[ ARC forum 2 ]
Written by Paul B. at 16 Sep 2002 11:24:06: Stock answers
As an answer to: Interesting questions written by Jose at 15 Sep 2002 20:34:10:
> What factors affect the way in which cum is released?
Well, there are a few, depending for a start on what sort of stimulation has preceded the ejaculation, and how long it has had to build up since the last ejaculation.
> Sometimes it is thick, soemtimes it is watery.
There are two parts to semen, one is thinner and clearer and is from the seminal vesicles which are behind the bladder and right next to the ampulla of the vasa deferentia - which store the sperm. This part has a relatively mild, possibly sweet taste (contains the sugar "fuel" for the sperm).
The other part is from the prostate gland, rather thicker and generally bitter. Its job would appear to be to keep the acidity under control and to make the semen sticky, so that it sticks to the cervix long enough for the sperm to get inside.
Semen clots, somewhat similarly to blood, by mixing of the two parts (one from the seminal vesicles, one from the prostate) as it is ejaculated. Keep a little on a plate - in ten minutes or so, it will all turn back to liquid. On the other hand, if you add water, it "curdles" and gets (at least temporarily) even more sticky.
This is to make it stick to the cervix inside a woman so that the sperm have the best chance of getting in. The thickness of the semen as it is squeezed out also contributes to the particular feeling of ejaculation.
The "gelling" is very pronounced in animals which mate vertically, such as Koalas (in trees, you see), in order to stop the semen falling straight out!
> Sometimes it comes out in full, sometimes it just splashes around.
As to why this is, my theory goes as follows: There are two ways that different parts of the semen are made. One is the part(s) that is made continuously, in particularly the sperm themselves. You cannot influence how fast they are produced, and obviously, this part will run out if you come a lot more often, while if you rarely come at all, it will still be made, but leak out (when you use your bowels - it gets pressed out by the action if the seminal vesicles are full).
The other part(s) are made when you feel sexually excited, and the more excited you get (and the longer you are excited), the more is made.
> How does this affect sex life (man's and woman's perspective)?
Very little indeed. Generally when you "come", that is pretty much the end of what you are doing because you lose enthusiasm at that point (and feel quite satisfied). Two things are largely the stuff of fiction - (for men,) continuing the stimulation to further orgasms, and ejaculating large amounts. No more than about 10 ml can be accommodated in the ejaculatory reservoirs, so if it all comes out with the first ejaculation, further attempts within the next 24 hours will produce little or no semen, and in any case the total over 24 hours is unlikely to exceed this amount.
And as far as the woman is concerned, she has little sensation inside, and the semen is the same temperature as inside herself, and a relatively small quantity, so it would be difficult for her to feel it at all, other than by the extra stiffening action of the penis which ejects the semen, followed by the fellow's obvious relaxation.
But of course, ejaculation (quantity) is in no way necessary for sexual enjoyment, indeed (particularly with a condom) the stickiness of semen may be unpleasant and override the "lubricant" effect.
> and reproduction?
Well, the sperm quantity is limited and most is contained in the first part of the ejaculate, so it is quite unrelated to quantity. Quite simply, the more semen, the more dilute the sperm.
> Does a thick cum indicate more sperm count?
The sperm makes up much less than 1% of the semen, so not only does thickness not indicate the amount of sperm, but (it is said that) there is no easily perceptible difference even if there is no sperm contained at all - such as after a vasectomy.