Semen retention: what evidence exists and what’s misinformation

What is semen retention

Semen retention = intentionally avoiding ejaculation for days/weeks/months.

It is not the same as:

• Ejaculatory-control exercises used for premature ejaculation

• Fertility timing involving short planned abstinence before a semen test or around ovulation

• Pornography reduction

Abstinence time and semen quality

Most clinical research related to retention comes from fertility medicine, because abstinence time changes semen parameters and therefore affects interpretation of semen analyses.

1) What guidelines actually recommend for semen testing

For routine semen analysis, the World Health Organization recommends collecting samples after 2–7 days of ejaculatory abstinence and recording the abstinence period because it affects results.¹

This standardisation window allows labs to make comparisons more consistent.

2) What happens to semen parameters with longer abstinence?

Longer abstinence tends to increase semen volume, sperm concentration, and total sperm count, largely because secretions accumulate and sperm are stored longer.²

But longer storage time can be associated with higher oxidative stress and more sperm DNA fragmentation.² So there may be more sperm but not necessarily better quality sperm.

3) Could shorter abstinence be better for some quality measures?

A large 2025 systematic review/meta-analysis (22 studies; >31,000 samples) reported that abstinence ≤2 days was associated with:

• Lower semen volume and lower concentration,

• But slightly higher motility and lower DNA fragmentation overall.³

What about testosterone

This is where misinformation is most common.

The 7-day testosterone spike claim

You’ll often see a claim that testosterone rises dramatically after ~7 days of abstinence. One frequently cited paper behind this idea — “Relationship between ejaculation and serum testosterone level in men” — has been retracted.⁵ ⁶ This is important because it means the journal concluded there was an issue with the publication.

What could be affecting testosterone

Men’s hormones fluctuate throughout the day and can be dependent upon several factors including: sleep, stress, illness, training load and alcohol intake. Detecting significant changes in testosterone can be challenging. If someone feels better while practicing semen retention it may plausibly be explained by behaviour changes that often accompany the challenge: improved sleep, reduced pornography use, less late-night stimulation, better training consistency, less guilt/anxiety, or a stronger sense of control.

Prostate cancer

There is an evidence base here, but it’s observational.

A large prospective cohort analysis reported that men with higher ejaculation frequency in adulthood had a lower risk of subsequent prostate cancer diagnosis, particularly low-risk disease.⁷

Important caveats:

• This is association, not proof of causation.

• Ejaculation frequency is self-reported and can be confounded by overall health, relationship status, activity level, and healthcare engagement.

Sexual function and mental health

Many people pursue retention because they’re worried about pornography, compulsive sexual behaviour, erection confidence, or motivation. It’s crucial to separate:

• Reducing problematic behaviours (e.g., compulsive porn use, compulsive masturbation, avoidance of partnered intimacy), from

• The biological claim that retaining semen produces unique physiological benefits.

A structured approach that targets sleep, anxiety, relationship dynamics, arousal conditioning, alcohol/drugs, cardiovascular health, and evidence-based sexual therapy is likely to be more effective than semen retention. Clinical sexual medicine guidelines focus on distress/impairment, context, and functional goals, not moral rules about ejaculation.⁸ ⁹

Why misinformation spreads so well in this space

Men’s health content is highly viral online — and accuracy is often poor. A study examining men’s health posts across TikTok and Instagram found overall accuracy ratings were low, with physician content scoring higher than non-physician posts.¹⁰

Practical takeaways

1. There is no good evidence that semen retention is a reliable way to raise testosterone long-term. Be wary of claims rooted in retracted or low-quality studies.⁵ ⁶

2. Abstinence time clearly changes semen analysis results. Follow lab instructions (commonly 2–7 days) and document abstinence accurately.¹

3. Longer abstinence increases volume and count, but may worsen sperm quality measures in certain settings.² ³

4. Shorter intervals can sometimes reduce DNA fragmentation and improve motility, which may be useful in select fertility contexts.³ ⁴

5. Ejaculation frequency has been associated with lower prostate cancer risk in some large observational data, but causation isn’t proven.⁷

6. If a retention challenge helps someone, it may be because it changes habits and reduces compulsive patterns.

References

1. World Health Organization. WHO laboratory manual for the examination and processing of human semen. 6th ed. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2021.

2. Agarwal A, Gupta S, Du Plessis S, Sharma R, Esteves SC, Cirenza C, et al. Abstinence time and its impact on basic and advanced semen parameters. Urology. 2016;94:102-110. doi:10.1016/j.urology.2016.03.059.

3. Raditya M, Soejono AH, Siswanto MA, Atmoko W, Shah R, Agarwal A, et al. Impact of shorter abstinence periods on semen parameters: a systematic review and meta-analysis. World J Mens Health. 2025 Jul;43(3):563-579. doi:10.5534/wjmh.240035.

4. Okada FK, Andretta RR, Spaine DM. One day is better than four days of ejaculatory abstinence for sperm function. Reprod Fertil. 2020;1:1-10.

5. Jiang M, Xin J, Zou Q, Shen JW. Relationship between ejaculation and serum testosterone level in men. J Zhejiang Univ Sci. 2003;4(2):236-240. doi:10.1631/jzus.2003.0236. Retracted.

6. Retraction Note: Relationship between ejaculation and serum testosterone level in men. J Zhejiang Univ Sci. (Retraction published by journal/publisher; see retraction notice linked to doi:10.1631/jzus.2003.0236).

7. Rider JR, Wilson KM, Sinnott JA, Kelly RS, Mucci LA, Giovannucci EL. Ejaculation frequency and risk of prostate cancer: updated results with an additional decade of follow-up. Eur Urol. 2016;70(6):974-982. doi:10.1016/j.eururo.2016.03.027.

8. Shindel AW, Althof SE, Carrier S, Chou R, McMahon CG, Mulhall JP, et al. Disorders of ejaculation: an AUA/SMSNA guideline. J Urol. 2022 Mar;207(3):504-512. doi:10.1097/JU.0000000000002392.

9. Althof SE, McMahon CG, Waldinger MD, Serefoglu EC, Shindel AW, Adaikan PG, et al. An update of the International Society of Sexual Medicine’s guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of premature ejaculation (PE). Sex Med. 2014 Jun;2(2):60-90. doi:10.1002/sm2.28.

10. Dubin JM, Aguiar JA, Lin JS, Greenberg DR, Keeter MK, Fantus RJ, et al. The broad reach and inaccuracy of men’s health information on social media: analysis of TikTok and Instagram. Int J Impot Res. 2024;36(3):256-260. doi:10.1038/s41443-022-00645-6.

11. Rowland DL. Pornography and sexual dysfunction: is there any relationship? Curr Sex Health Rep. 2024;16:19-34. doi:10.1007/s11930-023-00380-z.