A man does not wake up older and suddenly stop being able to ejaculate.
There are men in their eighties who do ejaculate semen during sex or masturbation. There are also men in their forties who have dry orgasm, due to medication, diabetes or prostate surgery.
Age affects ejaculation but it does not set an expiry date on it.
What tends to happen is a little less flashy. There is a little less semen or it flows with less force. Orgasm takes longer to build up and it takes longer to recover before the next one is even thought of. A repeat session that was once a breeze may not seem worth the effort until the next day.
None of that automatically means there is something wrong.
Why is there less semen with age?
Sperm is only a small part of the semen, the majority of the fluid is from the prostate and seminal vesicles. With age these glands may change. How often a man ejaculates also has an impact. Sex twice in one evening always produces less fluid the second time. Dehydration can make the amount seem less and so can a recent illness.
Some men become worried because ejaculation no longer shoots the semen as far as it once did. The force behind ejaculation is generated by contractions of the pelvic muscles. These muscles weaken with age but distance is not a good indicator of fertility, masculinity or sexual health.
There can still be sperm in a small amount of semen and there can be less in a large amount.
If fertility is the concern then looking at the bedsheet will not answer that. A semen analysis will.
A dry orgasm is something different
Orgasm and ejaculation usually come together so that they are seen as one event. They are not.
Orgasm is the feeling and the rhythmic muscular response. Ejaculation is the propulsion of the semen out through the penis. A man can have a perfectly identifiable orgasm and see no fluid at all.
Sometimes the semen has gone the wrong way up into the bladder. This is retrograde ejaculation. The bladder neck should close during orgasm directing the semen out the penis. If it fails to close then the semen follows the path of least resistance into the bladder.
The first urine after sex will often be cloudy but then the semen is expelled during urination.
Retrograde ejaculation is generally not harmful and it doesn’t mean the orgasm was fake. It becomes a practical problem when the man wants to father a child.
Medication is often the explanation
Sometimes a change in the ejaculation begins soon after a new prescription.
Alpha blockers for an enlarged prostate can cause little or no ejaculation. Some men are warned about this but some only discover it in the bedroom and assume that something has gone wrong.
Antidepressants are another common cause. They can delay orgasm, reduce sensation or prevent ejaculation altogether. Finasteride can reduce semen volume in some users. Certain antipsychotic medications can also interfere.
Do not stop a prescription suddenly to test the theory. Antidepressants in particular can cause unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. A prescriber may be able to alter the dose, change the medication or explain whether the effect is likely to continue.
Prostate treatment can change ejaculation permanently
After the prostate is removed for cancer, ejaculation no longer happens. The prostate and other glands that contributed to the seminal fluid have been removed or disconnected.
A man may still have an orgasm but it may feel different. The pleasure is still available. Erections are a separate matter and may need rehabilitation or treatment after surgery.
Procedures for an enlarged prostate can also lead to dry orgasm. This happens because the seminal fluid is directed into the bladder.
This should be discussed before surgery, particularly with men who may still want children. Fertility plans are easy to miss out when the conversation is about cancer or urinary problems.
Diabetes and nerve issues are important
Ejaculation requires nerves to coordinate several muscles and valves at the right moment.
Long-standing diabetes can damage the nerves. Spinal injuries, multiple sclerosis and pelvic operations can do the same. A man can develop retrograde ejaculation, delayed ejaculation or no ejaculation at all.
Low testosterone is often blamed but it is not the usual reason for a dry orgasm. Low testosterone can reduce desire and affect erection quality but it does not usually turn off ejaculation by itself.
Likewise, Viagra and Cialis can improve erection but do not guarantee ejaculation and a man can still have issues. Our guide to erectile dysfunction treatments explains why the drugs for erection don’t solve every part of sexual function.
When is it worth getting checked?
Gradual reduction in semen volume with age is usually not urgent.
A sudden change is worth mentioning, particularly if it began with a new medicine or procedure. Pain during ejaculation, blood in the semen, pelvic discomfort, urinary difficulties or a lump needs medical assessment.
See a doctor sooner if you are trying to conceive but there is little or no semen. With retrograde ejaculation, it can sometimes be recovered from the urine for fertility treatment. Other causes will need a different approach.
A urologist can review medication, ask about surgery and diabetes, examine the genitals or prostate, and test the urine collected after orgasm. The appointment will usually be much less dramatic than the weeks of worrying beforehand.
More male sexual health information can help put things into context.
So, at what age does a man stop ejaculating? There is no number. Aging can reduce the volume, force and frequency but complete loss of ejaculation usually has a more specific explanation than just getting older.
