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Semen: composition and purpose
Medical expert of the article
Last reviewed: 04.07.2025

Sperm is a real indicator of a man's health. Thus, all changes that occur with it can signal health problems.
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In this case, we may be talking about venereal problems, pathologies or infertility. Especially if all the unpleasant symptoms are long-term. After all, not many men examine sperm and, based on this, do not draw any conclusions.
What is sperm used for?
So, what is sperm for and does it affect a man's general condition? Naturally, many people know the answer to this question. First of all, sperm is needed for fertilization. It serves as that very important element, thanks to which a new life can be born.
Fertilization is affected by the quality of sperm, its consistency and other important elements. Therefore, it is necessary to monitor its condition. Naturally, not all men monitor its condition. This is wrong! If a representative of the stronger sex has decided to become a father, then the consistency of the sperm, its appearance, smell and color must be monitored.
The quality of sperm can affect a man's condition. Normal sperm is white, it is not sticky and does not have any strong odors. This is worth paying attention to. After all, these indicators can indicate that a man has a serious disease. Therefore, you need to monitor all this. After all, sperm is the main component that can give birth to a new life.
Normal sperm
What should normal sperm be like? So, normal sperm usually has a white, whitish-yellow or grayish tint. At the same time, the liquid should be opaque.
As for the consistency, it is uneven and not too liquid. It looks like mucus. Immediately after the ejaculation process, it thickens and becomes jelly-like. Literally after 25-30 minutes, it becomes transparent and liquid. This feature is especially important in the process of fertilization. Sometimes, too thick sperm can be released during orgasm. This needs to be sorted out; such a problem is solved by an experienced specialist. The fact is that thick seminal fluid can slow down the speed of sperm. In some cases, this can cause infertility.
The smell of ejaculate is slightly chlorine and this is normal. If the "aroma" changes, then we are most likely talking about various diseases. The taste of seminal fluid should be sweetish. This is because it contains fructose. But this is not always the case, much depends on the food consumed. The whole picture described above indicates what sperm should actually be like.
What time does sperm appear?
At what age do boys produce sperm? Sperm production begins during puberty. It reaches its maximum in adulthood and naturally decreases with age.
The average amount of sperm released during ejaculation is about 3 grams (a teaspoon). But this value can fluctuate freely in the range from 2 to 6 grams. Abstinence increases its amount several times. Thus, every day 0.4 grams are added to the main figure. But what is most interesting is that only 1% of the total accumulated is released during ejaculation.
The semen of a healthy man during one ejaculation can contain about 70-80 million spermatozoa. The fact is that spermatozoa make up only 3% of the ejaculate. The remaining 97% is the secretion of the representative gland. There is also the fluid of the seminal vesicles. It is worth noting the fact that the first portion of the ejaculate contains much more spermatozoa than the subsequent ones. Therefore, the "highest quality" sperm comes out immediately.
Sperm restoration
How does sperm restoration occur and what can complicate it? The girl's upcoming pregnancy requires an urgent change in the man's lifestyle. After all, for fertilization to occur, high-quality sperm is necessary.
First of all, you need to pay attention to healthy nutrition. Fish, fresh fruits, meat and nuts significantly increase the quality of seminal fluid. Vitamins are also of particular importance. It is useful to take vitamin complexes. Eliminate preservatives, dyes and other harmful substances. This will significantly improve the quality of sperm.
What is most interesting is that even an ordinary mobile phone in your trouser pocket can negatively affect the fertilization process. You will obviously have to forget about alcoholic drinks, the same situation with smoking. All this has a detrimental effect on sperm.
To quickly restore sperm, you will have to make friends with physical activity. Visiting a gym, swimming pool, and doing sports at home will significantly improve the situation. Exercises should be done in the fresh air. Improving circulation will improve sperm.
It is also necessary to spend less time in a hot bath. If a man suffers from chronic diseases, it is worth consulting a doctor. Deterioration of sperm condition can also occur due to taking headache pills. Antibiotics, hormones, anti-asthmatic and antihistamine drugs are especially dangerous for the quality of sperm.
The stress hormone suppresses sperm activity. It is worth noting that sperm is completely renewed within 3 months. Therefore, it is necessary to start this process in advance.
Composition of sperm
It turns out that the chemical composition of sperm is determined by the high content of potassium, zinc, copper, sulfur, potassium and magnesium. The presence of vitamins B12 and C is at a decent level.
All elements that are part of sperm are extremely important for a man's health. In addition to all of the above, sperm contains secretions from the prostate gland, which can stimulate the expansion of blood vessels and muscle contractions.
The man's sperm also contains citric acid. But despite this, sperm has an alkaline environment. The sperm themselves make up approximately 3% of all the components that are in this "raw material". It is also worth noting the fact that with repeated sexual intercourse, the amount of sperm can decrease. Moreover, the indicator decreases gradually. Everything depends on how many sexual acts there were.
The main components that are present in sperm are also the fluid of the seminal vesicles, as well as the secretion of the prostate gland. In general, sperm has a fairly rich composition.
What does sperm consist of?
What's most interesting is that not all men know what sperm consists of. Well, it has quite a rich composition. It contains zinc, potassium, magnesium, sulfur, and even potassium. In addition, it also contains vitamins B and C.
All the elements we are talking about are the most important for a man's health. Semen contains secretions from the prostate gland. Thanks to them, the expansion of blood vessels and muscle contraction are stimulated. So the prostate gland has quite a few basic functions. Citric acid is also present in male sperm. Its "residence" environment is alkaline.
The most interesting thing is that spermatozoa make up only 3% of all components. However, with repeated sexual intercourse, their number decreases significantly. This fact should be taken into account when wanting to have a child.
The main components of which male sperm consists are the fluid of the seminal vesicles and the secretion of the prostate gland.
How long does sperm live?
Not many people think about how long sperm lives. But it is necessary to know. And both for people who want to have a child, and for those who carefully avoid this process.
So, the lifespan of sperm depends on the nutrient medium it is in. Thus, in a woman's body, spermatozoa can be in an active state from two to five days. Therefore, it is stupid to say that the calendar method of contraception is 100%. After all, you can calculate those very safe days, but not take into account the fact that sperm is in the woman's body for another five days.
The thing is that it is almost impossible to predict ovulation with such a calculation. And the risk of pregnancy increases several times. So it is not worth practicing such a method of contraception to avoid conception. There is a high risk of becoming parents.
In open "terrain" spermatozoa live no more than 15-20 minutes. Therefore, there is no need to worry too much if a little sperm gets on the skin. This is the lifespan of the ejaculate. Again, everything depends on the environment where the sperm is.
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