What determines the taste of semen and how to change it

Sperm can hardly be called a dessert, but still, taste in her case also plays an important role. At the very least, it influences whether the partner wants to continue oral relations (and if she wants to, whether she will do it with pleasure). And in some cases, you can even diagnose according to taste.

The life hacker found out all the nuances of this delicate matter.

What determines the taste of semen

Sperm is not just a collection of sperm needed to conceive. This is a viscous cocktail of dozens of chemicals that sperm accumulate on the way from their place of birth (testicles) to their destination (external opening of the urethra - urethra). Seeing This Way What does semen taste like, and can it change? can be seen in the picture below.

From the testicle, freshly born spermatozoa enter the epididymis. This is a kind of reservoir in which the body stores sperm before it may be needed - that is, until the moment of ejaculation. Here the sperm is enriched:

Ergothioneine. This antioxidant is also produced in mushrooms and, in fact, we are familiar with it by their taste. Ergothioneine gives semen the characteristic, slightly meaty flavor of raw mushrooms.
Fructose. This type of sugars feeds sperm to survive to their most important mission. And gives semen a light sweetness.

When a man ejaculates, substances from the prostate gland (prostate) and seminal vesicles also enter the semen.

The seminal vesicles add many chemical compounds to this cocktail, including amino acids, citric acid, phosphorides, potassium. And from the prostate sperm get zinc, calcium, sodium, also potassium and various enzymes.

All together and gives the sperm its taste. Each man has his own - for the simple reason that the body secretes into the sperm a different, individual concentration of chemicals. For example, if due to some factors a person is deficient in potassium or calcium, there will be less of them in the semen, which will affect the taste.

Most often, a sperm cocktail is described as a combination of three experiences:

bitter or salty - the alkaline environment is responsible for this taste;
sweet - thanks to sugars;
metallic - due to minerals and vitamins.

What foods change the taste of semen

And here science is in some confusion. On the one hand, the foods we eat can actually change the smell of sweat, saliva, breast milk, and other body fluids. On the other hand, there is still no convincing evidence that food could affect the taste of semen. On the third, there are many people who assure: they say, from their own experience, they were convinced that the taste changes depending on the diet.

Probably the truth is somewhere in between. Even though nutrition does not affect semen characteristics, it sometimes alters body odor. And since our sense of smell is closely related to taste buds, subjectively it may seem that the taste has changed.

Here's what supposedly impairs the taste. What Does Sperm or Semen Taste Like? sperm, giving it unpleasant sulfur and musky notes:

garlic;
onion;
broccoli;
cabbage;
asparagus;
meat and dairy products;
cheese;
coffee.

On the other hand, these products make sperm more pleasant:

oranges, tangerines and other sweet citrus fruits;
a pineapple;
papaya;
celery;
parsley;
cinnamon;
nutmeg.

What diseases change the taste of semen

If semen seems sweet Semen analyzes in adolescent diabetic patients, this may indicate hyperglycemia - high blood sugar. This condition is most commonly seen in diabetes.

In addition, lifestyle influences semen - in particular, smoking and alcohol. These bad habits change the composition of the semen, which is reflected in its taste: it becomes harsh and bitter.

The sores of the person tasting the semen can also change the taste. For the reason that some diseases affect the sensitivity of taste buds. Here they are:

respiratory diseases, that is, those that affect the respiratory tract, from banal ARVI to bronchitis;
middle ear infections;
caries and other diseases of the teeth and gums;
recent face surgery;
head and spinal cord injuries.

So if you don't like the taste of semen, perhaps the problem is not with the owner, but with the host.

But in any case, let us recall the key point. The phrase “I don’t like it”, said by any of the partners, is already enough to give up oral sex altogether, engage in it in a condom, or at least restrain ejaculation, preventing sperm from entering the mouth. Nobody is obliged to love this taste. Even if you are full of pineapples.