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Semen Retention Benefits – Semen retention is the process of avoiding ejaculation. This avoidance of ejaculation is done intentionally. Pieces of evidence have shown that there are many semen retention Benefits broadly categorized into- Emotional, physical, and spiritual.
Understanding the Concept of Semen Retention
As mentioned above- When a person intentionally avoids ejaculation, this process is called semen retention. One can do this by abstaining from sexual activity, or even if the person is involved in sexual activity, he should try to get an orgasm without ejaculation.
You might be hearing or reading about this practice for the first time or maybe quite a few times in recent days, but this concept has existed since as early as the 17th century.
But, due to so much scope and advancement over time with the Internet and social media, people have started to talk and are becoming more aware of this.
In ancient times, this was practiced because it was believed that semen retention boosts a male’s physical and spiritual energy.
There are many other scientific names of this process, such as
- coitus reservatus
- seminal conservation
- sexual continence
In other languages/ cultures, it is also known as:
- karezza (Italian)
- maithuna (Hindu Tantra)
- Sahaja (Hindu Yoga)
- tantra (Hinduism and Buddhism)
- cai Yin pu Yang and cai Yang pu Yin (Taoist)
Why Semen Retention?
There is no hardcore proof or pieces of evidence to prove the benefits and risks of semen retention or whether it is healthy or unhealthy to hold in the semen. If a person does not ejaculate during an orgasm, the unused semen is broken down and absorbed by the body. Many people try semen retention for various reasons such as – being more energized, losing weight, getting a sense of harmony, etc.
Semen retention is a process that can be practiced according to one’s comfort zone. If you feel that it is natural and comfortable for you, and will help you in improving your well-being, then you should do it and vice versa.
What happens with the sperm when ejaculation is not done?
To understand this with more clarity, let’s look at the process of ejaculation:
- The sperm is created in the testes
- It then travels through the vas deferens and mixes with a seminal fluid (Sperm and the seminal fluid when mixed forms the semen)
- Then the semen travels through the urethra, and after that, is ejaculated through the penis.
However, this process is disrupted in the semen retention process, and the semen is not allowed to pass through the penis. This can be done through extreme self-control. The unused sperm is broken down and absorbed by the body.
Ejaculating or not, this has a zero effect on a person’s overall sex drive or sex life, or fertility. However, “wet dreams” are something that you can still get during semen retention.
Benefits of Ejaculation
#1 It gives Pleasure and Satisfaction
There is much evidence to show that ejaculation can cause pleasure and satisfaction to a person. This is because while ejaculation endorphins are released. (Endorphins are hormones that help block pain and make a person feel relaxed)
#2 It helps in the prevention of Prostate cancer
Researches have shown that men who ejaculate more than 15 times in a month are 50% less likely to get prostate cancer, than those who ejaculate less than that.
#3 It enhances a good Sleep
Many people have claimed that after a tiring day, masturbating and ejaculating helps them in getting a good night’s sleep.
5 Semen Retention Benefits
#1 Mental Health Benefits
- Reduced anxiety
- More self-control
- More patience
- More energy and motivation
- Increase in concentration
- Reduces stress
#2 Physical Benefits
- Clearer and glowing skin
- Increase in testosterone levels
- Increased muscle mass
- Deeper Voice (even though there is no proof of this has been a belief of people over a long period of time)
- Reduces the general body fatigue
#3 Spiritual Benefits
- Increase in the sense of purpose
- Increase sense of harmony
- Increase and more deep understanding of emotional bonds and relationships
#4 Edging
Edging is the practice where the orgasm is controlled. This can be done either alone or with a partner. This helps in increasing the intensity of the orgasms in males.
#5 Increased Fertility
Some researches have shown that semen retention helps with sperm mobility, i.e., the ability of the sperms to swim on their own. This can improve the quality of the sperm, thereby increasing fertility.
This is one of the reasons that, when sperm collection for IUI (Intrauterine Insemination) and IVF (In-Vitro Fertilization) is done, patients are asked not to masturbate for four-five days.
Semen retention benefits include another important point, i.e., semen retention increases testosterone levels which could bring improvements in the energy levels and moods of a person.
Risks of Semen Retention
Epididymal Hypotension (Blue balls)
This is one of the most known risks that can occur because of non ejaculation. This happens when a person is sexually aroused but does not ejaculate during orgasm. This can even cause pain in the testicles which in the near future might also cause arousal which does not lead to orgasm.
However, research suggests that it is not harmful, and these phenomena are very common in adolescent males.
Premature Ejaculation
Semen Retention can lead to ejaculation issues such as premature Ejaculation where orgasms occur before even reaching the “climax”.
Retrograde Ejaculation
This is another type of ejaculation issue which causes the semen to travel back into the urinary bladder
- In some cases, it has also been observed that men are unable to ejaculate.
When should one stop preventing ejaculation/ semen retention?
One should stop preventing the semen retention process or ejaculating if they are going through any kind of pain or discomfort because of the practice. Also, if they are unable to ejaculate when they want to do the process should be discontinued then too.
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The person should immediately consult a doctor if they are unable to ejaculate at their own will especially when he and his partner are trying a pregnancy. The doctors would provide medical treatments to cure this. This is called anejaculation and it can occur due to many reasons such as-
- Pelvic injury or surgery
- Injury in the spinal cord
- Stress or psychological issues
- Nervous System Disorders
If one is ejaculating after a long time and finds blood in their semen they should not panic. This problem will be resolved someday. However, if it does not, it would be better to consult a medical professional and get some medical treatment.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1 Are there any negative effects of holding back your sperm?
There is no such hardcore evidence or proof that holding back your sperm would have any negative or harmful effects on your body.
Q2 What if a man releases sperm every day?
There are no such known harmful effects of releasing sperms every day. However, doing it more than 2 times a day can cause fatigue
Q3 Is it true that masturbation decreases testosterone levels?
This is not necessarily true. There are no known long-term effects of masturbation on this hormone. However, some short-term effects might be there.
Q4 Does masturbation make one feel tired?
Yes, feeling tired after masturbation is completely normal. Sometimes it can make you so tired or satisfied that you will be able to get a good sleep.
Q5 At what age do boys start masturbating?
Usually, during the age of 12-15 years, the boys start masturbating
Conclusion
There is no hardcore evidence or proof to suggest or to reach any firm conclusion about the various semen retention benefits. There are also no such hardcore proofs to suggest that it carries any potential harmful health risks.
Check out this YouTube video for further help.
One can choose to continue the process of semen retention for as long as they want according to their own comfort. They can try techniques such as – edging or tantric sex as an alternative and see if they can enjoy it.
Tantric sex is a form of sexual yoga which is practiced in the Hindu and Buddhist culture to practice or exercise sexual activity in a yogic or a ritualistic context.
There are no rules or regulations or methods for how frequently should a person ejaculate or not. They should do it only according to their choices and comfort.
