Semen Retention is Trending

Let’s start by saying this is not a trend you will see on your For You Page. That is unless you are looking to get your account banned. While it is a trend that is best kept in the boudoir, semen retention is self-explanatory. It’s when men purposely withhold their semen. This unique type of fluid retention can be practiced in a couple of ways.

The first method of semen retention is by bringing oneself close to orgasm but stopping before ejaculation, a practice colloquially known as edging. Essentially, a man can train their mind and muscles to achieve a dry orgasm (an orgasm sans semen), by practicing ancient forms of tantric sex. The second route to semen retention is through abstaining from sex, orgasms, and masturbation altogether. Why on earth would someone willingly deprive themselves of ejaculation? Turns out, there are lots of purported reasons.

So what are the pros to not popping your cork? Many men who practice semen retention report a broad range of physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual benefits. They talk in terms of discipline – just like an ultra-marathon runner or someone who can go an entire hour without checking Instagram. This form of self-denial takes dedication, focus, commitment, and training. But is it worth it? 

Anecdotally, many men say, “Yes!” Let’s disregard the fact that there’s virtually no scientific research that backs these claims and even some that show that semen retention carries possible risks (we’ll get to those shortly). For now, we’ll focus on the positive. 

Physical  – The elite-athlete-level health benefits that men attribute to semen retention include weight loss, increased energy, increased muscle mass, less hair loss, higher sperm quality, clearer skin, increased testosterone levels, greater stamina, increased vitality, and a deeper voice. So if you are hoping to look like the cover of a smutty romance novel a la Fabio, saving your spunk might just make you a hunk.

Mental  – Full balls, clear brain? Some men say that their minds are clearer when they abstain from ejaculation. They report increased concentration and focus, less anxiety and depression, better memory, more self-confidence, more self-discipline, and increased motivation. 

Emotional  – It seems wholly counterintuitive that not ejaculating would reduce a person’s stress and anxiety levels, but that’s exactly what semen retention practitioners claim. They also say that their moods are better and they’re generally happier. Many men say that they feel a greater sense of accomplishment because they were able to successfully exhibit self-control. Turns out blue balls won’t leave you feeling blue after all.

Spiritual  – In ancient sexual practices and texts, such as tantric sex and the Kama Sutra, sex is elevated to a religious level. Following in their ancestors’ footsteps, modern-day semen retention gurus do so because they say they experience spiritual growth, deeper and more meaningful relationships as well as a stronger connection to the universe and others.

The general narrative around the semen retention trend is that there are many potential upsides with no downsides. But that may not be entirely true. For starters, would you consider being perpetually horny a con? I think many men would. While there is little scientific research to support the benefits of not cumming, there is some supporting evidence that the opposite, ejaculating regularly, is good for you.

First, in the pro-cum category, regular ejaculation may reduce the incidence of prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in the U.S. It’s estimated that there will be close to 299,010 new cases of prostate cancer in 2024 with around 35,250 deaths. Statistics show that as many as 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point, and as many as 1 in 41 men will die from the disease. So by abstaining, are you increasing your chances of prostate cancer? The jury may still be out on that one. To learn more about how playing with your pecker can protect your prostate, check out this article here.

One oft-cited study by Harvard University followed 32,000 men over 18 years and found that men in their 20s who ejaculated more (at least 21 times per month!) were 19 percent less likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer than those who ejaculated seven times per month or less. Men in their 40s who ejaculated more often were found to be 22 percent less likely to develop prostate cancer.

Could preventing yourself from choking the chicken prevent you from nesting? Could be! One study showed that ejaculating once a day for seven days increased sperm quality for 80 percent of the men involved in the research. If you want to start a family of your own, you will want to ensure your swimmers are up to snuff. Turns out that a daily tug of the slug could be the answer to making sure your swimmers are Michael Phelps-ready.

Continuing on the pro polishing the banister train: In addition to the lowered cancer risk, and higher sperm quality, ejaculating releases feel-good chemicals like dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, and prolactin. Plus, it’s thought that releasing semen can flush toxins, impurities, and carcinogens from the prostate as well as expel sperm with damaged DNA.

It’s important to note here that while it’s similar, the practice of semen retention should not be confused with NoFap. NoFap is a trademarked business and website that encourages users to abstain from sex and masturbation in order to recover from porn addiction and treat sexual dysfunction.

As we’ve discussed before, porn addiction is not recognized as a real disorder according to the Fifth Edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) – the bible that mental health providers use to diagnose patients. There is also no scientific proof that porn causes sexual dysfunction. 

In internet speak, “fap” is the sound that’s made when a man masturbates. NoFap was born of the internet, and as it has in many online communities, toxicity has proliferated on NoFap message boards. The site has received harsh criticism from sex-positive advocates who say that NoFap is guilty of sex-shaming and perpetuating harmful and misogynistic stereotypes.

As you probably know by now, we at Popstar believe that sex is a wonderful, amazing, important, and healthy part of an adult human’s life, so if you find yourself in any dark corners of the internet where someone’s trying to tell you that sex is a harmful, shameful act, make sure you take their rhetoric with a giant pink Himalayan block of salt.

When partaking in any trend, knowing the pros and cons is important. Ie: Planking might hurt your back and that Patagonia vest might make you sweat your balls off in the summer months. When it comes to semen retention, like most trends, it may just come (or cum) down to personal preference.

Make sure you do your research first and pay attention to what your body tells you. There’s nothing inherently wrong with ejaculating. On the flip side, it’s probably not going to kill you if you don’t ejaculate for a while. If you’ve decided to abstain out of curiosity, circumstance or a never-ending search for clarity and inner peace, then more power to you. After all, we’ve all been guilty of following dubious trends.

https://www.healthline.com/health/healthy-sex/semen-retention#origin

https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/nle-choppa-says-he-practices-semen-retention-and-celibacy-news.146963.html

https://www.out.com/news-opinion/2017/6/21/researchers-want-you-masturbate-more-fight-prostate-cancer

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/semen-retention

https://premiermensmedical.com/blog/benefits-of-not-ejaculating-practicing-semen-retention/

https://www.healthline.com/health/nofap-benefits

https://www.healthline.com/health/healthy-sex/semen-retention#:~:text=Semen%20retention%20is%20the%20practice,probably%20as%20old%20as%20humankind

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-ejaculation-prostate-cancer-idUSKCN0XJ1YC

https://www.popstarlabs.com/blogs/sex-stuff/orgasms-reduce-risk-of-prostate-cancer