Semen retention has been linked with better erections, stronger orgasms, increased testosterone production, and more – a boost to your bedroom, self-esteem, or even career prospects.
More commonly, the effects are more nuanced.
Some men do find that they feel more pleasure overall after stopping ejaculation, possibly due to changes in expectations, lifestyle, or the psychology of porn and masturbation.
What is semen retention actually about?
It depends on who you ask.
The process might involve refraining from masturbation partially – having sex with full ejaculation – or denying climax entirely for several weeks in a row.
Each tactic is somewhat of an experiment, and unless you isolate each variable, improving one aspect of your life at a time, it’s possible you’ll wrongly credit retained semen for increased energy, better moods, or lower stress levels.
Your testes only retain semen for a day or two before they begin needing to release it, and in any case, unused sperm cells are continually being reabsorbed.
Men who hold off on ejaculation for several weeks frequently experience a nocturnal emission – also called a wet dream – as a pressure valve.
Can semen retention improve your sex drive?
Not normally, but it could work in the short term.
Holding off for more than a few days builds up seminal pressure and may temporarily increase the sensitivity of your genitals, resulting in more forceful, and potentially even more enjoyable,release when you do ejaculate – as well as stronger sensations overall.
This spike in pleasure in response to touch is not evidence of increased testosterone levels, however, only improved nerve pathways and blood flow in your reproductive organs.
Clinical trials show no consistent link between semen retention and longer lasting erections or increased libido.
Males with concerns about low testosterone should get their blood tested in the morning when the hormone is at its peak.
Our testosterone stacking guide offers more information on how to increase male hormones through sleep, exercise, and supplements backed up by science.
If you engage in regular masturbation, a short break can help you reset your expectations around sex, so that once you resume having sex with a partner in the same way you do when you masturbate, you become reengaged with the basics of sensual connection and what it means to feel pleasantly surprised in bed.
Does prolonged retention improve erections or sensation?
For some men, yes.
If a person usually masturbates to intense, fast-acting porn, using extreme force, and a condom – none of the sensations really carry over when he tries to have sex.
After a week spent retaining and observing his body’s response throughout the day, he can try to increase his sensitivity when in a relationship.
There’s no reason a man should try not to ejaculate more than 35 days in a row.
It may not necessarily increase desire, but it could be beneficial if he has mild issues with premature ejaculation or simply seeks to reapproach sex as a self-regarded, conscious act that engages senses beyond sight.
As discussed in our guide about how to last longer in bed, it’s necessary to acknowledge bodily responses and try specific ejaculation control techniques such as start-stop or squeezing.
While retention is only one potentially helpful aspect, holding off on releasing semen for an extended period usually teaches you how your penis feels as it approaches orgasm, so you can actively practice ejaculating later during vaginal penetration or clitoral stimulation and delay climax.
A day or two without a release normally helps you to build up enough sensation to become highly aroused by light touch – in comparison , prolonged retention can make it difficult to achieve an erection at all and cause discomfort, if not pain, in your testes after several days, without relief from ejaculating.
How is retaining connected with fertility?
In truth, there is barely a relationship, other than the obvious fact that the longer you attempt to hold onto semen, the greater the volume each time you ejaculate.
While semen is commonly thought be more potent after longer periods of retention, a 2024 study concluded that shorter intervals between ejaculates were beneficial in terms of sperm production.
In particular, less than five-day abstinences resulted in more consistently active sperm movement and reduced DNA damage compared to retaining semen for more than six days.
WHO guidelines recommend two to seven consecutive days as an acceptable time frame during which men should refrain from spilling semen before providing a sample for laboratory testing, to standardize results – but not for conception or casual sex.
Should you try abstaining from orgasm?
This depends.
I believe it makes sense to try and understand how your genitals and desires operate with your regular expectations around sex.
Perhaps you have developed a porn-induced sexual disorder where you only achieve arousal through viewing material that is much racier than what your sober lover offers.
If so, restricting your masturbation will prevent you from comparing your partner’s performance to unrealistic pictures.
Men who refrain from climaxing often experience heightened sensitivity and an increased perception of pleasure that lasts up to seven days, on average, after ejaculation.
They may find themselves paying closer attention to their partners’ pleasure without the distraction of trying to last longer in bed.
Others may feel less aroused, preoccupied and distracted.
There’s no mystical enhancement that comes with keeping semen inside your body, but if you gain real advantages by switching your habits occasionally, that serves no purpose to continue as before forever.
Men interested in boosting testosterone and having significantly stronger erections and orgasms should consider learning more about supplements that assist male hormone production, enhance blood flow and nerve sensitivity, and promote relaxation to optimize sexual arousal.
