A major long-term study published in 2016 explored a surprising link between ejaculation frequency and prostate cancer risk

A large study has identified how often men may need to ejaculate each month to reduce the risk of developing prostate cancer.

According to the American Cancer Society, around one in eight men will develop prostate cancer at some point in their lives. In addition, it is estimated that 36,320 men in the United States will die from prostate cancer this year.

Roughly six out of ten men diagnosed with the disease are aged 65 or older, and research shows that the risk is higher among African American men and Caribbean men of African ancestry.

Health experts have long discussed ways men can lower their chances of developing prostate cancer, and one potential factor involves how often ejaculation occurs.

A study published in the journal European Urology in 2016 tracked the sexual habits of nearly 32,000 men over an 18-year period, from 1992 through 2010.

The researchers found that men who ejaculated the most, defined as at least 21 times per month, had a 20 percent lower risk of developing prostate cancer compared to men who ejaculated four to seven times a month.

The study explained: "We evaluated whether ejaculation frequency throughout adulthood is related to prostate cancer risk in a large US-based study."

"We found that men reporting higher compared to lower ejaculatory frequency in adulthood were less likely to be subsequently diagnosed with prostate cancer."

"These findings provide additional evidence of a beneficial role of more frequent ejaculation throughout adult life in the aetiology of PCa [prostate cancer], particularly for low-risk disease."

Dr. Anne Calvaresi, chair of the Urology Care Foundation’s Prostate Health Committee, added: "This large prospective study provides the strongest evidence to date of a beneficial role of ejaculation in the prevention of prostate cancer."

While researchers are still not entirely sure why the risk drops so clearly, Urology Care suggests that ejaculation may help clear out harmful substances that can build up in semen over time.

Symptoms of prostate cancer
According to the Mayo Clinic, early signs of prostate cancer can include:

Blood in the urine, which may cause it to appear pink, red, or cola-colored
Blood in the semen
Needing to urinate more often than usual
Difficulty starting urination
Waking up frequently during the night to urinate

More advanced stages of prostate cancer may bring on different symptoms, which can include:

Unintentional leaking of urine
Back pain
Bone pain
Difficulty getting or maintaining an erection
Feeling extremely tired
Unexplained weight loss
Weakness in the arms or legs.