DR. RICHARD VINEY: I’m a sexual health expert… and here’s what science has discovered about how long men REALLY last in bed
It’s so often the subject of boasting… or cruel jokes: how long a man can “last” in bed.
If it’s all over too quickly, the other party may become dissatisfied. But continuing for too long can also become a chore.
To end the debate about what IS the normal amount of time, science has been working hard to come up with some definitive answers.
A recent study suggested that men in Britain take an average of around seven minutes before ejaculating, while others suggest 10 minutes is the norm.
But if sex ends sooner or later, it’s not necessarily a cause for concern, says Dr Richard Viney, a urological surgeon at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham.
One study suggested that men in the UK take around seven minutes to climax, while others suggest most men take around 10 minutes on average
Speaking to MailOnline, he said: ‘Terms like premature or delayed ejaculation are a social construct rather than a medical construct.’
While he admits that there are some cases where extremely premature ejaculation needs intervention – medical textbooks suggest a persistent pattern of ejaculation before one minute of sexual activity, before a man desires it – in most cases it’s just about “perceived norms” and ” ideal duration’. ‘.
Three studies, all published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine, used different methodologies and sample populations, but their results reveal what is considered “normal” when it comes to the duration of sex.
One 2023 study surveyed 1,660 men to find out how long it takes for men to ejaculate. They hoped to be able to diagnose men who have difficulty having an orgasm.
The sample consisted mainly of heterosexual men from Hungary and a significant proportion from the US and other English-speaking countries.
The men, who had an average age of 39, were asked to estimate how long it took them to ejaculate from the start of stimulation to orgasm during sex with a partner.
It was rated on a nine-point scale ranging from one minute to more than 25 minutes.
Dr. Viney admits that there are some cases where premature ejaculation needs to be addressed, but in most cases it’s just about ‘perceived norms’ and ‘ideal duration’
Researchers discovered men who Women who took longer than 10 minutes to ejaculate were more likely to report significant “orgasmic problems.”
Another 2020 study published in the same journal revealed how long men typically live, but this time from the perspective of both men and women.
Participants were recruited using advertisements on social media sites such as Facebook and Reddit. This resulted in 1,065 respondents, of which 571 were male and 494 were female.
They were asked how long they think most men last during penetrative sex, the duration they consider ideal, the time they think qualifies as premature ejaculation, and how long they personally last during penetrative sex.
There were no significant differences between the heights estimated by men and women.
Most participants estimated that men would last about five minutes, but admitted that the ideal duration would be double that, at about ten minutes.
Men and women agreed that the median threshold for what is considered premature ejaculation is about 1.5 minutes.
However, men who reported experiencing premature ejaculation did estimate the usual and ideal duration, compared to men who did not.
The results showed that there were no significant differences between heterosexual, homosexual and bisexual men. The results were also comparable between the different age groups.
But people who had more sexual partners estimated longer typical times.
a study from 2005, also published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine, where 500 couples from a number of countries were asked how long sex lasted using a stopwatch.
A total of 4,000 sexual events were timed and couples had sex an average of eight times in four weeks.
From the start of penetration, it took an average of 5.4 minutes for men to come.
Times were recorded from 0.55 seconds to 44.1 minutes.
However, the study found that men in Britain most often spent 7.6 minutes in the sack.
It also turned out that younger men between the ages of 18 and 30 reached the finish line slightly faster, namely in 6.5 minutes. Men older than 51 did it even faster, namely in 4.3 minutes.
But Dr. Viney said interpreting studies in this area can be “problematic.”
That’s because attempts to observe sexual intercourse are likely to have a negative effect on the outcome, he explains.
“Trying to interpret these results and apply them to real-life people and their experiences then becomes a challenge,” said Dr. Viney.
While the amount of time you spend in bed is usually nothing to worry about, it can be an indicator of your health.
The NHS warns that premature ejaculation can be a symptom of prostate problems, or a result of using recreational drugs. It can also cause stress and anxiety about your sexual performance.
Dr. Viney said interpreting studies in this area can be “problematic.” That’s because attempts to observe sexual intercourse are likely to have a negative effect on the outcome (stock image)
Although delayed ejaculation can be caused by diabetes, some antidepressants such as SSRIs, and spinal cord injuries.
Dr. Viney said: ‘If a man feels he is having problems with any aspect of this very sensitive but hugely important part of his life, he should ultimately consult a doctor.
‘It is unlikely that there is a serious underlying problem, but much can be done to tackle the symptoms. And this work makes a visit worthwhile.’
But Dr. Viney explains that there is no ‘one size fits all’ definition for how long a man should last in bed, but it is important to pay attention to any sudden changes.
He said: ‘For some women, 30 minutes of sex may be a dream, but for others it is a nightmare because of the pain. So there isn’t really a ‘universal’ definition of optimal duration.
‘Premature ejaculation is usually not an indication of a serious underlying problem.
The individual may feel like they are a little ‘on the edge’, but usually it is a learned behavioural problem and there are things that can be done to improve the situation.
‘A fairly sudden change in ejaculatory behavior might be worth investigating, but in general there will rarely be a significant underlying problem.’
Delayed ejaculation is also not always caused by a health problem and can have several causes, Dr. Viney explains.
“A previous, recent ejaculation can make an encore much more difficult and often more difficult to achieve,” he said.
He added: ‘A lot of this has to do with the different, competing parts of the autonomic nervous system that control erection and ejaculation.
‘Ejaculation disables the erection and getting it going again afterward can be a challenge.’
Dr. Viney explains that some medications can also change how long it takes for a man to ejaculate.
He said: ‘Arousal is another important part of the underlying ejaculation process and anything that serves as a distraction can get in the way of a man’s ability to climax and ejaculate.
‘Certain medications can interfere with reaching climax, and one group of these are drugs such as Viagra that men ironically use to improve their erections.
‘Some drug groups do not affect climax, but can reduce ejaculation, such as tamsulosin, which is prescribed to men to treat prostate complaints.’