Sexual intimacy is a significant part of many people’s lives, and understanding the typical duration of sexual activity can help demystify this often private aspect of human experience. Three recent studies have provided detailed insights into the typical duration of heterosexual intercourse, with findings suggesting that the time from penetration to ejaculation varies significantly among men.
The three studies, all published in theJournal of Sexual Medicine, utilized different methodologies and sample populations, yet their results offer a comprehensive view of what is considered “normal” when it comes to the duration of sex.
But why were scientists investigated this in the first place? Studies on how long sex typically lasts have been conducted to gain a better understanding of two sexual problems faced by men: premature ejaculation and delayed ejaculation.
Premature ejaculation is the most prevalent sexual complaint among men and can negatively affect the quality of life for both partners. It often leads to lowered self-esteem and sexual confidence, making it a significant concern for many couples. Delayed ejaculation, although less common, is another important issue. It involves a significant delay in reaching ejaculation, which can lead to frustration, lack of sexual fulfillment, and difficulties in procreation.
It’s important to highlight that these studies specifically examine the period from the start of penetration to ejaculation, known as ejaculation latency. This focus on penetration provides a clear, measurable endpoint that can be consistently assessed across different populations.
By excluding foreplay and other forms of sexual activity, researchers can obtain a more precise understanding of the timing related to ejaculation itself. This precision is vital for developing accurate clinical guidelines and effective treatments for both premature and delayed ejaculation.
A study published in 2023 aimed to better understand the amount of time it takes for men to ejaculate to help diagnose those who have trouble reaching orgasm. The study surveyed 1,660 men. The final sample consisted mainly of Hungarian men (77.71%) and included a significant proportion from the United States and other English-speaking countries (22.29%). The average age of participants was approximately 39 years, with a majority identifying as heterosexual.
Participants were asked to estimate the average time it took from the beginning of penile stimulation to reach orgasm during partnered sex, using a nine-point scale. The scale ranged from less than one minute to more than 25 minutes. The study tested three EL thresholds: more than 10 minutes, more than 15 minutes, and more than 20 minutes.
The study found that men without orgasmic difficulties typically ejaculated within 11 minutes during partnered sex. The analysis revealed that longer ejaculation latencies were significantly associated with greater orgasmic difficulties. Specifically, men who took more than 10 minutes to ejaculate were more likely to report significant orgasmic difficulties.
Another study, published in 2020, focused on understanding how long men typically last during sex from the perspectives of both men and their female sexual partners. The researchers recruited participants through social media platforms like Reddit and Facebook, using both unpaid and paid advertisements. Additionally, some participants were recruited through Amazon Mechanical Turk. This approach resulted in a sample of 1,065 respondents, consisting of 571 men and 494 women.
Participants were asked to estimate various ejaculation latencies based on their experiences and perceptions. These included:
1. Typical ejaculation latency: How long they believe most men last during penetrative sex.
2. Ideal ejaculation latency: The duration they consider ideal for penetrative sex.
3. Premature ejaculation latency: The time they think qualifies as premature ejaculation.
4. Self-reported ejaculation latency: How long they personally last during penetrative sex.
The researchers found that both men and women estimated the typical time most men last during sex to be around 5 minutes, though there was a positive skew, resulting in average times closer to 8 minutes. The ideal duration for sex was generally longer, around 10 minutes, indicating a preference for prolonged sexual activity. For premature ejaculation, both men and women agreed on a median threshold of about 1.5 minutes, suggesting that sex lasting less than this time was considered too short.
Interestingly, there were no significant differences between men and women in their estimates of typical, ideal, and premature ejaculation times. Both genders had similar perceptions of these durations. Additionally, the study found that men with self-reported premature ejaculation estimated shorter typical and ideal durations compared to men without such issues.
The study also compared estimates from men of different sexual orientations and found no significant differences between straight, gay, and bisexual men. This consistency suggests that perceptions of ejaculation latency are similar across different groups. The number of lifetime sexual partners was found to be a factor, with those reporting more partners generally estimating longer typical and ideal durations for sex.
But the most objective evidence comes from a study published back in 2005. The study involved 500 couples from five countries: the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, the United States, Spain, and Turkey. Participants were men aged 18 years or older who had been in a stable heterosexual relationship for at least six months and engaged in regular sexual intercourse.
Participants were provided with a stopwatch and a sexual events diary. They were instructed to record the time from vaginal penetration until ejaculation for each sexual encounter over a four-week period. Either partner could operate the stopwatch, but the same person was asked to handle it consistently throughout the study. The recorded data included the date, time of day, duration of each sexual event, and whether the stopwatch was used.
The study collected data from 491 men, as some were excluded for not using the stopwatch or providing incomplete information. A total of 4,000 sexual events were timed, with a mean frequency of eight events per couple over the four weeks. The results showed that the average time from penetration to ejaculation was 5.4 minutes, with a wide range from 0.55 to 44.1 minutes.
The median ejaculation latency varied significantly between countries. For example, men in Turkey had a median latency of 3.7 minutes, while men in the United Kingdom had a median latency of 7.6 minutes. Age also played a role; younger men (18-30 years) had a longer median latency of 6.5 minutes compared to older men (over 51 years) who had a median latency of 4.3 minutes.
The study also examined the effects of circumcision and condom use on ejaculation latency. The results showed that circumcision status had minimal impact on latency except in Turkey, where all men were circumcised. The use of condoms did not significantly affect the latency either, with median values being similar for both condom users and non-users.