Semen, also known as sperm, is a viscous and whitish liquid that is composed of different secretions, produced in the structures of the male genital apparatus, which are mixed at the time of ejaculation. This liquid's main function is to transport sperm from the man's testicles to the woman's egg, allowing fertilization to take place and, consequently, a pregnancy, which ensures the reproduction of the human race.
Below, we show you 7 main facts about semen:
How is semen produced?
Semen is mainly made up of a mixture of 3 different types of secretions, which are produced in different parts of the male reproductive system:
- Fluid and sperm from the vas deferens and testes;
- Seminal fluid, produced in the seminal vesicles;
- Prostatic secretion, produced in the prostate;
- In addition, it is still possible to find very low amounts of fluid produced by the mucous glands, especially the bulbourethral glands. These fluids collect in the urethra and are then eliminated during ejaculation.
- How long does semen take to be produced?
- Semen is in constant production and, therefore, it is not possible to know precisely how long it takes to be produced.
- However, it is known that spermatozoa need several days to mature before being eliminated in ejaculation, it can take up to 2 months to obtain a sperm considered "mature". The testes produce an average of 120 million sperm per day.
What is the composition of semen?
In the composition of sperm it is possible to find amino acids, fructose, enzymes, flavins, prostaglandins, iron and vitamins B and C. In addition, as it contains fluid produced in the prostate, semen also contains proteins, acid phosphatase, citric acid, cholesterol, fibrinolysin, proteolytic enzymes and zinc.
Why does semen have a strange smell?
The smell of semen is often compared to that of bleach or chlorine and is related to the components, as, in addition to sperm, semen also contains various types of proteins, enzymes and minerals. These substances normally have an alkaline pH, i.e. greater than 7, which is the same type of pH as bleach and chlorine, and this is the main reason they smell similar.
Why does semen change consistency?
Over time, semen can undergo several changes in consistency, it can be more fluid on some days and thicker on others. This is not an alarm bell and is quite common in healthy men.
What happens is that the semen can have more or less water, according to the hydration of the organism. In addition, there are studies that also indicate that thicker sperm usually contain a higher concentration of altered sperm which, although it may seem like an undesirable alteration, is relatively frequent, since more than 90% of sperm released by men have some type of alteration. .
Is it bad to swallow semen?
Most semen constituents are tested and are completely safe for health. Therefore, swallowing semen is not considered to be harmful.
However, there are a small number of people who suffer from seminal plasma hypersensitivity, which is a rare type of allergy that can appear after coming into contact with sperm.
Is it possible to change the taste of semen?
The taste of semen generally remains constant over time. However, some studies indicate that human diet may slightly influence taste, as with most body fluids.
Some of the foods that seem to affect semen taste more directly include cinnamon, celery, parsley, nutmeg, pineapple, pineapple, papaya or orange, for example.