Does Masturbation Cause Low Sperm Count?

Does Masturbation Cause Low Sperm Count and Quality?

Despite what you may have heard about semen retention, masturbation does not have a significant negative impact on sperm count or quality, says board-certified urologist David Shusterman, M.D. On the contrary, masturbating and ejaculating may actually improve sperm count and quality, he says. 

While people assigned female at birth are born with the sum total of their developing eggs that they will have over the course of their lifetime, people assigned male at birth are able to constantly regenerate sperm. The sperm creation process, spermatogenesis, takes the body anywhere from 42 to 76 days (2). 

Once created, unreleased sperm can hang out in storage in the epididymis (a coiled tube that’s attached to each testicle) for up to a few weeks before being reabsorbed into the body (2).The thing is, sperm on the tail-end of their lifespan have greatly decreased motility and quality, compared to newer sperm, Shusterman explains.

One research review, published in a 2022 issue of the journal of Frontiers In Endocrinology, found that damage occurs to stored sperm in as little as seven days (3). Meanwhile, findings from a 2017 study suggests a link exists between sexual abstinence, or lack of ejaculation (you may know it as NoFap), and reduced sperm quality (4).  

“Ejaculating—whether through solo or partnered sex—helps clear older sperm out from the testicles and make room for the sperm that were recently produced,” Shusterman says. Given that baby sperm are high quality compared to elderly sperm, ejaculating frequently is essential for making way for newer sperm which generally have higher motility and are of a high quality, he says. 

This means that if you and your partner are hoping to conceive, masturbating won’t interfere with those chances. There are other factors such as medications, age, and stress that affect sperm quality and quantity much more significantly than masturbation can, Shusterman says. 

The Science On Sperm Production and Sperm Count

To really understand how and why masturbation doesn’t cause low sperm count, as well as what does impact sperm quality, you may benefit from a quick biology lesson. Here are some sexual health facts you need to understand to really wrap your (higher) head around this stuff. 

1. Sperm and seminal fluid are not the same 

Let the official record show that sperm and semen are not synonymous terms. Sperms are reproductive cells produced in the testes, in a system called seminiferous tubules, with the help of testosterone (5). After production, these tadpole-shaped cells move to the epididymis where they are stored until ejaculation. 

Semen, on the other hand, is the white fluid created through the work of the seminal vesicles and prostate gland (5). While one of its roles is to transport sperm up the vagina canal and to the egg, seminal fluid doesn’t necessarily contain sperm. (When someone does not have measurable sperm in their ejaculate, it is known as azoospermia, which we’ll get to below).  

Sperm doesn’t get added to the seminal fluid until you’re about to ejaculate (6). Leading up to that grand finale, muscle contractions move the sperm from the testes to a structure called the vas deferens, which is also known as the sperm duct (5). From there, the sperm continue forward toward the urethra, where on its way secretions from the seminal vesicles and then secretions from the prostate get added to the mix. 

Finally, this entire elixir gets expelled from the tip of the penis during ejaculation. 

2. Sperm count has some impact on fertility

Sperm count is the amount of sperm found in a semen analysis or seminogram, which is a fertility test performed under doctor surveillance, that involves ejaculating via masturbation, explains hormone specialist, Michelle Forcier M.D., M.P.H., F.A.A.P. At-home fertility tests are also available (these are the best at-home sperm tests).

“Measured as the number of swimmers per milliliter of semen, a sperm count of 15 million sperm or more per milliliter semen is considered normal,” she says (7). 

While it isn’t the only measure of your fertility, “it is a general measure of how likely it is that you might get someone pregnant,” says board-certified urologist, Michael Ingber, M.D. If your sperm count is lower than normal, it may be challenging to conceive, says Shusterman. 

Because testosterone supports sperm production (5), “low sperm count may also indicate an underlying hormonal imbalance,” he adds. 

As such, semen analysis is often performed on individuals who are part of couples actively trying to become pregnant, as well as those who are over 45 years old (8).

3. Sperm quality may trump sperm quantity 

While a low sperm count might reduce the chances of conception, it doesn’t necessarily mean that someone is infertile, Shusterman says. 

“Sperm count does play a role in determining one’s fertility potential, but it is just one piece of the puzzle,” he says. Other factors like sperm motility (movement) and morphology (shape), as well as the partner’s reproductive health, all influence fertility and your likelihood of becoming pregnant,” he says.

Justin Houman M.D., a board-certified urologist who specializes in sexual health.  Concurs, adding that, “Fertility is multifaceted, involving both the quantity and quality of sperm.” 

During a semen analysis, he says that healthcare providers will also check for the following (9): 

• Motility: How well sperm moves 
• Morphology: The size and shape of sperm
• Viability: The percentage of sperm alive in the sample
• Volume: How much semen is produced
• pH: The acidity of semen
• Concentration: The number of sperm cells in a given sample
• Liquefaction time: How long it takes for semen to become thinner, more fluid or liquid 
• Ingredients: Or more specifically, the fructose or sugar levels in the semen 

All together, these measures paint a more accurate picture around fertility. “The info can help diagnose potential fertility issues or guide appropriate treatment options if necessary,” Shusterman says.