Wednesday, February 4, 2015

9 Things You Didn't Know About Sperm

sperm-9janinja
We've all heard the rumors about spérm—pineapple, hot tubs, ladies who are allergic. But what's the truth? We consulted the experts for the facts:  
It's Fast and Furious, Right from the Start
Get this: The first moment of ejaculation contains the highest concentration of sp érm, says board-certified urologist Harry Fisch, M.D., clinical professor of reproductive medicine at Weill Medical College of Cornell University. 

It Sticks Around Longer Than You Think
Spérm typically stays in your body for 48 hours after s éx, however, "it can hang around for as long as five days to a week," depending on how "friendly" your cervical mucus is, says Fisch. Interestingly, cervical mucus protects sperm and helps it stay longer in the body around ovulation, when you're most fertile.
Lots of S ex or Masturbat;on Won't Lower a Guy's Sperm Count
Don’t worry, he doesn’t have a limited supply of swimmers that he's going to use up, says reproductive endocrinologist Carrie Wambach, M.D., from Southern California Reproductive Center in Los Angeles. That said, frequent ejaculation may lower the volume, but if he generally has a normal sperm count this shouldn't make much of an impact, she says. 

Temperature CAN Lower His Sperm Count
Apparently, his se men fluctuates with the seasons. "Sp érm count tends to be lowest in summer months and highest in winter months," says Fisch, because exposure to heat lessens sperm count. Overheating can include anything as seemingly innocuous as your man having a hot Macbook on his lap or as obvious as the two of you relaxing in a hot tub. "In a Jacuzzi 104 degrees and higher, sperm count can decrease dramatically," warns Fisch. In fact, this decrease can last for months after extreme overexposure to high temps. "I tell my patients, if you're trying to have kids, don't go into hot tubs." Of course, don't assume you're totally safe from getting pregnant after you take a dip, either. "It's not birth control," he laughs.
 
Pineapple Isn't Proven to Make Him Taste Better
Unfortunately, scientists haven't tested this one out yet (can somebody get on that, though?). Semen does contain fructose (naturally occurring sugar), giving it a slightly sweet taste, but there's never been a real study on the connection between foods a guy eats and the taste of his swimmers, says Fisch. However, this rumor has a ton of anecdotal evidence, so if it seems to work for your partner, we say go ahead and grab the pineapple.
 
Apparently, his se men fluctuates with the seasons. "Sp érm count tends to be lowest in summer months and highest in winter months," says Fisch, because exposure to heat lessens sperm count. Overheating can include anything as seemingly innocuous as your man having a hot Macbook on his lap or as obvious as the two of you relaxing in a hot tub. "In a Jacuzzi 104 degrees and higher, sperm count can decrease dramatically," warns Fisch. In fact, this decrease can last for months after extreme overexposure to high temps. "I tell my patients, if you're trying to have kids, don't go into hot tubs." Of course, don't assume you're totally safe from getting pregnant after you take a dip, either. "It's not birth control," he laughs.
 
Pineapple Isn't Proven to Make Him Taste Better
Unfortunately, scientists haven't tested this one out yet (can somebody get on that, though?). Semen does contain fructose (naturally occurring sugar), giving it a slightly sweet taste, but there's never been a real study on the connection between foods a guy eats and the taste of his swimmers, says Fisch. However, this rumor has a ton of anecdotal evidence, so if it seems to work for your partner, we say go ahead and grab the pineapple.
 
 

No comments:

Post a Comment