Is Semen Good For You? Benefits and Risks

When a man gets frisky alone or with a partner, and he climaxes, he’ll ejaculate and release semen. It’s a natural process that’s vital for procreation. But is semen good for the partner? That’s a question many people have when they’re thinking of engaging in sexual activities with a man, like unprotected sex or swallowing semen.

If you’re asking that question, you might be surprised to learn about the many health benefits of semen. Like most things, though, there are risks to swallowing semen orally or taking it vaginally or anally.

For anyone wondering, “Is semen good for you?” continue reading to understand the health advantages of sperm as well as its downsides.

Components of Semen

Semen (or seminal fluid) is the material that ejects from a penis during climax. It is a creamy, white, viscous substance that may have a faint gray or yellow hue. It contains two components: spermatozoa (or sperm) and fluid consisting of water, plasma, and mucous.

About 1% to 5% of semen consists of sperm, the male reproductive cells that fertilize a woman’s egg. While the egg contains half the genetic code necessary for creating a human embryo, the tadpole-like sperm cells carry the other half.

Much of the rest of semen consists of plasma fluid, which can be up to 80% water. The purpose of the fluid is to keep the sperm viable during the fertilization process.

The seminal vesicle in the male pelvis is where the body produces the semen. When semen passes through the body’s ejaculatory ducts, it mixes with fluids from the seminal vesicles, prostate, and bulbourethral glands. The viscosity of semen comes from the fructose-rich seminal vesicle fluids, which make up about 65% to 70% of the seminal fluid base.

Enzymes, acid phosphatase, and citric acid from prostate gland secretions are responsible for semen’s white color. A clear secretion from the bulbourethral glands has a jelly-like consistency and accounts for less than 1% of semen composition.

Within these fluids and secretions are more than 50 compounds, including immunosuppressants, endorphins, and neurotransmitters. Semen also contains traces of:

•       Fructose
•       Cholesterol
•       Chlorine
•       Calcium
•       Sodium
•       Vitamin B12

Health Benefits of Semen Through the Vaginal or Anal Intake

People often have sex as a way to feel good and de-stress, but why is intercourse effective? The answer to that question is the same for “Is semen good for you?” Releasing semen is generally healthy for men, but it also has benefits for their partners.

It might sound unusual, but research suggests that exposure to semen may be enhancing for manes’ sexual partners due to the material’s mood-boosting components. Not only does its chemical makeup boost a recipient’s mood, but it also has beneficial vitamins and anti-depressants that can positively affect other aspects of their lives.

Enhances Mood

Seminal fluid contains many hormones that can affect a person’s mood, including testosterone, estrogen, progesterone, follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, prolactin, and prostaglandins.

 People tend to be happier after sex, but a controversial psychological study from SUNY researchers on the mood-enhancing effect of semen absorption found that women who regularly engaged in unprotected sex and had exposure to semen were less depressed than women who didn’t.

The researchers claim to have ruled out alternative variables and explanations, from physiological differences to psychological differences and factors in the relationships.

Helps in Relaxation

If you’re ready to relax and get a good night’s sleep, you might want to consider having sex with a faithful partner after you both visit Rapid STD Testing and take a reliable 10 panel STD test. Not only will pleasurable sex relax your body, but absorbing semen vaginally may also help you get physically and mentally calm enough to fall asleep.

Endorphins are one of the components of a man’s semen. These compounds trigger the body into feeling positive and happy, but they also act as sedatives. Semen also has traces of melatonin, which directly affects your sleeping cycle.

Reduces Anxiety

Semen has many components, and some of them possess anti-depressant qualities that could reduce feelings of anxiety and stress. One such component is the nerve growth factor (NGF), a neurotrophin hormone.

One research study suggests that NGF levels drop in people with depression. So, by increasing the body’s NGF levels through exposure to semen, people may feel happier naturally. People may also feel less anxious or stressed due to other mood-enhancing compounds within semen, such as:

•       Serotonin — promotes feelings of happiness and well-being
•       Melatonin — helps with sleep and the timing of the body’s circadian rhythms
•       Oxytocin — acts as “the love hormone” that makes a person feel happy and cuddly

Benefits of Consuming Semen Orally

People often wonder if it’s healthy to consume semen. It can be. The material is protein-rich.

You might be hesitant about swallowing sperm because you don’t know if semen tastes good or not. The answer depends on the ejaculating person because no two people have the same bodies and diet. To some people, semen tastes sweet, while others say it tastes salty, bitter, or slightly acidic.

Beyond taste and kinkiness, you might want to consume sperm orally to experience the following benefits.

Increased Lifespan

A surprising benefit of consuming semen is a longer lifespan. Spermidine is a compound within semen and foods like corn, whole grains, mushrooms, and soy products. According to a study within the Cancer Research journal, there is evidence that spermidine may prolong lifespan.

Researchers found that mammals were more likely to live longer and have fewer liver issues than untreated individuals during the study. By eating foods rich in spermidine, including semen, you could extend your lifespan.

Improved Brain Function

According to a 2019 study on fruit flies, the sex peptide or protein transferred from males during sex can improve memory. During the experiment, researchers from PSL Research University at France’s national center for scientific research (CNRS) realized that the sex peptide would make its way through the female’s body, affect the insect’s eating habits, and alter its long-term memory capabilities.

Though the study focused on fruit flies, it does suggest that other organisms, like humans, might experience the same positive effects.

Ingestion of Nutrients

Semen contains many nutrients, most of which you need each day as part of a healthy diet. Seminal fluid has so many nutrients because ejaculate can contain 200 million to 300 million sperm, on average. The cells need sufficient energy to travel the long distance from the seminal vesicles to the woman’s fallopian tubes and withstand the harsh vaginal environment along the way.

Most men produce about a teaspoon of ejaculate, which contains about the same amount of calories as a stick of gum. Some of the nutrients in semen besides protein are:

•       Lactic acid
•       Vitamin C
•       Ascorbic acid
•       Zinc
•       Fat
•       Potassium

Swallowing semen is generally healthy because of its nutrients. However, the quantity of vitamins and compounds is too low to affect one’s health substantially.

Possible Risks From Semen

Despite the health advantages of semen exposure, it can be risky if you have unprotected oral or vaginal sex to be able to experience those effects. Semen can contain sexually transmitted viruses and bacteria that an infected man can pass on to his partner. Examples of STDs found in semen include chlamydia, hepatitis B and C, and herpes.

It’s possible to contract these STDs and others through direct contact with sexual fluids, either orally, vaginally, or anally. Transmission of an oral sex STD is substantially higher if you have an open sore or a dental issue like bleeding gums from periodontal disease. That’s why it’s vital to protect yourself through safe sex practices and regular screenings from Rapid STD Testing.

Many people know the dangers that STDs pose regarding vaginal intercourse, but they don’t always show the same concerns for oral sex and swallowing seminal fluid. Unfortunately, consuming semen infected with chlamydia and gonorrhea can lead to throat infections that may or may not produce pain.

Herpes simplex 1 passes from person to person through skin-to-skin contact. If you contract it orally, you could develop blisters or cold sores around the mouth, on the lips, or in the throat.

Semen allergies are another risk, especially for those who never touched or tasted semen previously. An allergic reaction to seminal fluid varies, but it can include the following symptoms around the contact site:

•       Redness
•       Pain
•       Hives
•       Itching
•       Swelling

Some people may have difficulty breathing after exposure to semen. Allergies to semen are rare but not impossible, possibly affecting up to 40,000 women in the United States. Don’t hesitate to seek medical attention if you have trouble breathing or experience severe allergy symptoms.

A common misconception about swallowing semen is that it’s possible to reduce the risk by spitting it out instead of eating it. It doesn’t matter if you ingest the material or spit it out—having the ejaculate in your mouth is enough to increase your risk of contracting a viral or bacterial infection.

The same goes for vaginal sex. Whether a man ejaculates or not in a vagina, a mouth, rectum, or within the genital area, his partner is at risk if he has an STD. The best protection against STDs is condoms for safe sex.

Things to Remember When It Comes to Semen

There’s no shame in taking in semen vaginally or consuming it orally if you and your partner regularly undergo screenings at a local Rapid STD Testing center. Interacting with bodily fluids like semen is typical in many sexual activities, including oral sex.

The composition of male ejaculate is inherently healthy and contains nutrients, hormones, and compounds that are generally beneficial to the mind and body. However, you should keep several things in mind before engaging in any unprotected sexual activity involving semen.

1. Semen undoubtedly contains many chemical compounds like melatonin and serotonin that can possibly act as anti-depressants and mood enhancers. Despite that, some studies that claim to “prove” the compounds’ effectiveness require more research.

2. It’s rare but possible to have an allergy to seminal fluid. If you’re encountering semen vaginally or orally for the first time, act cautiously in case you are hypersensitive to it.

3. When you break down the nutritional value of semen, it’s healthy to consume. However, ejaculation doesn’t produce enough semen to be nutritious if you eat it.

4. Semen carries STDs, so to be safe, it’s best to get a rapid STD test at least once a year or before switching sexual partners.

Don’t Get Ahead of Yourself

So, is semen good for you? It can be, but it also carries risks. Before interacting with semen, get same-day STD testing from Rapid STD Test.