So what is nnn? There are many self-discipline or health challenges where you abstain from something for a month such as ‘Veganuary’ or Dry January....
So what is nnn? There are many self-discipline or health challenges where you abstain from something for a month such as ‘Veganuary’ or Dry January. These health trends are often touted as helping you improve yourself. ‘No Nut November’ (or the nnn challenge) is a similar challenge and as the name might suggest, you abstain from ejaculating for the month of November. So how did this challenge start and are there any positive or negative effects of the NNN challenge on your health and wellbeing? What is the no nut november meme? In today’s Meds for Less article, let’s get into it and explore some frequently asked questions.
No Nut November (also known as the NNN challenge) started to become popular around the 2010s on social media. So what does nnn mean? On the surface, it might seem like a modern internet trend, but it is believed that abstaining from ejaculation actually has historical roots. For example, some historians suggest that it has been practised in certain religions for several hundred years.
The meaning of nnn in this context stands for ‘No Nut November’ which is attributed to a challenge where you do not ejaculate for the whole month of November.
It started to gain traction on social media around the 2010s but it has since gained popularity one of several trending sexual health tips permeating into popular culture with promises of physical and mental health benefits.
As the name suggests, no nut november meaning when people try to abstain from ejaculating during November, is an internet trend. While certainly many people take part in the challenge for fun, for example to compete with friends about who can last the longest in the challenge, some people believe that there are health benefits to reap from the challenge. Notably, it is believed that the challenge helps with increasing your levels of testosterone which can help with:
These proposed benefits have gained popularity online but there is no clear evidence that No Nut November can actually result in any of these positive outcomes.
After discussing what does nnn stand for, let’s get into the debate around its benefits. So is the No Nut November challenge actually good for your health? Let’s get into what we currently know.
The main benefit presented in support of No Nut November is the increase in testosterone levels and associated health benefits. Here and there, there is some research that may support the challenge, for example there is some evidence to suggest that abstaining from ejaculation for less than one day can improve the quality of sperm. However, overall, it is generally believed that there is not much robust evidence out there to decide definitively whether or not abstaining from ejaculating for a month has physical or mental health benefits or complications. In fact there is some evidence to suggest abstaining from ejaculation can actually be detrimental to your testosterone levels.
If you are hoping to use nnn november to boost your testosterone levels in hopes of improving hair growth, there are more targeted and efficient men’s health products available. For example, there are some medications and solutions such as minoxidil that you can apply on areas of hair loss to help treat male pattern baldness. It is best to consult a healthcare professional before trying these treatments.
If managing symptoms of erectile dysfunction or improving libido was the main objective for trying No Nut November, you may wish to consult a medical professional who can prescribe a more suitable treatment such as sildenafil (also known as Viagra).
As with many internet trends, the exact origins of the No Nut November are quite unclear. Some believe that it started on a bodybuilding forum where a user commented that his girlfriend told him not to masturbate or ejaculate while she was away for travel. He started a daily counter and documented the difficulty of this experience. This provoked a strong response from other users on the forum who wrote verbal (and often misogynistic) abuse towards the girlfriend. Somehow the post gained popularity and monthly challenges to abstain from masturbating became popular amongst forum users for beliefs that it could improve testosterone levels. The trend then moved to Reddit (a forum social media platform) where subreddits (forums for specific topics) were created for users to to discuss the benefits of abstaining from ejaculation as well as their experience of taking part in the challenge. Its popularity online has also caused the nnn meme meaning to be more of an internet joke.
From the initial bodybuilding forum, the trend of abstaining from ejaculation moved to Reddit and eventually to Tiktok. With an overwhelmingly male audience, the trend began to develop into different forms from memes to coaching programmes. Some influencers promoted the trend for its health benefits and offered programmes where they could coach people to cure several medical illnesses. It is important to note that there is no scientific evidence that abstaining from ejaculation for a month brings these health benefits.
Another aspect of the ‘No Nut’ challenge is the association with the ‘manosphere’. The manosphere generally refers to a corner of the internet promoting a misogynistic type of masculinity. In fact, the manosphere’s association with the No Nut November challenge has meant that the challenge is classed by many internet extremist watch dogs as a red flag for misogynistic verbal abuse online. The challenge has also been made fun of as a challenge where misogynistic men or incels take themselves too seriously. It is important to note these misogynistic links when you think about what does no nut november mean?
As mentioned, the roots of the No Nut November challenge can be traced back to bodybuilding enthusiast platforms who believed that abstinence from ejaculation could bring health benefits. Notably, it was suggested that abstaining from ejaculating could increase levels of testosterone to help build muscle, boost hair growth, treat erectile dysfunction and more. As the trend has spread to different social media platforms, there have been influencers from the ‘manosphere’ who have further supported the claims about health benefits. It is important to remember that these claims are unsupported, there is no robust evidence to suggest that No Nut November brings any physical or mental health benefits.
While certain religious groups may have practised abstinence for several hundred years, in fact, there is no robust scientific evidence that abstaining from ejaculation can treat erectile dysfunction, male pattern baldness, or improve concentration. Actually, on the contrary, there is some research suggesting that abstaining completely from ejaculating could negatively impact testosterone levels. If there are any issues affecting you that you wish to treat with abstaining from ejaculation, it is advised that you speak to a healthcare professional instead, they can provide more options for targeted solutions to suit your individual health needs. This might be lifestyle changes like improving diet and exercise, or medications that can target the underlying cause of problems.
Taking part in No Nut November (or the NNN challenge) simply as a joke amongst friends has no significant harmful effects. However, if you are going into the challenge with expectations that it can improve your testosterone levels, cure certain medical conditions, or improve your physical and mental health overall, you will likely be disappointed with the outcome and the experience. It is also notable that the challenge has ties to misogynistic circles on social media and influencers who tout the benefits of the challenge without any concrete medical evidence.
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