Crime & Safety
Oxford University reveals frequent masturbation has benefit
Current World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines typically recommend between two and seven days of abstinence before taking semen samples or assisted reproduction.
However, a new study published today and led by Oxford University researchers suggests that regular ejaculation – whether through sexual activity or masturbation – results in higher quality sperm, with less DNA damage.
The findings are based on a major, cross-species analysis which revealed a shared pattern across many animals, from insects to mammals.
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Sperm that is stored (whether in males or females) deteriorates rapidly, resulting in reduced sperm performance, fertilisation success, and embryo quality. Crucially, the new study also offers insights into why this happens.
The researchers carried out a meta-analysis of 115 human studies (involving 54,889 men) and 56 studies across 30 non-human species.
This confirmed that mature sperm in storage generally deteriorates in quality independently of the age of the male – a process called post-meiotic sperm senescence.
In humans, longer periods of sexual abstinence were associated with increased sperm DNA damage and oxidative stress, along with reduced sperm motility and viability.
Co-lead author Dr Rebecca Dean (Department of Biology, University of Oxford) said: “Because sperm are highly mobile and have minimal cytoplasm, they quickly exhaust their stored energy reserves and have limited capacity for repair.
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“This makes storage particularly damaging compared to other types of cells.
“Our study highlights how regular ejaculation can provide a small but meaningful boost to male fertility.”
Both male and female animals can store sperm as a reproductive strategy (in humans, sperm can last for several days in females, but the effects of such storage are unknown).
In males, this ensures enough sperm are present for mating, and in females, this can enable reproduction even when males are scarce.
However, the study found a striking difference in the rate of sperm deterioration in males versus females. In the species studied, females are generally better than males at preserving sperm quality long-term.
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“This likely reflects the evolution of female-specific adaptations, such as specialised storage organs that provide antioxidants to extend sperm viability,” explained senior author Dr Irem Sepil at Oxford’s Department of Biology.
“These organs often secrete reproductive fluids to nourish sperm and could provide unexplored avenues for biomimicking technology to improve artificial sperm storage in the future.”
Lead author Dr Krish Sanghvi, also at Oxford’s Department of Biology, added: “Ejaculates should be viewed as populations of individual sperm which undergo birth, death, ageing and selective mortality.
“The rates of these demographic processes can differ in males and females, mediating the ‘demographic’ structure of sperm populations and sex-specific differences in sperm storage effects.”
Sperm ageing in both sexes, independently of the organism’s age, has been largely ignored in reproductive medicine.
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The findings, therefore, have immediate implications for clinical practice.
For instance, the results suggest that the upper limit of seven days in the WHO guidelines may be too long.
This aligns with recent evidence suggesting that ejaculating within 48 hours of providing a sample can significantly improve IVF outcomes.
By breaking down the barriers between biomedical and zoological research, this study provides a new lens for understanding reproduction.
Besides influencing protocols in fertility clinics and assisted reproduction, the findings could also benefit captive breeding programmes for endangered species, as well as deepening our understanding of how species evolved mechanisms to reduce sperm damage during storage.
The study ‘Sperm storage causes sperm senescence in human and non-human animals’ has been published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
Government departments are reminding claimants to check their payment dates so they’re not caught off guard by early deposits over long weekends.
Child Benefit is normally paid on Mondays and Tuesdays, so anyone due a payment on Easter Monday should get it early.
“We always move payments forward when a bank holiday falls on the usual day, so people get their money in time,” a DWP spokesperson said.
Easter 2026: April payments moved forward
For many households, Easter will bring an early arrival of money.
Payments due April 6 2026 (including pensions, Universal Credit, Jobseeker’s Allowance, Child Benefit, and other DWP support) will instead arrive on April 2 2026.
HMRC and DWP explain that bank holidays mean banks are closed, so payments are brought forward to ensure claimants still have access to funds.
May and spring bank holidays
Other early payments this spring include:
- 4 May → 1 May (early May bank holiday)
- 25 May → 22 May (spring bank holiday)
This affects pensioners, Universal Credit recipients, Jobseeker’s Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance, Child Benefit, and other regular payments.
Summer and autumn changes
Later in 2026, further adjustments apply depending on location:
- 3 August → 4 August (Scotland only)
- 4 August → 5 August (Scotland only)
- 31 August → 28 August (all UK)
- 28 December → 24 December
- 29 December → 30 December (Northern Ireland only)
Regional public holidays in Scotland (Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee) and Northern Ireland can also affect payment timing.
Why DWP payments change
The DWP and HMRC adjust schedules to ensure that:
- Claimants receive money before the bank closes
- There is no gap in essential support
- Payments arrive predictably despite long weekends
However, claimants should remember that after early payments, the next payment will follow the normal schedule, which may create a slightly longer gap between instalments.
Recommended reading:
How to check your payment
- Look at your bank statement – payments normally appear with references like “DWP Pension” or “HMRC Child Benefit”
- For those on Universal Credit, check the online account for exact payment dates
- If a payment seems late, check with your bank first, then contact the DWP or HMRC if necessary
“Knowing when payments will arrive helps households manage their budgets, especially around busy bank holiday weekends,” a DWP spokesperson said.
The 65-year-old former Top Gear and Grand Tour host is to guest star as the auctioneer at his local lido in Chipping Norton.
Mr Clarkson, a resident of Chadlington on his 1,000-acre farm Diddly Squat, has been a regular at Chipping Norton Lido for some years.
Last year, he helped raise £15,500 for the community-run swimming pool and the year prior it was £13,500 with Clarkson’s Farm co-star Kaleb Cooper’s promise of a personal tractor lesson in Mr Clarkson’s Lamborghini tractor the highest ticket of the night.
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The latest auction is to happen on Friday, May 8 at Chipping Norton Town Hall.
A spokesman for the auction said: “Catch him while you can – Jeremy Clarkson is returning for one last outing as auctioneer raising vital funds for The Lido.
“Our Auction of Promises will take place on Friday 8 May in Chipping Norton Town Hall and features a host of promises ranging from a clutch of Scotch eggs to the chance to see Jack Savoretti in concert and meet him backstage.
“Tickets are on sale now for what is always a highly entertaining night in a very good cause.”
Among previous items for sale was a conation from Blur bassist-turned-cheesemaker Alex James, who lives in nearby Kingham.
He donated a Blue Monday Cheese plus tickets to his food and music event The Big Feastival.
James Alder and Brendon Shamu were sentenced at Oxford Crown Court on Friday, March 27.
Alder, 21, of Limborough Road, Wantage, and Shamu, 27, of Field Gardens, Steventon, near Abingdon, were both charged with drug dealing offences in Abingdon between October 1 last year and January 23 this year.
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Both men pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of class A drugs, namely crack cocaine and heroin.
Shamu also pleaded guilty to being in possession of criminal property, namely £8,795 in cash.
The court heard they were involved with a county drugs line called the Dior Line.
Shamu was jailed for a total of 49 months and Alder for three years.
Orders were made for the forfeiture and destruction of the drugs, paraphernalia, phones and cash.
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