MultiO Studies
Male Multiple Ejaculatory Orgasms: A Case Study
Beverly Whipple, Ph.D1, Brent R. Myers2, and Barry R. Komisaruk3

1RN, FAAN, Professor at the College of Nursing, Rutgers, The State University of NJ. Beverly Whipple is President of the American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors, and Therapists and is Secretary of the World Association of Sexology. She has over 80 publications in the area of sexuality. Address for correspondence: Beverly Whipple, PhD, RN, FAAN, 31 NW Lakeside Drive, Medford, NJ 08055.
2Freelance writer, has researched the subject of male multiorgasmic response for several years and has previously published on the subject in the popular press.
3Professor II in the Psychology Department at Rutgers, The State University of NJ. He is a pioneer in research concerning the pain-blocking effect of vaginocervical stimulation in laboratory rats and in women. He has over 130 publications in the area of reproductive neurophysiology.
*The authors wish to acknowledge grant support for this study from the Foundation for the Scientific Study of Sexuality (to BW). We also wish to acknowledge Dr. Eleanor Richards for conducting the psychological evaluation and Dr. Irving Bernstein for statistical consultation.

Journal of Sex Education and Therapy [Vol. 23, No. 2, pp. 157-162. June, 1998]
Abstract and Introduction were revised by the article Multiple Orgasm [Barry R. Komisaruk, Carlos Beyer-Flores, Beverly Whipple, The science of orgasm. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2006, pp. 217-218]

There is a paucity of research concerning male multiple orgasms, with or without ejaculation. The purpose of this study was to document, in the laboratory setting, the reported occurrence of male multiple ejaculatory orgasms without any attempt to inhibit ejaculations. The participant reported that he has experienced multiple ejaculatory orgasms (a multiple-orgasm response pattern with uninhibited ejaculation at each orgasm) since the age of 15, when he first ejaculated. In the laboratory, the participant experienced six ejaculatory orgasms from self-stimulation with an interval of 36 minutes between the first and the last orgasm. He maintained an erection during the entire period. There were significant increases in all physiological parameters measured during the orgasmic conditions. Systolic blood pressure, heart rate, pupil diameter, and reported level of arousal all increased significantly during over resting conditions during each orgasm. These findings provide evidence of the occurrence in one male of multiple ejaculatory orgasms without any attempt to inhibit ejaculations.


INTRODUCTION

This study documented, in the laboratory setting, the reported occurrence of male multiple ejaculatory orgasms without any attempt to inhibit ejaculations. During this response pattern, the male reports that he ejaculates fully and he does not lose his erection. Additionally, the male reports that he does not have a refractory period as defined by Masters and Johnson (1966, p. 283) but immediately reenters the excitement phase of the next orgasm, which is again accompanied by uninhibited ejaculation.

To date, three published studies on multiple orgasms in males have focused on multiple orgasms without ejaculations, except in the last orgasm of the sequence (Dunn & Trost, 1989; Kothari, 1989; Robbins & Jensen, 1978). In all of the studies, the participants employed techniques to delay the occurrence of ejaculation.

Robbins and Jensen (1978) reported that multiple orgasms, without ejaculations except in the last orgasm, were described by their sample (N = 13) and these multiple orgasms ranged in number from 3 to 10. Furthermore, Robbins and Jensen (1978) stated, "these men apparently inhibit or control ejaculation and thereby withhold it until the final orgasm of a series, which they describe subjectively as being the most intense" (p. 325). Dunn and Trost (1989) interviewed 21 men who reported that they were able to have multiple orgasms and ejaculations and found that some men have always been able to have multiple orgasms, some have taught themselves to become multiply orgasmic, and others became multiply orgasmic unintentionally. Dunn and Trost (1989) also found variations in when or how often the men ejaculated, time to orgasm, and control of orgasm. Age was not a factor. Kothari (1989) described a laboratory study with a 30-year-old man who "accidentally" became multiorgasmic a year earlier after occasionally performing pubococcygeal (PC) muscle exercise. Kothari (1989) reported that his participant experienced orgasm with ejaculation six times in 27 minutes in one laboratory experiment and four times in 17 minutes in another session. There was no systematic pattern to the successive ejaculates. The volume of the ejaculate ranged from 0.05 milliliters (ml) to 1.2 ml; the greatest volume reported was in the fifth orgasm with ejaculation in the series of six.

Many books are available that profess to describe ways of inducing multiple orgasm in men and women—for example, Any Man Can (W. Hartman & Fithian, 1984); Orgasm: New Dimensions (Kothari, 1989); The Multiorgasmic Man (Chia & Arava, 1996); The Multiorgasmic Couple (Chia et al., 2000); and The Multi-orgasmic Woman (Chia & Abrams, 2005). We know of only four published studies on multiple orgasm in men, and slightly more on multiple orgasm in women. It seems that multiple orgasm is recognized in some women but not as easily recognized in men. Among the classic studies, Kinsey and colleagues (Kinsey, Pomeroy & Martin, 1948; Kinsey et al., 1953) reported multiple orgasms in both men and women, whereas Masters and Johnson (1966), based on their laboratory observations, reported multiple orgasm in women but not in men.

There is no clear definition of multiple orgasm. Successive orgasms in women may occur within a few seconds or a minute or two (Kinsey et al., 1953). Masters and Johnson (1966) reported that the state of arousal between multiple orgasms does not fall below what they termed the “plateau phase” level. Hite (1976) suggested that if there are pauses between orgasms that require restimulation, then the term sequential rather than multiple orgasm should be used; multiple orgasms involve continuous stimulation with no interruption.

W. Hartman and Fithian (1985) pointed out that as early as 2968 BC, in China, there were writings that described male multiple orgasms, as well as mention of multiple orgasm in Taoism, Tantra, Vishrati (in ancient India), Imsak (in the Arab world), Chira in the Kama-sutra, and in more modern references.

Kothari (1989) defined multiorgasm (multiorgasmic activity) "as a function of sustained arousal after each orgasmic episode which culminates again in orgasmic intensity by further stimulation" (p. 112). Men and women, he continued, “have similar underlying explanations with respect to the psychodynamics of multiorgasm. For the male, a cognitive orientation to experience multiorgasm is essential along with strong pubococcygeus muscle . . . A woman’s multiorgasmic potential is the out-come of her physioanatomical mould. For the same reason, a considerable number of women experience multiorgasm by adequate continuous stimulation and they need less cognitive readiness than males.” Unfortunately, Kothari does not specify the essential ways in which he considers women’s “physioanatomical mould” to differ from that of men. After all, his definition does not address the presence or absence of ejaculation with orgasm. Masters, Johnson, and Kolodny (1986) emphasized that a refractory period occurs after ejaculation, only a few men are able to have multiple orgasms, and they have a refractory period once they ejaculate.

The essential physiological differences between the single and multiorgasmic pattern are not known. It may be that multiple orgasm is a phenomenon that some men and women experience spontaneously and others are taught or teach themselves. Multiple orgasm is not necessarily a goal one should strive for; it is another form of orgasmic experience that some people enjoy.

Two books have been published that teach men to become multiorgasmic. Hartman and Fithian's (1984) Any Man Can provides descriptions, explanations, and methods to help men learn to experience multiple orgasms. All but 1 of the 282 men they studied reported that they experience ejaculation with their last orgasm in a series. Chia and Arava's (1996) The Multi-orgasmic Man uses Taoist sexuality to teach men physical and psychological techniques to experience multiple orgasms without multiple ejaculations.

All of the studies reported that the participants voluntarily and consciously employed techniques that keep the ejaculatory process from occurring naturally. The purpose of this study was to document in a laboratory setting the report of a man that he has a multiple orgasm response pattern with uninhibited ejaculation at each orgasm.


METHODS

Participant

The participant is a 35-year-old married man who has four children. He does not smoke or consume caffeine or alcohol. He reported that he is in excellent health. He further reported that he engages in intercourse and/or oral sex daily, experiencing orgasm with ejaculation on the average of five times a day. He began self-stimulation at the age of 4 and experienced his first ejaculation at age 15.

Describing his multiorgasmic ability, he reported that with each orgasm the pleasure builds to such a degree that, in addition to the incidental pleasure, after several orgasms he experiences a heightened euphoria. In addition, according to him, the more pleasurable the orgasm, the stronger the ejaculatory contractions. Following such a multiorgasm session, the participant reported that his testicles develop a dull ache.

Measures

The study was conducted in the human physiology laboratory in the College of Nursing at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. After the participant toured the laboratory, he was asked to sign the informed consent form, received a psychological evaluation, and filled out a questionnaire to provide demographic data. The same instrumentation and procedures used in previous studies in this laboratory with women (Whipple & Komisaruk, 1985, 1988; Whipple, Ogden, & Komisaruk, 1992) and described next were used in this study. These measures were selected because they were used to characterize orgasm in previous studies with men and women (Bohlen, 1983; Masters & Johnson, 1966; Wagner, 1973; Whipple et al., 1992).

Blood pressure in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg), heart rate measured in beats per minute (bpm), and pupil diameter measured in millimeters (mm) were monitored via a BioLab system (Stoelting, Inc., Chicago, IL), which interfaced with a computer in an adjacent room. Blood pressure (via an automatic blood pressure cuff placed on the left arm) and heart rate (monitored on the left great toe with a photocell) readings were recorded every 2 minutes throughout the experiment and when the man reported that he had reached orgasm. Pupil diameter was determined using a pupillometer, which consisted of an infrared-sensitive video close-up camera and a variable intensity infrared source that is directed at the eye. The eye was maintained in a fixed position by a chin and forehead rest and an eye-fixation spot placed in front of the participant. The contrast of the image was adjusted by varying the heat intensity to an optimal measurement level. Changes in pupil dilatation were displayed on an analog meter and video monitor and recorded via the BioLab system. Pupil diameter was measured during each control period and when the man reported that he had reached orgasm. In addition, during each blood pressure measurement and each report of orgasm, the participant was asked to orally report, on a scale of 1 to 10, his perceived intensity of sexual arousal. The participant watched an explicit erotic video during the testing, which he selected and brought to the laboratory. The content of the video was heterosexual interactions and intercourse and similar to other videos used in laboratory research.

Procedure

Prior to performance of the study, all procedures were reviewed and approved by the Rutgers University Institutional Review Board for the Protection of Human Subjects in Research (IRB). A psychological evaluation and a symptom checklist (SCL-90-R) (Derogatis, 1983) were utilized by a psychiatric clinical nurse specialist to eliminate the prospective participant if there was evidence of psychosis or severe depression. After completing a questionnaire to obtain demographic data, the participant relaxed in a chair in a private room in the physiology laboratory. The room environment was quiet. No one was present in the room with the participant; however, he could be observed through the observation window. He was asked to collect each ejaculate in separate sterile plastic specimen containers.

The physiological measurements were taken during each control and experimental condition in the following order:
  1. Prestimulation period, resting for 10 minutes
  2. Self-stimulation period, watching a video with participant self-selected erotic content while applying genital self-stimulation for as long as the participant is able to be orgasmic
  3. Poststimulation period, resting for 10 minutes

After each orgasm, the participant covered the sterile specimen cup and opened a new one. The specimen cups were saved and analysis of the ejaculatory fluid was conducted at the Center for Fertility and Reproductive Medicine at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Newark, NJ, immediately after the completion of the laboratory session.

At the end of the testing, a debriefing period was conducted with the participant. The participant was in control of all experimental procedures at all times and was reminded by the investigators that he could terminate his participation in the study at any time. Parametric statistical analysis was performed using GB-Stat (Dynamic Microsystems Inc., Silver Spring, MD).


RESULTS

During the testing, the participant experienced six orgasms with six ejaculations with an interval of 36 minutes between the first and the last orgasm. He maintained an erection during the entire experimental period as reported by the participant and observed by the investigators. The first orgasm occurred 31 minutes into the testing period, 18 minutes after the start of self-stimulation (see Figure 1).


Figure 1. Recordings every 2 minutes and at time of orgasm for systolic blood pressure in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg), heart rate in beats per minute (bpm), pupil diameter in millimeters (mm) and report of level of arousal from 0-10. The first orgasm occurred 18 minutes after the self-stimulation began. There was an interval of 36 minutes between the first orgasm and the last (sixth).

During the debriefing, the participant reported that he felt some self-consciousness about being observed, but he was eventually able to disregard the laboratory setting during the experiment. He was aware of not experiencing two orgasms because of distraction occasioned by the reporting procedures and attached instrumentation. He found that having to put his chin in the pupillometer during orgasm took away from his concentration and detracted from the intensity of each orgasm. The participant confirmed that by contrast with his usual experience, his orgasms did not become more intense, and he rated the intensity of his orgasms in the laboratory as 50 to 70% of what he usually experiences, noting that his resulting ejaculatory contractions were not as strong as usual. He further reported that the dull ache that usually develops in his testicles after several orgasms did not occur. The participant reported that he had ended the experiment only because the room had become too hot and stuffy to continue. Climate control had been inoperative during the experiment.

To provide a descriptive summary of the data, the individual data points were grouped into four categories: prestimulation resting condition (n = 7); during self-stimulation (excluding orgasmic epochs) (n = 19); the six orgasm epochs (n = 6); and the poststimulation resting condition (n = 5) (See Figure 2). A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted in accordance with the rationale of Gentile, Roden, and Klein (1972) and Kazkin (1976) for analyzing multiple data points from a single subject.



Figure 2. The mean and standard deviations for each of the four measures during prestimulation resting, self-stimulation, orgasm, and poststimulation resting. There were significant elevations in all measures during orgasms, *p<.05. The conditions that differ significantly from each other are indicated by different letters (p<.05).

Systolic Blood Pressure

For the effects of self-stimulation and orgasm on systolic blood pressure, the one-way ANOVA showed
a significant effect, F (3, 33) = 21.1, p < .0001. Post hoc paired comparison tests (Fisher's least significant difference (LSD), protected t-tests) were used on this and all subsequent tests. The mean systolic blood pressure [mm Hg ± standard deviation (SD)] during the prestimulation resting condition was 144.9 ± 6.1, and during the poststimulation resting condition was 128 ± 7.7. During the self-stimulation condition, the mean systolic blood pressure increased significantly to 166.1 ± 12.8. During the six orgasms, the mean systolic blood pressure increased significantly to 176.7 ± 16.2.

Heart Rate

For the effects of self-stimulation and orgasm on heart rate, the one-way ANOVA showed a significant effect, F (3,33) = 10.7, p < .0001. The mean heart rate (bpm ± SD) during the prestimulation resting condition was 90.8 ± 4.7 and during the poststimulation resting condition was 102.2 ± 11.4. During the self-stimulation condition the mean heart rate increased significantly to 115.7 ± 15.1. During the six orgasms, the mean heart rate increased significantly to 125.3 ± 6.8.

Pupil Diameter

For the effects of self-stimulation and orgasm on pupil diameter, the one-way ANOVA showed a significant effect, F (3, 32) = 5.17, p < .005. The mean pupil diameter (mm ± SD) during the prestimulation resting condition was 3.6 ± 0.24, during the poststimulation resting condition was 3.6 ± 0.24, and during the self-stimulation condition was 3.8 ± 0.26. During the six orgasms, the mean pupil diameter increased significantly to 4.3 ± 0.76.

Arousal

For the effects of self-stimulation and orgasm on report of level of arousal, one-way ANOVA showed a significant effect, F (3, 32) = 37.8, p < .0001. On a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the greatest level of arousal, the mean report of level of arousal (± SD) during the prestimulation resting condition was 0 ± 0 and during the poststimulation resting condition was 0.66 ± 0.8. During the self-stimulation condition, the mean report of level of arousal increased significantly to 4.5 ± 1.6. During the six orgasms, the mean report of level of arousal increased significantly to 6.3 ± 1.3. The level of arousal reported during the first orgasm was 4 and during the last orgasm was 7.5.

Ejaculate

The samples of ejaculate were reported by the laboratory as being very viscous. The analysis of each specimen is found in Table 1. Because of the small volume of some of the specimens, not all could be assayed.

Table 1. Characteristics of the Ejaculate of All Six Orgasmic Experiences
                                    Ejaculate Specimens
#1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6 Total
Vol (ml) 2.6 0.02 0.45 0.05 0.05 0.005 3.175
No. sperm (M/ml) 50.0 1.8 92.2 34.0 46.1 54 278.1
% motile 24% 17% 3% 0 6% 0  
pH 8.3 7.4 9.0 8.75 8.7 *  
Fructose (mg/ml) 50 * 25 *  
The minute of MultiO-masturbation (min) 18 22 30 36 44 56 56
                       * insufficient ejaculate volume for valid assay



The clinical laboratory director reported that all specimens examined for fructose were within normal range. There were no sperm found in the urine specimen. It was the opinion of the clinical laboratory director that, "based on the specimens presented that they are, with the exception of the urine specimen, the product of seminal plasma emissions" (K. J. Lipetz, personal communication, January 20, 1995). There was no significant correlation among any of the following characteristics of the ejaculate: semen volume, sample number, number of sperm, percent motile, pH, or fructose levels.

Follow-up Home Experiment

Because the participant reported that the amount of ejaculate was much less than at home with his partner, he was instructed to have sexual relations at home and use a new prophylactic for each orgasm with ejaculation and collect the ejaculate. In a session that after 8 days abstinence took place at home over a period of 51 minutes the following amounts were collected in sequence: 7.1 ml, 2.3 ml, 1.2 ml, 1.6 ml, .09 ml, 1.1 ml, .04 ml, .02 ml, .02 ml, -*, and .01 ml (* negligible amount in specimen 10).




DISCUSSION

These findings provide evidence of the occurrence in one man of multiple orgasms with concurrent uninhibited multiple ejaculations. These findings support the findings of two previous studies (Dunn & Trost, 1989; Robbins & Jensen, 1978) that document male multiple orgasm. This study confirms Kothari's (1989) finding of multiple orgasms with concurrent multiple ejaculations. However, the participant in the current study reported that from the age at which he first ejaculated, he has experienced multiple ejaculatory orgasms, whereas the participant in Kothari's study reported that he learned to be multiorgasmic a year before the study. Another way in which the reports of the participant, in the present study differ from the participant in Kothari's study is that, in the current study, the participant claims that he does not use the PC muscles to inhibit ejaculation, whereas Kothari's participant utilized control of the PC muscles in order to partially inhibit each multiple ejaculation, prior to the last. Thus, the difference between the participant in the present study and the participant in Kothari's study is that, in the present study, no attempt was made by the participant to inhibit ejaculation. Because the intervals were similar in Kothari's study and the present study, and in the present study no attempt was made to inhibit ejaculation, the question is raised as to what process is necessary to activate the relatively prolonged refractory period that is typically reported after ejaculatory orgasms. The present study does not provide an answer to that question, but it suggests that ejaculatory orgasm per se does not necessarily produce a prolonged refractory period. Further research concerning the refractory period is needed, but is beyond the scope of this case study.

Although in the debriefing session, the participant reported feeling anxious about performing in the laboratory setting, he reported that his anxiety, decreased during the self-stimulation condition. He reported differences in his orgasmic response in the laboratory because of the difference from his customary stimuli and because of the suboptimal laboratory setting.

Because the participant was concerned about the small volume of the ejaculate, he was asked to collect specimens at home in a more usual setting and measure the volume. The number of orgasms and the volume of ejaculate were greater in the home setting. However, the trend was the same, that is, a larger volume with the first orgasm and ejaculation.

There were significant increases in all physiological parameters measured during the orgasmic conditions. Blood pressure, heart rate, pupil diameter, and report of level of arousal all increased significantly during orgasm over resting conditions. The same parameters were also increased during the self-stimulation condition over the prestimulation and poststimulation resting conditions. These findings are similar to the increases in physiological parameters measured in this laboratory during orgasm generated by genital self-stimulation or imagery in women (Whipple & Komisaruk, 1985, 1988; Whipple et al., 1992).

The data reported in this study are only descriptive of this participant. However, the present findings extend previous reports of the existence of a multiple ejaculatory orgasmic process in men by documenting multiple orgasms and multiple ejaculations. Because this is a case study, the results are not generalizable. It is hoped that the findings of this study will lead to further documentation of this phenomenon as well as other patterns of sexual response.


REFERENCES

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   Chia, M., & Arava, D. A. (1996). The multi-orgasmic man. New York: Harper.
   Derogatis, L. R. (1983). SCL-90-R administration, scoring and procedure manual. Towson, MD: Clinical Psychometric Research.
   Dunn, M. E., & Trost, J. E. (1989). Male multiple orgasms: A descriptive study. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 18, 377-387.
   Gentile, J. R., Roden, A. H., & Klein, R. D. (1972). An analysis of variance model for the intra-subject replication designs. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 5, 193-198.
   Hartman, W., & Fithian, M. (1984). Any man can. New York: St. Martin's Press.
   Kazdin, A. E. (1976). Statistical analyses for single-case experimental designs. In M. Hersen & D. H. Barlow (Eds.), Singlecase experimental designs: Strategies for studying behavior change (pp. 265-316). New York: Pergamon Press.
   Kothari, P. (1989). Multiorgasm: Psychophysiodynamics. In P Kothari (Ed.), Orgasm: New dimensions (pp. 103-127). Bombay, India: VRP Publishers.
   Masters, W. H., & Johnson, V. E. (1966). Human sexual response. Boston: Little, Brown, and Co.
   Masters, W. H., Johnson, V. E., & Kolodny, R. C. (1986). Masters and Johnson on sex and human loving. Boston: Little, Brown, and Co.
   Robbins, M. B., & Jensen, G. (1978). Multiple orgasms in males. Journal of Sex Research, 14, 21-26.
   Wagner, G. (Producer). (1973). Physiological responses of the sexually stimulated female in the laboratory. [Film]. New York: Focus International.
   Whipple, B., & Komisaruk, B. R. (1985). Elevation of pain threshold by vaginal stimulation in women. Pain, 21, 357-367.
   Whipple, B., & Komisaruk, B. R. (1988). Analgesia produced in women by genital self-stimulation. Journal of Sex Research, 24, 130-140.
   Whipple, B., Ogden, G., & Komisaruk, B. R. (1992). Physiological correlates of imagery-induced orgasm in women. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 21, 121-133.

Supplement
The Dark Gift
Appendix A
The Unprecedented Research Study from Rutgers University
Summary of All Previous Studies
Appendix B
Studying Research Subject
Appendix C
The "Dark Gift"
The Truth behind the Legends of the "Fallen Angels"
Appendix D
Researcher Gives Sex Advice for Men
PC Muscle Exercising
Appendix E
Multiple Ejaculations
Appendix F
Multiorgasmic Guestbook
Appendix G
MultiEjacO Studies