1. Welcome to NoFap! We have disabled new forum accounts from being registered for the time being. In the meantime, you can join our weekly accountability groups.
    Dismiss Notice

Debunking the "Power of Semen" claim

Discussion in 'Self Improvement' started by BalancedLife, Dec 26, 2016.

  1. BalancedLife

    BalancedLife Fapstronaut

    129
    212
    43
    Okay fellow Fapstronauts,

    I have been checking in every now and then, but every single time I read a thread there invariably is somebody who claims that semen is "the source of a man's energy" or that "it contains a whole lot of protein" and even that ejaculating could "lead to malnourishment and mineral depletion".
    Some have gone as far as asking as whether it would be a good idea to eat their own sperm to replenish their nutrients!

    Seriously people?
    I hope this short piece of writing will put an end to this nonsense that has unbelievably survived until now virtually unchallenged.

    Now, the average amount of ejaculate for a man is around 3.5 mL.
    The following list, taken from a 2005 review article from Journal of Andrology, contains the average amount of several minerals and nutrients contained in semen:

    In an average volume (3.4 mL)
    Calcium (mg) 0.938
    Chloride (mg) 4.83
    Citrate (mg) 18.0
    Fructose (mg) 9.25
    Glucose (mg) 3.47
    Lactic acid (mg) 2.11
    Magnesium (mg) 0.374
    Potassium (mg) 3.71
    Protein (g) 0.171
    Sodium (mg) 10.2
    Urea (mg) 1.53
    Zinc (mg) 0.561

    Now it should be clear that such ridiculous amounts cannot possibly influence your metabolism in the slightest by the mere fact that you expelled them from your body (compare these values with the RDA).

    So why do some of us feel depressed after ejaculation?

    That's because with orgasm comes a spike in prolactin levels and a drop in dopamine levels.

    In a healthy person, the only response that this event triggers is a mild sense of tiredness, easily solved by a power-nap (prolactine starts to decrease after 10-20 minutes).

    In an addicted person, whose brain receptors have been damaged and underexpressed owing to the superstimuli that continual porn use provides, a further decline in dopamine levels causes a sense of fatigue, depression and anxiety which IS NOT NORMAL.

    I repeat: orgasms in a healthy man feel satisfying.
    Orgasms in a porn addict feel depressing.
    In both cases, semen is "shed".
    But only in the latter case this comes with consequences.
    That's because the problem lies in your brain, not under your belt.

    So next time you read New Age bullshit about the hidden power of semen to save the world and whatnot, please redirect them to this thread and try to stop the circlejerk, which only does a disservice to the reputation of an otherwise great community.

    EDIT: you can find the link of the article at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.2164/jandrol.04104/abstract, but if you don't have a subscription via your university/research institution, you cannot access it (unless you buy it). However, the list at issue has been reported as a table on the Wikipedia page on "Semen".
     
    Last edited: Dec 27, 2016
  2. District19

    District19 Fapstronaut

    70
    25
    18
    Well said bro
     
    AndySky180 likes this.
  3. fapequalsdeath

    fapequalsdeath Fapstronaut

    Ahaha nice, even gods bow down to the facts. But man there are still nutrients being depleted especially when you do it many time a day. So like with each fap you take 1/10th of your daily dose IF you have taken it from food in any way shape or form. Imagine if you are short on zinc for example, from food and you further malnourish your body by fapping. Yeah the doses are very small but still have some impact. All I'm saying is fapping is bad m'kay? Can you provide us with a link to that journal, thanks.
     
    WatchMeRise likes this.
  4. BalancedLife

    BalancedLife Fapstronaut

    129
    212
    43
    The recommended daily allowance for zinc is 11 mg (source https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dietary_Reference_Intake), while a single ejaculation contains more or less 0.55 mg. This means that, in order to suffer from zinc depletion (let's say lose 50% of zinc, that is 6.5 mg) you would have to masturbate 12 times a day. And even then, it would take several days. Plus if the "nutrients lost" claim had some basis, it would only take one pill of multivitamin/multimineral a day to reverse the effects: and, to the best of my knowledge, I have never read of anybody who successfully treated their porn-addiction blues with a pill.
     
    AndySky180 likes this.
  5. fapequalsdeath

    fapequalsdeath Fapstronaut

    Of course not, all I was trying to say is it's still some form of malnourishment, even that it's negligible. No vitamin pill will help your in your struggle to fap, it's the battle of the mind.
     
    WatchMeRise likes this.
  6. IggyIshness

    IggyIshness Fapstronaut

    2,294
    1,258
    143
    I was going to post this. Wow power of not ejaculating, i feel better because my body obsorbs a tiny bit of minerals? Thats bullshit. And of ejaculating is so bad why do we jhave wet dreams??
     
  7. Everything999

    Everything999 Fapstronaut

    228
    116
    43
    Thanks for posting WatchMeRise.
     
    Aiyoshi likes this.
  8. The |E|volutionary

    The |E|volutionary Fapstronaut

    135
    131
    43
    I'm thinking it's more about the mental aspect of not ejaculating rather than the physical.
     
  9. Sailor93

    Sailor93 Fapstronaut

    59
    141
    33
    It's something that people want to believe in, that gives them the strength to continue NoFap. I like to believe it, even though I acknowledge what you are writing. In this way we can also start discussing the truth behind religion. Point is that facts aren't important if something in which you believe gives you strength. I can believe the facts that you write with my brain, and at the same time believe in the power of retaing my semen in my heart.
     
    ItsSeal, DerSchütze and robotreboot like this.
  10. Everything999

    Everything999 Fapstronaut

    228
    116
    43
    Well then the question becomes do you want to live in reality or a good feeling fantasy?
     
    SirWanksalot likes this.
  11. Mankrik

    Mankrik Fapstronaut

    712
    1,026
    123
    I agree with this, but still strongly believe in the benefits of semen retention. The science is important but it does not account for some of the emotional aspects of no pmo. The progress I have made is largely from just quitting porn, but I would argue abstaining from masturbation and orgasm in addition to porn is way harder and has many more benefits. I think the so called super powers are kind of a bunch of bullshit to an extent, its just about the mentality of conquering temptation and exercising self control. For me, abstaining not just from porn, but masturbation entirely has been a huge piece of the puzzle. Jerking off wont kill you, but abstaining from it wont kill you either and I guarantee you will start to learn more about your true self and experience all around self betterment especially deeper into a streak. I agree with you post and people are misinformed about the subject, just want to emphasize the benefits of abstaining from pmo beyond a strictly scientific stand point.
     
  12. IggyIshness

    IggyIshness Fapstronaut

    2,294
    1,258
    143
    I used to beleive that wet dreams are super bad and its like PMOing, When i got them i felt so fucking guilty and regret. But i read that wet dreams are natural blah blah not a relapse, i beleived in that and they no longer have a effect on me and accually after a day i forget i even had one. I think its with the semen retention whatever too.
     
  13. IggyIshness

    IggyIshness Fapstronaut

    2,294
    1,258
    143
    I want the truth. But theres a lot we dont know about this and obviously here we are talking about placebo effects but a lot of this is mental
     
  14. IggyIshness

    IggyIshness Fapstronaut

    2,294
    1,258
    143
    Its in your head. We should know that is has side effects either way and grow hairs on your palms. And when you stop you feel better in your life
     
  15. The |E|volutionary

    The |E|volutionary Fapstronaut

    135
    131
    43
    Plus, science can't explain everything. We're always learning new things, better things. Things we once thought were fact, now stand in the background as only part of the picture, or even yet, wholly incorrect. I'm all for reality, but that doesn't mean I bow to the Altar of Science. After all, scientists are the ones running around saying a) we might live in a weird VR video game and b) free will doesn't exist. I usually find religious fundamentalist types to be whacky, and they are, but at least they believe in free will. What's the point in arresting psychopaths and sickos if some "greater cosmic force made them do it"? So no, I'm going to have to call bullshit on the "debunking" of semen retention. I'll maybe entertain the notion that it doesn't exist once a scientist can explain why/how free will doesn't exist.

    Until then, semen retention superpowers are real!
     
    oKyEs and robotreboot like this.
  16. IggyIshness

    IggyIshness Fapstronaut

    2,294
    1,258
    143
    Facts are facts just like 2 + 2 = 4. So soon you saying we will advance and 2 + 2 will equal 5? thats literally what you just said to us. You live in science sir if you didnt already know that. Your alive because a bunch of chemical reactions taking place in your muscles in your hand or whatever that makes you type this. Semen retention works because 1. You beleive in it 2. Its the same "super power" You get from doing no PMO.
     
  17. IggyIshness

    IggyIshness Fapstronaut

    2,294
    1,258
    143
    We dont know why wet dreams occur, But if it works for you thats great, But i dont need supplements for wet dreams
     
  18. IggyIshness

    IggyIshness Fapstronaut

    2,294
    1,258
    143
    Cheater :3
     
  19. Everything999

    Everything999 Fapstronaut

    228
    116
    43
    Wait which scientist has said that there is scientific evidence against the idea of free will? I think you are mixing up hypotheses and actual scientific evidence.
     
    SirWanksalot likes this.
  20. The |E|volutionary

    The |E|volutionary Fapstronaut

    135
    131
    43
    Great. Too bad we're not arguing facts, or you'd be right. If you're going to debate, don't use common sense disquised as red herrings. What you just said is basically this: "Well, science may not have an answer for semen retention, but 2+2=4! SO EAT THAT!"

    Come on now. Upgrade yourself.
     
    oKyEs and ShotDunyun like this.

Share This Page