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Dr. C, I’ve always [believed that my] ejaculation and my semen volume has always seemed small. I’m wondering if. . . . there is anything that I can do. Thank you for the information.
Thanks for your great question. I have to ask – To what are you comparing your amount of ejaculate? What makes it seem as though it’s not very much? If you are comparing yourself to what you see in porn, you better stop right there and think again. Too many people compare themselves to porn and somehow it doesn’t sink in that IT’S A MOVIE and some aspects of it are FAKE. A mixture of cornstarch and water to simulate semen can even be used to heighten the effect, especially for shots to the face. And remember, that in a movie, a shot can be edited anyway you like – made to look like it’s lasting longer or whatever.
Most people have difficulty judging the exact volume of their ejaculate, especially when it’s spread out or partly soaked up in a napkin or tissue. On average, guys ejaculate about 1 teaspoon-worth of semen in one ejaculation – about 5 mL – which is not a large amount. The amount (volume) of ejaculate will be a little more if it’s been awhile since you ejaculated and less if you ejaculated recently.
A man’s body is constantly producing sperm and storing it up for ejaculation. This gets mixed with fluid produced by the seminal vesicles and prostate. Apart from frequency of ejaculation, the amount of time spent in sexual activity and the amount of arousal can also affect the volume of ejaculate. The longer the build-up, arousal, and direct stimulation prior to ejaculation, the more volume of fluid can be produced to mix with sperm for ejaculation. Some men also have noticed that this increase in ejaculate volume with longer stimulation also produces a waterier semen because of the increased fluid to sperm ratio.
So it stands to reason that if you are dehydrated, your volume will probably be less. Other factors that affect it are getting proper amounts of zinc in your diet, getting good sleep, stress levels and your frequency of ejaculation. Genetic factors and age also play a part, but those are not under your control. Strengthening your PC muscles can produce stronger contractions on orgasm and help push out more fluid. I explain how to strengthen your PC muscles by doing Kegel exercises in this article. You can also check out my eBook, Penis Problems: A Man’s Guide.
3. January 2012 at 2:04 pm
I have a very similar question but based upon a comment by a urologist I had seen years ago. When my wife and I were going thru fertility studies which concluded I am sterile, a urologist I had seen at the Cleveland Clinic asked me if I could provide him with a specimen in his office. Embarassingly, I did but with the assistance of my wife. We still sometimes laugh about that “test”. Anyway, the doctor asked me if my ejaculate was always that low amount. It has always been about that amount and it well less than a teaspoon. I guess I have a further question about semen amounts. Although my semen has a value equivalent similar to mucus from a sneeze, is there something that women find desirable with larger amounts of semen? In other words ( pardon for being graphic) do they like large loads? Does it mean that a man is more virile or sexy? Just a question.
3. January 2012 at 2:30 pm
Great question! I have never known women to care about the amount of semen, especially if men are ejaculating into a condom. There may be anxiety regarding ejaculate volume if getting pregnant is on the agenda, but again sperm count is more important than ejaculate volume, although more helps. If a person (man or woman) has ascribed a particular meaning to ejaculate, then they may be more attentive to how much comes out with ejaculation and have their own particular expectations. Since there are all kinds of likes and dislikes in this world, you will find women who adore ejaculate, and you can also find women who are disgusted by it and wish that their partner never had any, and a whole spectrum in between. As I mentioned, it may be genetic, may be related to testosterone levels, or level of stimulation vs. level of anxiety. There is so much more that goes into being sexy! Most people would rank amount of ejaculate pretty low on the “what makes a man sexy” list.
4. January 2012 at 9:19 am
May I get a bit more graphic with my questions? Oral sex and swallowing semen. From what I have read in numerous articles, it varies from couple to couple. Based on your experience in your practice, do women that swallow say they do it for their own satisfaction or that of their man? In other words, do they do it out of a sense of obligation or because they really want to and like the taste and texture. Pardon me for be pointed and graphic. This is a concern of mine since in 34 years of marriage I have never done it although my wife has told me it is okay to do it. I always stop right before orgasm. In essence, I am afraid to let go. I know it sounds weird.
16. January 2012 at 10:23 am
I caution against making blanket statements. People decide to participate in a particular sexual practice for many different reasons, and it varies from individual to individual. My recommendation is to give your partner the benefit of the doubt that they are telling you the truth.
1. August 2012 at 6:07 pm
Hello, I read all over the Internet of guys saying they have lots of semen and girls saying their boyfriends can shoot tablespoons of semen. And their are some books that say a normal amount is a tablespoon. Every time I read that I just get depressed. I can only shoot between a half to 1 teaspoon. And even if I didn’t ejaculate for awhile the most I can do is a teaspoon.
1. August 2012 at 7:32 pm
Mike – that is precisely why I wrote this article, because much of the information out there is false. The amount that a man ejaculates is really not that large and it tends to decrease with age. What I don’t understand is why you find this depressing? Is that how you define your sexiness or your self-worth?
2. August 2012 at 2:37 pm
Thank you so much Dr. Castellanos for writing this great article and replying back. Your so right I should not let this define my self worth.
16. October 2012 at 11:16 pm
Hi, I ejaculate 1-2 times a day and each time i do i expel about 4-5 teaspoons worth of semen is this normal, for such a frequent thing
18. October 2012 at 10:01 am
Dan, there are definitely individual variations in volume of semen produced, and I would think that 4-5 times the average is rare. Trouble is that people have a tendency to overestimate the volume of fluids when they are spilled as opposed to measured in a cup, beaker, etc. For example, if someone is bleeding from a good size cut, they almost always feel that it is a lot of blood unless they could capture all of it to see that it is barely a few milliliters if even 1mL. Such is the case with ejaculate. I would say to think less about volume of ejaculate and more about pleasure. That’s where the real money is.
18. October 2012 at 11:12 pm
ok, yeah my gf measured it and wanted me to ask
, but no worries, she loves it anyway 
thank you for your help
6. February 2013 at 10:59 pm
Yea, it is a movie for sure. Soem of those videos are so fake it is just crazy. I thought it was real at first, but there is no way. Thanks for verifying this!