All men, and especially those who are sexually active, are advised to keep an eye on their overall penis health. After all, when a man has good penis health, he is more likely to perform at his highest level in bed than he is when penis health issues are present. There are many ways to practice good penis care, some of which use scientific evidence to support their efficacy. But many men also use practices that are based not on science but on other factors, like common sense or tradition or folklore. For example, many guys practice semen retention as one way of improving penis health and sexual efficacy. But does semen retention really impact penis health in this way?

What is semen retention?

For once, a name for a sexual activity or device doesn’t need a lot of explaining. When a man practices semen retention, it basically means he is taking steps to keep his semen inside of his body rather than letting it ejaculate out. In other words, he is refraining from engaging in sexual activity, either partner-based or with himself.

Some semen retentionists say this definition is not 100% accurate. They say that a man can be sexually active – he just has to stop short of actually ejaculating. More hard-liner semen retentionists disagree; they say that men naturally lose some seed during foreplay when pre-ejaculate escapes from the penis to provide natural lubrication and so should refrain from sexual activity even if it stops short of ejaculation.

Whichever definition one uses, the main theme is clear: these people believe there are benefits to semen retention.

So what are they?

Benefits

One of the benefits that semen retentionists promote is that it enables a man to produce a bigger load – and there is certainly some truth to this. However, this largely depends upon what a man’s typical ejaculation schedule is and how that changes if he decides to retain his semen. A man who masturbates twice a day and cuts down to masturbating twice a week should certainly see some difference, as it gives his body more time to produce semen. However, a man who ejaculates once a week and who decides to store his semen for a full month won’t really see an increase in semen production during that time.

Some claim that fewer ejaculations results in more energy. There’s a basis for this, in that one of the hormones released during ejaculation is prolactin, and it does tend to make a guy feel a bit drowsy. But it is questionable whether this alone would account for feeling more energetic. Perhaps this effect is seen more in men who masturbate regularly for lengthy period of time before bed and who simply get more sleep when they refrain from ejaculating.

For men wanting to sire a child, semen retention makes sense, as refraining from ejaculating for a week or so has been associated with greater sperm motility, or how well they swim. Similarly, it’s thought that testosterone levels will increase when a guy shoots less frequently. Studies are needed, however, to verify exactly how this works and whether the difference is significant.

Some enthusiasts believe that semen retention can even lengthen a man’s life and increase his cognitive function; but again, more evidence is needed to prove or refute claims like these.

So, semen retention, at least within reason, does not harm penis health and may benefit it. Certainly one thing that CAN benefit penis health is regular use of a first-rate penis health creme (health professionals recommend Man 1 Man Oil, which is clinically proven mild and safe for skin). It is best to look at the crème’s ingredients and be sure it includes a range of vitamins, including A, B5, C, D, and E. The best crème will additionally include L-arginine, which helps boost nitric oxide production and helps keep penile blood vessels open and flowing.