Semen
The semen or seminal fluid is an organic compound of consistency liquid-albuminous, generally white or white-pearl with opalescent or milky appearance, which physiologically contains germ cells called spermatozoa (except in pathological cases of azoospermia ) produced in the gonads of male animals or hermaphrodites, and other organic substances. The sperm's job is to fertilize the female egg (female gamete) and the process of expulsion from the genital tract is called ejaculation .
In the seed there are some hormones , whose precise function has not yet been determined, is composed of a solid part and a liquid part. The cellular part, represented by spermatozoa, is produced by the testes, while the remainder is produced by the prostate and seminal vesicles , as well as by the periurethral glands. Surgical interventions such as vasectomy allow men to have intercourse by ejaculating only sperm-free spermatozoa, thus nullifying the possibility of conceiving a child.
Physiological aspects
Sperm and other substances only meet a few moments before being ejaculated . Male spermatozoa or germ cells make up only 5% of seminal fluid, the remaining 95% is made up of seminal plasma . The seminal plasma is made up, in turn, of prostatic fluid (30%) secreted by the prostate , secretions of the seminal vesicles (70%), Cowper's liquid (5-10%) produced by the bulbourethral glands (both in the pre-ejaculatory , both during ejaculation ).
The nutrients that compose it are high, consisting mainly of sugars (in particular fructose ) and many noble proteins ; there are also moderate doses of selenium , zinc , magnesium , phosphorus , potassium and ascorbic acid . It has a variable texture and viscosity that makes it slippery and similar to egg white.
Internal and External Fertilization
Depending on the species, the spermatozoa can fertilize the female gamete externally or internally .
In external fertilization the spermatozoa fertilize the egg directly, outside the female sexual organs. For example, a female fish or frog spreads their eggs in the aquatic environment, where they are then fertilized by the male's semen.
In internal fertilization, on the other hand, fertilization takes place inside the female sexual organs. Internal fertilization occurs after the insemination of a female by the male, through the sexual act. This type of fertilization occurs for example in reptiles , birds and mammals
Composition of the human seed
An adult man, with each ejaculation, emits 1.5 mL to 5 mL of sperm, an amount that depends on the time interval between one ejaculation and the next, the production of testosterone and individual factors not fully studied. Typically, the longer the interval, the more sperm is produced, with a maximum cumulative amount, usually after a week of abstinence. The number of spermatozoa per milliliter of ejaculate is also variable, linked above all to the subject's state of health: this number varies from 20 to 200 million per milliliter. The density of the spermatic fluid also depends on several factors. In most cases it has a fair density, but its appearance can vary from a viscous consistency to an almost completely liquid, but never transparent state.
The seed of humans contains a complex range of organic and inorganic constituentsand it represents both a protection and a nourishment for the spermatozoa, during their journey through the female reproductive tract. The vaginal environment is in fact hostile to sperm cells, since it is a very acid environment (due to the microflora existing there that produces lactic acid), viscous and rich in immune cells. The many components present in the semen, favorable to the spermatozoa, try to counteract this hostile environment so that they can survive for the time necessary to reach the egg to be fertilized. The viscosity of the seminal fluid changes rapidly after emission; initially very dense and creamy, it tends to thin in times ranging from a few minutes to half an hour. The characteristic intense odor is due to the oxidation of the spermine in its volatile base.
Causes of poor / bad production of human semen
The increase in plasma homocysteine levels are directly or indirectly the cause of negative spermatogenesis with oligospermia and / or asthenospermia. Furthermore, it was found, in a Spanish case-control study, that in case of low intake of antioxidant foods such as folic acid , vitamin C and others, a bad quality of the male semen. The administration of antioxidants such as pentoxifylline , folic acid and zinc improve fertility in case of varicocele. Furthermore, the poor quality of the human semen is correlated to the methylation state of the human DNA in an inversely proportional way to the concentration of circulating folate.
Secretio ex libidine
There is a liquid emitted before ejaculation, called secretio ex libidine , which can be mistakenly confused with sperm , but usually it is not: it is a secretion with a lubricating action produced in good quantity by Cowper's bulb-urethral glands , placed around the urethra ; during an erection they can contract and secrete small amounts of liquid that lubricate the glans . There are no large-scale studies on this phenomenon and its biochemical structure is unknown .
In the secretio ex libidine , however, some spermatozoa can already be found which have made their way into the urethra separately from the others, and which can be released together with the secretion. This phenomenon, although quite rare, can be one of the causes of failure of the contraceptive practice of interrupted coitus . For this reason, moreover, doctors recommend wearing a condom already after petting , and in any case always before vaginal penetration .
The seed as a vector for the transmission of diseases
The elements that compose it are of high nutritional value and therefore are not, in themselves, harmful to health, if we exclude the possible presence of infectious viruses (eg HIV ) or bacteria.
Infected sperm, as genital secretion, can therefore be the vehicle for diseases such as AIDS , syphilis or gonorrhea , which can be transmitted through the exchange of body fluids; these diseases are therefore defined as "sexually transmitted" or "venereal".
For the human being, the only system of protection against these diseases is of a mechanical nature, through the use of a condom (or condom ), which prevents direct contact with body fluids and therefore avoids, unless there are leaks in the plastic structure, both the possible transmission of diseases and conception.
Allergy to human semen
There have been several cases, although rare, of an allergy to seminal fluid known as hypersensitivity to human semen , more precisely it is an allergy to a molecule contained in the seminal fluid, spermidine , this reaction can be by the female sex and by the male, in the latter case it is known as " POIS, Post Orgasmic Illness Syndrome ".
Symptoms can be localized or systemic and can include vaginal itching, redness, swelling of the labia majora and labia minora or boils even after 30 minutes of contact. They can also include generalized itching, hives, and sometimes they can even make it difficult to breathe or experience anaphylactic shock .
The best way to test if you suspect a hypersensitivity to human semen is to habitually use a condom during sexual intercourse, to see if the symptoms persist or disappear with the use of the same.
Milder cases of this allergy can often be overcome simply with repeated exposure to semen. Generally, normal sexual activity with a partner ejaculating directly into the vagina makes allergic women immune after just a few months.
On the other hand, in the most serious cases, in which the allergic state persists, it is essential to consult a doctor, especially if a couple is trying to conceive, where in this circumstance artificial insemination could be recommended with the purification of the sperm from the proteins that cause allergy.
Edibility of the sperm
The sperm of some animals is used as food for humans. For example, tuna sperm is the main ingredient of a typical Sicilian and Sardinian dish, lattume or figatello. In Romanian cuisine, the semen of carp and other freshwater fish is used in frying as a food, called Lapti (from the Latin Lactes). In Russian cuisine, herring sperm (молока, "Moloka") is marinated like the rest of the fish but eaten separately.
In 2008 Paul Photenhauer published Natural Harvest , a sperm-based recipe book, followed in 2013 by Semenology , in which the same author proposes sperm as an ingredient in drinks and cocktails.
Studies on the biological effects of sperm
Several scientific studies have been conducted to identify other possible biological effects of sperm, in addition to the reproductive one.
A recent study (June 2019) published in the Journal of Reproductive Immunology, indicates that oral sex is associated with a reduced incidence of recurrent miscarriages, probably due to exposure to paternal antigens that occurs through the absorption of sperm through the oral mucosa.
A scientific study from 2000, and subsequent studies, have suggested that greater exposure to the partner's sperm (either through fellatio ingestion or through other forms of sexual intercourse) by pregnant women may reduce the risk of preeclamptic syndrome and therefore of eclampsia.
A 2000 study by Prof Gordon Gallup, Dr Rebecca Burch and Dr Steven Platek suggested that sperm intake could have antidepressant effects. The study compared two groups of women, one of whom was using barrier contraceptive systems, the other not.
The results of a case-control study published in the journal Oncology in 1978 indicated that reduced exposure to sperm represented a risk factor for developing breast cancer. These results were confirmed by a subsequent study conducted from 1982 to 1985 by doctors Monique G.Lê, Annie Bacheloti and Catherine Hill which showed a significant decrease in the risk of developing breast cancer (p = 0.004) in women exposed to sperm.
![Alexandros Iowno [JG]](/data/avatars/m/21/21004.jpg?1723141422){kind=avatar}
![Blitzkreig [JG]](/data/avatars/m/21/21286.jpg?1704756304){kind=avatar}
