11 Semen Retention Benefits for Your Sex Life
Stopping yourself from ejaculating may sound frustrating, but the practice of semen retention has become increasingly popular. Elevated life force, more sexual pleasure, higher testosterone — are any of these so-called semen retention benefits backed by science? And can reducing your ejaculation frequency actually enhance your sex life?
While browsing the internet, you might come across guys passionate about the benefits of semen retention, claiming that avoiding ejaculation does wonders for their physical health.
If you’re thinking of joining them, keep reading to take a closer look at the scientific evidence behind the practice, including potential benefits and risks and how to do semen retention properly.
What Is Semen Retention?
First off, what is semen retention? Colloquially referred to as “blue balls” and more broadly known as sexual continence, semen retention is the practice of avoiding ejaculation. This can include regular ejaculation or frequent ejaculation during an abstinence period.
The practice of ejaculatory abstinence has grown in popularity, thanks in part to social media. But semen retention isn’t new.
Similar to celibacy, semen retention is an ancient practice based on the idea that ejaculation decreases a man’s mental and physical health. Proponents throughout history have claimed semen retention benefits include higher testosterone, enhanced fertility, and better overall health.
Semen Retention vs. NoFAP
Another trend that might come up in the same context as semen retention is NoFap. This practice is different from semen retention, however, in that it advocates for abstinence from masturbation and sexual practices to treat porn addiction and pornography-induced sexual dysfunction.
While semen retention and NoFap have different objectives, they both promote periods of abstinence as a means of achieving sexual health benefits.
Curious about what these semen retention benefits are? We’ll go over them below.
11 Semen Retention Benefits
The supposed benefits of semen retention can affect several aspects of men’s health, including physical, spiritual, and mental.
Here are eleven of the most popular claims:
Reduced erectile dysfunction (ED)
Decreased anxiety
Increased self-esteem
More sexual energy
A general increase in energy levels or life force (based on Taoism and tantric sex)
More restful sleep
Deeper personal relationships
Overall better mood and happiness
Improved fertility and sperm count
Elevated serum testosterone levels
This all sounds good, but is it real? Keep scrolling for insight.
Are the Physical Benefits of Semen Retention Backed by Science?
Does semen retention increase testosterone? Unfortunately, there’s currently no conclusive evidence that one of the sperm retention benefits is an increase in testosterone levels.
Another claim of semen retention is that purposefully abstaining from ejaculation could improve sperm quality. A 2018 review of studies suggested that an abstinence period of less than a day (rather than a longer abstinence period) is linked to improved sperm motility. However, the studies varied in quality and were limited.
Interestingly enough, there may be potential benefits of ejaculating regularly regarding sperm quality. A study of over 9,400 sperm samples found that those collected after more than two days of abstinence were lower in sperm count and motility.
Still, research supporting semen retention benefits is incredibly limited, and the claims are merely anecdotal from social media and internet forums. To know if these sperm retention benefits are true, more research by medical professionals and longer-term studies are needed.
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Side Effects of Semen Retention
Is semen retention healthy, or are there negative effects of semen retention?
Though the benefits of semen retention need more research, the practice doesn’t appear to pose any risks to a person’s physical or mental health.
However, there might be benefits of ejaculating for mental and physical health. The numerous health benefits of ejaculation include stress relief, better sleep, increased focus, and better cognitive function.
So, theoretically, not ejaculating regularly could strain your mental health.
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How to Do Semen Retention
Semen retention can take on different forms. Some guys may practice a period of abstinence from all sexual activity, stop sexual activity prior to ejaculation, or try achieving an orgasm without ejaculation.
A few methods of semen retention are:
Abstinence. Abstinence is refraining from all sexual activity, which can mean different things to different people. It might be with or without a partner, only refraining from certain sexual activities, or something else entirely.
Edging. Edging is coming right up to the point of orgasm, then stopping. It’s been practised as a way to treat premature ejaculation (PE). To try edging, learn what it feels like before you orgasm while masturbating or having sex so you know when to stop sexual activity.
Retrograde ejaculation. This method also takes a lot of self-control and paying attention to your body. It’s when semen is diverted back up into the bladder rather than out through the penis during orgasm. Although not harmful to your health, retrograde ejaculation could lead to infertility.
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A Final Word on Semen Retention: Should You Try It?
Dating back to ancient times and growing in popularity today, the practice of semen retention is abstaining from or preventing yourself from ejaculating.
People practice this in many ways, from full-on abstinence from any sexual intercourse to swearing off internet pornography to trying techniques of reaching orgasm while not ejaculating.
Here’s what you should remember about the practice:
There are many purported benefits of semen retention. Those who support it often claim several semen retention benefits, such as improved mood, a boost in energy, and reduced sexual dysfunction, to name a few.
Research is limited on whether or not it works. Research on semen retention is very limited, and the claims made about the benefits of semen retention are likely based on an individual’s personal experience, not scientific research. That said, there are no known risks if you want to try semen retention.
There are better-proven methods to address sexual health conditions. If you’re thinking of trying semen retention to address premature ejaculation, there are better options. Proven treatment options for PE include medication like sertraline and topical sprays or wipes from Hims containing anaesthetics, such as lidocaine or benzocaine. Ask your healthcare provider for more medical advice.
Before trying semen retention or other forms of sexual abstinence for issues like premature ejaculation, it can be helpful to learn more about what else you can do for support.
You can also try these premature ejaculation exercises or explore tips for controlling ejaculation.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The information contained herein is not a substitute for and should never be relied upon for professional medical advice. Always talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of any treatment or medication.