Can excessive orgasming deplete endorphins?

Dear Not worried, just curious, 

Curiosity about your body is great, especially when you’re talking about things that can affect your emotional state! Endorphins, and the good feelings they give you, are closely related to your mood as well as to mood disorders. But the good news is your body won’t run out of endorphins, and having low levels from time to time won’t cause a disorder like depression. So don’t worry, the occasional post-nut-blues likely won't have any long-term effects.  

What are endorphins, and how do they relate to orgasms? 

Endorphins are a kind of neural transmitter that your brain uses to communicate with the rest of your body, giving you a positive feeling. Many things can cause your body to release endorphins, such as eating, exercise, or other pleasurable activities (including sex!).   

When you have an orgasm, your brain does a lot of different things that make you feel good—including releasing endorphins. These endorphins release into parts of your body including your spinal cord, which can block feelings of pain and promote feelings of pleasure. In addition to endorphins, your brain also releases dopamine and oxytocin, which are other feel-good hormones that cause you to feel good physically and emotionally. They can also promote closeness with a sexual partner. 

Can you “run out” of endorphins? 

Your body doesn’t have a finite supply of endorphins, so you can’t really “run out” of them. That said, there’s a period of time after a surge of endorphins where your body needs a bit of rest before providing you with more. It’s kind of like the refractory period—the time you need before you can have another orgasm right after having one. The more orgasms you have in a row, the longer this time will be.  

Something to note is that it’s possible to get addicted to the good feelings that endorphins cause. If this happens, you may need more input from these chemicals to feel happy or even normal and you may feel lower during those refractory periods. So, while it can feel like there’s a little less gas in the tank, just know it’s not empty.  

Can low levels of endorphins cause depression? 

Having low levels of endorphins doesn’t directly cause depression, but the two are closely related. Endorphin deficiency can make people more vulnerable to issues like depression, stress, anxiety, and insomnia. But these issues can also lower the levels of endorphins in your body. Rather than a cause and effect, it’s more like an interconnected cycle.  

If you’re worried about getting hooked on the feeling of endorphins and feeling depressed in periods between those moments, you could try to take a break from the behavior that gives you this feeling. In this case, you could go without masturbating or having sex for a few days to stop yourself from getting too reliant on the feeling of orgasm for happiness.  

Wishing you a euphoric endorphin experience!