Everything Scientists Know About Male Multiple Orgasms (Yes, They’re Real!)
Women don’t have a monopoly on multiple orgasms: Up to 10 percent of men have had them, too, according to a new Canadian review on the subject. “Some men are multi-orgasmic from the first time they experience orgasms,” says study author Erik Wibowo, Ph.D., a researcher at Vancouver Coastal Health. “Others practice to become multi-orgasmic.” […]

May 4, 2016

Women don’t have a monopoly on multiple orgasms: Up to 10 percent of men have had them, too, according to a new Canadian review on the subject.

“Some men are multi-orgasmic from the first time they experience orgasms,” says study author Erik Wibowo, Ph.D., a researcher at Vancouver Coastal Health. “Others practice to become multi-orgasmic.”

Yes, you may be able to teach yourself to be superhuman in the orgasm department. But first it helps to understand what Wibowo means when he talks about “multi-orgasmic” men.

What Are Multiple Orgasms?

After you orgasm—most of the time—your body needs at least 20 minutes to reload before you can climax again.

This reloading phase, called a refractory period, can easily last an hour or more. It tends to get longer as you age.

Scientists aren’t sure why guys have this built-in break between bouts, but it may have something to do with prolactin, a hormone that may hinder arousal. Your prolactin levels spike after you ejaculate.

(Women don’t seem to have this same kind of refractory period, which may be why nearly half of women have had multiples.)

Wibowo’s study defines male multiple orgasms as any instance where you come more than once in a 20-minute window.

That might mean experiencing a refractory period that’s very short, or skipping your refractory period entirely, his research shows.

Those multiple orgasms may include ejaculation each time—or they may not. That’s right: You can orgasm without ejaculating.

Some men have several climaxes in one session but they only ejaculate once, Wibowo says. That ejaculation could happen during the first orgasm, the last one, or somewhere in between, he says.

While it sounds nuts if you haven’t experienced it, an orgasm sans semen can be just as intense as the messy kind, if not more so, Wibowo says—citing reports from guys who’ve enjoyed both varieties.

Why Can Some Guys Have Multiple Orgasms?

In all the scientific literature on male multiple orgasms, there’s only one case study that suggests that men who have multiples are physically different from the rest of us, according to Wibowo’s review.

In that report, scientists monitored the hormone levels of a guy who masturbated himself to three climaxes in a half hour.

The man didn’t have the prolactin surge that most guys experience after orgasm, and that absence of boner-killing chemicals could explain his special abilities, Wibowo says.

But that’s just one oddball case study, he says, and it probably doesn’t explain the majority of male multiple orgasms.

Apart from a few biological anomalies like that, there’s no good evidence that most guys who have multiples are any different from the rest of us, Wibowo says.

Except, well, being younger. The likelihood that you’ll have multiples plummets as you age.

Nearly 10 percent of 20-somethings are multi-orgasmic, according to the review, but less than 7 percent of guys over 30 have multiples.

While most men may be physically capable of having multiple orgasms, it’s still rare. And science has yet to discover a step-by-step formula that guarantees multiples.

How to Teach Yourself to Have Multiple Orgasms

If you want to try to double your pleasure, Wibowo’s review uncovered a few factors that may promote multiples. Most of these methods come from small studies, so no promises—but there’s no harm in experimenting.

Prevent ejaculation
Since your refractory period may be triggered specifically by ejaculation—not orgasm—learning to climax while holding back your semen could help you experience multiples.

Some men can hold in their ejaculation during climax by squeezing the muscles that you use to stop peeing.

The stronger those muscles are, the better your ability to control your ejaculation. Build strength by performing Kegel exercises.

Another option: Some men can prevent ejaculation during climax by pinching the head of the penis. Fair warning: This may be uncomfortable, but it shouldn’t hurt.

Use your imagination
Some evidence suggests that men may be able to cut out the refractory period if they immediately move on to a new partner after climax, Wibowo says. (Bear with us here.)

Men may have evolved this quirk because there’s an obvious reproductive advantage to being able to quickly knock up multiple women, he says.

But since this isn’t ancient Rome and your name isn’t Caligula, that option’s probably off the table for you.

We’d never suggest fantasizing about someone else during sex, but Wibowo says you may be able to achieve a similar effect through fantasy or throwing on a porno and focusing on the actress. Hypothetically, of course.

Try back door stimulation
There are anecdotal reports that men can have multiple orgasms without ejaculation by stimulating the anus, prostate, and surrounding areas, Wibowo says.

Yes, this method is only for guys who are comfortable with the idea of prostate stimulation, a.k.a. “pegging.”

Keep in mind that there doesn’t have to be anal penetration in order to stimulate your prostate. Asking your partner to massage your perineum, the spot between your testicles and anus, can work as well.

Not your thing? No big deal. Just try one of the other methods—or wait 20 minutes for your next orgasm.