Health campaign urges men to ‘lighten the load’ — literally — to cut cancer risk

A new cancer prevention campaign is telling men to take their health into their own hands – literally – after research suggests that ejaculating more frequently could help reduce the risk of prostate cancer.

FCancer, the nonprofit behind the eyebrow-raising initiative, says its mission is to “literally beat cancer” and encourages men to ejaculate 21 times a month for potential health benefits.

This idea comes from a long-running study involving more than 50,000 men; This study found that those who ejaculated 21 or more times a month had a 19-22 percent lower risk of developing prostate cancer.

One of the authors of the study, Dr. from Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health. Lorelei Mucci told the New York Post that this number is not magic, it is just where the data reaches.

Even men who ejaculated eight times a month saw a small reduction in risk.

Scientists still aren’t exactly sure why it helps, but theories include “flushing out” potential carcinogens, reducing inflammation, or affecting gene expression in prostate tissue.

FCancer co-founder Yael Cohen says the campaign uses humor because it gets men talking.

He said: “Your hands do not replace your doctor; they lead you to them.”

Although the campaign leans towards jokes, the message is serious: Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men, and early detection saves lives.

Dr Mucci hopes the bold approach will push more men to get screened and understand their risk.