Thick semen usually results from a higher than normal concentration of sperm in a typical volume of semen, or from having a high number of sperm with an irregular shape (morphology). High sperm concentration often indicates that you're more likely to impregnate a female partner.
Thick semen is not always a cause for concern, especially if this consistency is infrequent. However, if semen is often very thick, it can signal a problem with the prostate or the seminal vesicles. If a person has very thick semen, a doctor may refer to the issue as “semen hyperviscosity.”
There's no reason to be concerned if your semen suddenly appears thick. Many people have naturally thick semen. You should only keep an eye on it or consider seeing your doctor if you experience other symptoms.
Normally, semen is a thick, whitish liquid. However, several conditions can change the color and consistency of semen. Watery semen can be a sign of low sperm count, indicating possible fertility problems. Ejaculating thin, clear semen may also be a temporary condition with no serious health concerns.
There is no specific frequency with which a man should ejaculate. There is no solid evidence that failure to ejaculate causes health problems. However, ejaculating frequently can reduce the man's risk of getting prostate cancer. Ejacu-lation can be through having sex or masturbating a few times a day.
White semen indicates less frequent ejaculations and is a thick and cloudy fluid. The viscosity and sperm count of white semen are also significantly higher.
Semen is typically a thick, white fluid, but it can vary in color and consistency. Watery semen can occur due to low sperm count, lifestyle factors, and nutritional deficiencies. In this article, we explore some of the possible causes of watery or clear semen.
Semen might become thin and watery when a man has a low sperm count (oligospermia). A low sperm count is typically fewer than 15 million sperm cells per milliliter of semen. Oligospermia can be caused by conditions like the following: Infections. Use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs.
Healthy semen is a cloudy white color with a jelly consistency similar to a raw egg. Slight changes in semen color, texture, and even smell might be normal and should no pose concern.
Semen clots almost immediately after ejaculation, forming a sticky, jelly-like liquid. It will liquefy again in 5 to 40 minutes. It is quite normal for semen to form jelly-like globules and this does not indicate any health or fertility problem.
Low sperm count symptoms might include: Problems with sexual function — for example, low sex drive or difficulty maintaining an erection (erectile dysfunction) Pain, swelling or a lump in the testicle area. Decreased facial or body hair or other signs of a chromosome or hormone abnormality.
Use of cocaine or marijuana may temporarily reduce the number and quality of your sperm as well. Alcohol use. Drinking alcohol can lower testosterone levels, cause erectile dysfunction and decrease sperm production. Liver disease caused by excessive drinking also may lead to fertility problems.
Causes of male infertility
These may include: Abnormal sperm production or function due to undescended testicles, genetic defects, health problems such as diabetes, or infections such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, mumps or HIV. Enlarged veins in the testes (varicocele) also can affect the quality of sperm.
Healthy sperm have rounded heads and long, strong tails. Shapely sperm are more likely to make it to an egg.
A study of 250 men who had sperm analyzed at a fertility clinic showed that men who ate higher amounts of fruits and veggies, particularly green leafy vegetables and beans (legumes), had higher sperm concentrations and better sperm motility compared to men who ate less of these foods.
Although men never stop producing sperm throughout their lives, sperm production does begin decreasing after age 35. Motility, volume and genetic quality of sperm of older men are less likely to achieve a successful pregnancy even in younger women.
Male fertility generally starts to reduce around age 40 to 45 years when sperm quality decreases. Increasing male age reduces the overall chances of pregnancy and increases time to pregnancy (the number of menstrual cycles it takes to become pregnant) and the risk of miscarriage and fetal death.
"Their army of sperm, if you like, lacks numbers, speed and the ability to engage," he says. The original cause of those sperm problems can be things such as undescended testes, infections from diseases like mumps, injuries to the testes or damage caused by drugs or radiation.
These associations were primarily explained by intake of low-fat milk. The corresponding results for low-fat milk were 30% (95%CI 1,51) higher sperm concentration and 8.7 (95%CI 3.0, 14.4) percentage units higher sperm motility. Cheese intake was associated with lower sperm concentration among ever smokers.
excessive alcohol consumption, smoking and using drugs such as marijuana or cocaine. certain medications, including testosterone replacement therapy, long-term anabolic steroid use, cancer medications (chemotherapy), some antibiotics and some antidepressants. being overweight or obese.