosterone. Porn use and masturbation are also distinct behaviors; avoiding one does not necessarily mean avoiding the other.

A better way to assess a headline number

Look for the original paper, its current publication status, the number of participants, and what was measured. Check whether a percentage describes an increase or a proportion of the starting value. Finally, ask whether the article’s promised benefit was actually studied.

For this particular number, the answer is limited: a small, retracted study reported a day-seven measurement. It cannot tell you what seven days of abstinence will do for your health.