Semen retention is the practice of avoiding ejaculation, either through conscious effort or by avoiding sexual activity altogether. Some people practice semen retention for spiritual or personal reasons, while others believe it has health benefits. In more rare instances, people also practice semen retention as part of tantric sex practices. The VB Health medical experts look into the semen retention timeline, and potential benefits.
What Is Semen Retention?
Semen retention is the practice of avoiding and/or postponing ejaculation. Semen retention is practiced for physical, mental, spiritual, and personal reasons, while some believe it has health benefits. Some people also practice semen retention as part of tantric sex practices, edging, and other ejaculation focused sexual practices.
Semen Retention Benefits
Some people claim that semen retention can increase testosterone levels, improve athletic performance, improve mental clarity, improve confidence, and enhance feelings of vitality and well-being. Unfortunately semen retention has not been studied much, so there isn't a lot of scientific data available. We'll cover the relevant studies in the next section.
Aside from potential mental and spiritual benefits, many men practice semen retention to increase the volume of their ejaculations.
Avoiding ejaculation for extended periods of time can lead to physical discomfort. Another result of semen retention can be increased nocturnal emissions, or "wet dreams."
Science Behind Semen Retention
- In 2018, researchers conducted a systemic review of studies on the length of ejaculatory abstinence and semen characteristics. They noted the varied quality and limited nature of existing studies. Evidence suggests that an abstinence period of less than a day, rather than a longer abstinence period, is linked to improvement in sperm motility (1).
- In a 2007 animal study, researchers found that androgen receptors in the brain, which help your body make use of testosterone, were lower with frequent masturbation (2).
- In a small 2003 study, researchers documented a link between ejaculation and changes in serum testosterone levels. Among the 28 volunteers, testosterone levels peaked on the seventh day of abstinence (3).
- A small 2001 study found elevated testosterone levels in participants who abstained from masturbation for three weeks (4).
- In a 2000 study of male athletes, researchers found that sexual activity didn’t have a detrimental effect on athletic performance, but having intercourse two hours before a competition could (5).
Does Semen Retention Increase Testosterone
There have not been many scientific studies on the relationship between semen retention and testosterone levels. One study does shed a little light on the situation:
In a small 2003 study, researchers documented a link between ejaculation and changes in serum testosterone levels. Among the 28 volunteers, testosterone levels peaked on the seventh day of abstinence (3).
Semen Retention Timeline
Scientific insights and research give us a better idea of what individuals might realistically expect throughout the semen retention timeline.
First Few Days (1-7 days): Initial Adjustment In the initial days, physiological and psychological shifts are relatively subtle. According to a 2022 study published in the journal Andrologia, testosterone levels can temporarily spike, peaking around day seven (a study from Zhejiang University reported a 45% increase in testosterone by day 7). This boost might translate to a mild increase in energy, alertness, and libido (Jiang et al., 2022).
Week Two (7-14 days): Increased Vitality and Focus By the second week, individuals often report heightened focus, vitality, and motivation. A 2018 observational survey by the Indian Journal of Psychiatry noted improved mood and reduced anxiety among individuals practicing semen retention for approximately two weeks, attributing these psychological changes to stabilized dopamine and serotonin levels.
Weeks Three to Four (14-28 days): Peak Benefits and Challenges Weeks three and four typically bring the most significant noticeable benefits—clearer thinking, sustained energy, and emotional resilience. Conversely, some individuals experience heightened sexual tension or frustration. A 2020 online survey reported that roughly 65% of respondents practicing semen retention for over three weeks felt significantly more energized, yet around 30% also reported increased irritability (Semen Retention Online Survey, 2020).
One Month and Beyond: Long-Term Impact Semen retention beyond one month is less frequently studied in rigorous scientific settings, though anecdotal and preliminary observational evidence suggest continued benefits such as increased confidence and heightened emotional control.
Benefits Of Not Ejaculating For 7 Days
Many men report feelings of increased confidence and sexual desire after going 1 week without ejaculating. Claims of increased testosterone levels still need more research to be proven.
Some men may experience symptoms such as discomfort in the testicles, a feeling of fullness or pressure in the prostate gland, or the production of a clear, white fluid that is not semen. These symptoms are usually temporary and resolve on their own once ejaculation occurs.
Benefits Of Not Ejaculating For A Year
Not ejaculating for an entire year would cause a man to have a massively increased amount of wet dreams.
Wet dreams, also known as nocturnal emissions or sleep orgasms, are involuntary ejaculations that occur during sleep. They are a normal part of human sexual development and can happen to men and women of all ages.
Wet dreams are thought to be related to the body's natural processes for eliminating excess sperm and sexual arousal. They often occur during the stage of sleep known as rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, when the body is most relaxed and the brain is active.
Wet dreams are not uncommon and do not usually indicate a problem. They may be more common in adolescents and young adults, but they can occur at any age. Wet dreams are not typically associated with any particular cause, and they do not usually require treatment.
✔️ References
1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5641453/
3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12659241/