Before the discovery of sperm cells –or as Antony van Leeuwenhoek called them, “animalcules”–, people believed in a very strange form of conception. It was thought that men had a sort of egg in their reproductive system, where a preformed human being lived waiting to be sent, through sex, into an “incubator” existing in a woman’s belly. Yes, women were just a vessel that allowed these little humans to be born. Thanks to the passing of time and with the help of science, we’ve finally put these beliefs to rest and we’ve debunked these silly myths. Surprisingly, it doesn’t matter how many centuries have passed, there are still many myths and false information circulating around.
It’s hard to forget those awkward sex-ed lessons at school where you didn’t know who was more uncomfortable, the teacher trying to explain these subjects or the kids who thought that words like breasts, vagina, penis, and sperm are funny. It seems these lessons weren’t enough, people seem to forget the important things about how their bodies work. For this reason, here are 6 facts you probably didn’t know about sperms, which may bring more light into our conception of sexuality.
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Men produce thousands of sperm cells per second
You may wonder, what sperm count is normal for a guy? Although the production of sperm cells is a process that lasts about two months, the system behind it never stops working. An average man can produce about 1500 sperm cells per second. Besides that, taking into account the average number and volume of sperm, if a man were able to ejaculate all the sperm contained on his testicles, the line would be about six miles long.
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Diet affects the pH of Sperm
How many times have you heard the myth that food affects the flavor of semen? Some people claim that the best food is pineapple, but no one has been able to confirm or support this belief with scientific research. What has really been proven is that a man’s diet affects the health of sperms. Just as it happens with many organs in our body, the nutrients and substances in food are processed through our digestive system and sent to the regions that need them. For example, Docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA, is a substance found in the fatty tissue of fish, which helps you produce stronger and healthier sperm cells. In the same way, a lack of vitamins and antioxidants directly affect their production.
Sperm production and temperature
During sex our body temperature increases, but testicles keep their temperature stable, so the sperm doesn’t get damaged. When they’re in contact with higher temperatures than 7 degrees Fahrenheit, they’re at risk of weakening or even dying. Some believe that heating the testicles can serve as a contraceptive method; however, this is unadvisable because for one, the heat doesn’t destroy such a huge amount of sperm cells, and second, it has health implications. So, save yourself the hassle and go for a condom instead.
Once out of the testicle, sack sperm can live up to 5 days
Now, many think that the journey the sperm cells go through is quite fast, but actually, it takes about 28 to 48 hours. However, according to urologist Harry Fisch, M.D. (clinical professor of reproductive medicine at Weill Medical College of Cornell University), strong cells, under the right conditions, can live up to five days. So if there is one healthy and strong sperm cell and the pH of cervix mucus is not that high, it’s likely for it to live longer.
Not all sperm cells are shaped as we think
We’ve all seen that impressive footage of sperm cells swimming and reaching the egg. So, you might have noticed that not all of them are perfectly shaped; actually, 90% of them are distorted. Now here’s a debate regarding this fact: while some people claim that the most distorted cells are most likely to be more defective, specialists like Craig Niederberger MD (chief of the department of urology at the University of Illinois at Chicago) assures us that there’s no evidence to confirm or debunk this theory.
Dead sperm can still be used to fertilize an egg
If we think in statistical terms, the probabilities of conception are low. Only one sperm among thousands manages to penetrate the egg, and the chances of this happening also depend on ovulation and if the sperm cells react quickly. Since the development of new technologies and in vitro fertilization, it has been discovered that dead sperm cells can still be used to fertilize an egg since the only thing needed is the DNA of the cell.
With all the misinformation out there, it’s really important to know what really happens to our body and the processes it goes through, so we know what to make the most of each experience. If you want to know more facts, you should check the pros of masturbating according to science.
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