Smartphones have solved a problem men often find hard to talk about. A study found that a smartphone app (app, application) solved premature ejaculation, which affects one in three men. Men succeeded in extending the duration of sexual intercourse by improving ejaculation control through training with a smartphone app.
A research team led by Christer Groeben, a professor at Heidelberg University Medical School in Germany, said on the 14th (local time) that a smartphone app developed to address the underlying psychological causes of premature ejaculation succeeded in doubling ejaculation time in 22% of participants. The findings were presented at the annual meeting of the European Association of Urology (EAU26) in London.
◇Time to ejaculation doubled
Premature ejaculation refers to ejaculating before penetration or within 60 seconds after penetration. Although 30% of men experience it, only 9% seek medical help because they fear social stigma. The researchers conducted a clinical trial to see whether an app called Melonga, developed by the Dutch healthcare startup Prognoix, could treat premature ejaculation. Developed by specialists in Europe and the United States, the app is officially classified as class I software as a medical device (SaMD) under the European Union Medical Device Regulation (EU 2017/745 MDR).
In the clinical trial, 80 men with premature ejaculation were randomly assigned for 12 weeks to a group that used the app or a group that did not. Premature ejaculation can result from prostate or thyroid problems and may overlap with depression, but only men without other illnesses participated in this study.
Among the 66 who completed the 12-week protocol, the app group increased average ejaculation delay time from 61 seconds to 125 seconds. These results appeared after just four weeks of use. Men who did not use the app saw an average increase of 0.5 seconds.
Men who used the app reported a marked improvement in their ability to control ejaculation during sex and a reduction in anxiety related to ejaculation. After 12 weeks, by self-reported measures, 22% of the men who used the app no longer experienced symptoms of premature ejaculation.
Giorgio Russo, a professor of urology at the University of Catania in Italy who did not participate in the study, called the effect "dramatic" and noted that "even an improvement of just 1–2 minutes is a major achievement." Several apps to treat premature ejaculation already exist, but their efficacy has not been verified through clinical trials like this one, the researchers said.
◇Combining exercise and psychotherapy
Experts believe the app has more advantages than medication in addressing patients' concerns. Russo said, "During a 10- or 15-minute appointment, drugs are the easiest solution for the physician, but not for the patient," adding, "The Melonga app is like carrying a doctor on your phone."
There are already drugs that treat premature ejaculation. A representative method is delaying ejaculation with a local anesthetic, but it is inconvenient because it must be used every time before sex. A class of drugs called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) delays ejaculation by suppressing the ejaculation center in the brain. This also needs to be taken repeatedly and carries concerns about side effects.
The researchers said the Melonga app provides a curriculum designed by psychologists and urologists. In short, it helps users control the timing of ejaculation on their own without numbing sensation with drugs. Through the app, users learn to recognize the "point of no return" just before ejaculation, reduce sexual arousal, and achieve psychological calm.
In particular, the researchers said the app helps men communicate with their partners about premature ejaculation and overcome all negative thoughts about their concerns through cognitive behavioral therapy. Groeben said, "The app also has the advantage of privacy," adding, "People do not seek doctors because they feel labeled as premature ejaculation patients while waiting for an appointment at the hospital."
References
European Association of Urology (2026), https://uroweb.org/news/press-release-smartphone-app-can-help-men-last-longer-in-bed-finds-research