Seems to me the basic conflict between men and women, sexually, is that men are like firemen. Â To men sex is an emergency, and no matter what we are doing we can be ready in two minutes. Â Women, on the other hand, are like fire. Â They are very exciting, but the conditions have to be exactly right for it to occur.”
~ Jerry Seinfeld
I just couldn’t decide if he was really sponge worthy.
~ Elaine, Fictional character on the TV show. Seinfeld
There seems to be rather compelling evidence that semen may be a natural antidepressant for women. The intriguing feature about this finding is that it emerged from research with lesbians.
In the September issue of Scientific American an article (see source below) focused on the many virtues of semen. No kidding. It would seem an article like this would be a comic’s dream to find. But even Jerry Seinfeld would have to give the facts a second look.
The McClintock effect, synchronization of menstrual periods, happens when groups of women of reproductive age all live or work together. We have known about this phenomenon for a long while, and have accepted that pheromones, secreted scents, are the factor regulating the hormones. [Ed. – More than four decades of followup research suggest that this effect, called menstrual synchrony, actually does not exist. The original research was methodologically flawed, as was some of the followup research.]
But this isn’t true of all women.
Researchers Gordon Gallup and Rebecca Burch tried to understand why the synchronization of periods did not occur with lesbians. The most obvious difference between the two groups is that the lesbians are not exposed to semen.
Could it be that the biochemical makeup of semen is such that when absorbed through the vagina it affects a woman’s hormones?
Sperm is suspended in semen and isn’t absorbed by the vagina. It makes up approximately 3% of the solution, but the rest of the seminal fluid has more than 4 dozen other chemicals. One of which is serotonin: The main neurotransmitter in antidepressants like Prozac Lexapro, Zoloft and Paxil. But wait — other mood enhancing chemicals are also present, like oxytocin, the “love hormone, ” which has been linked to such things as orgasm, social recognition, maternal instincts and anxiety reduction.
Gallup, Burch, and researcher Steven Platek surveyed nearly 300 college women on their levels of depression. They administered the standardized Beck Depression Inventory and compared women who typically used condoms or had no intercourse, to women whose vaginas were regularly exposed to semen.
Guess who was in a better mood?
They also struggled with fewer symptoms and had fewer episodes of depression.
But this isn’t a call for young women to have unprotected sex in an effort to feel better. Hardly. The walls of the vagina are highly absorptive. While that may make it easy for the feel-good elements to find their way in, it also makes sexually transmitted diseases much riskier. Naturally the risk of unplanned pregnancy (without other forms of birth control in place) is greatly increased without the use of a condom.
Naturally, as with all new research, more is going to be needed. But for now menopausal women, who are no longer at risk of becoming pregnant, and who are with partners free of STDs, might find something to smile about.
Reference
Bering, J. “An Ode to the Many Evolved Virtues of Human Semen,” Scientific American, Sept. 22, 2010.
37 comments
I would also point out the obvious alternative explanation not seriously considered by the researchers — that condom use is correlated with a greater risk of depression. Not because of a lack of semen absorption, but because of the psychological and personality differences between women who use condoms versus women who don’t.
Also, the fact that the original study is nearly a decade old and still hasn’t been replicated is a little telling.
The phenomenon of women having their periods at the same time occurred for me in college with roommates and suitemates. We were not having sex, but slowly came into the same schedule on our periods (I can’t, of course, say for sure no one was having sex, but I went to a VERY conservative christian college where guys weren’t even allowed in the girls dorms and we were very closly monitored and this was 25 years ago) it also occurred in my own household when both my girls were menstrauting as well as I. I was the only one having sex and my husband had long before had a vasectomy.
Well they apparently actually took that into account and noticed higher tendency toward depression in women who hadn’t had sex/been exposed to semen in a while, which would allude to more of a withdrawal effect and less of a base personality difference.
nice to see some one thinking out side the box. Thank you 🙂
There’s a more thorough review of this here:
The Straight Dope: Is semen an antidepressant?
re: the McClintock effect: When studying abroad in college, I lived with a a house of women and we synced our periods. But we weren’t having sex (allegedly, none of us were, all being away from the boyfriends, but I can only speak for myself) so that would discount the effects of semen on menstrual synchronization.
“Allegedly”????? I’ll bet something was going on.
Please tell me Jesse did not receive a government grant to study this.
I wonder how much longer any government will be credible in the eyes of the people they live off.
V for vendetta was an interesting film :>
Where do we sign up to participate in an active program?
Actually, Denise, Yes Jesse probably did receive a government grant to study it. It’s quite important psychological and biological research, and whilst it may be a taboo subject (as sex etc is in the modern day world), it’s one of those things that is very important to study as part of the human nature.
The guess here is that it is more than semen that provides women more peace and happiness and less depression. If a woman is having sex, regardless of the content of the male semen, she is likely feeling good enough about that man, her body and the emotional connection that the emotional/physical is creating endorphins and lasting connectivity, pumping up her self esteem.
Just a thought. Not scientific based but certainly with a thread of common sense.
Still, a fascinating story to read. Thank you.
Can a woman also absorb these antidepressant chemicals if she swallows my semen, or is it only effective if she absorbs it through her vagina? I would think that swallowing semen would be just as good for the woman, but without the issue of a potential pregnancy.
It’s certainly worth a study, but there’s every reason not to assume an equivalent result. The vaginal absorption is directly through the lining. Ingesting it would subject it to the highly destructive digestive process prior to any chance of uptake.
I wonder if it’s possible that it’s not only the semen but what the lack of a condom may represent…a mutually exclusive relationship based on trust and intimacy.
too bad we can’t test for that. it would be tough to rustle up sufficient number of subjects for study.
So what about the effect of women’s vaginal secretions on men’s moods? Why didn’t anyone test for that?
The linings of the mouth, throat and esophagus are quite dissimilar to the vagina, as is the anus and rectum. The vagina is designed specifically to receive semen and to absorb certain of its elements. Sperms don’t seem to penetrate the vaginal lining but those that make it into the uterus are absorbed as they deteriorate. Only the spermatic nuclei are absorbed. Sperms have been found in the brains of women. What the effects, if any, are is unknown so far.
Actually, Denise, Yes Jesse probably did receive a government grant to study it.
whatever chemicals are in the semen, i think that the ultimate possession of the partner, orally or sexually through absorbing his semen is in itself a kind of – whatever is the motivation – power? love? completion? unity? and that in itself is the greatest healing power, the pairing of two totally unlike people, the miracle of love
I’m still waiting for someone to answer Mr. Grady’s question, as it was the question weighing most heavily on my brain.
Also, hypothetical question. (I look forward to the insults on this one..)
If a male were to swallow his own seminal fluids, would it have the same effects as a woman swallowing/vaginally absorbing it?
It is my understanding the skin is extremely absorbent. If one were to lather themselves with seminal fluids, would it effect them as the study suggested it would with vaginal absorption?
I am not joking, this is just questions I figured someone else would ask, and since no one has I figured hey, what the heck.
Honestly, I like the idea of this – for people in a monogomous relationship. A little healthier than popping Zoloft every day – don’t you think? One slight problem I see is – what about couples who are trying to concieve? That’s a lot of regular, unprotected sex. This co-hort isn’t exactly known for being stress free and happy.
What about the effects of female ejaculation on men? Squirting? Where is the research in this???? Why hasn’t there been anything published?? I have not found any information on Google. There was a time where clitoris was not even heard in sex ed classes but penis and semen were.
Female ejaculate: is urine.
Thanks, i was wondering if i had a sex whitout obsorb any semen in the vagina, could i be happy and reducing the depression may you help the answer
I have had a vasectomy and have been married for 20 years to an emotionally volatile woman. Eventually (maybe I’m a bit slow) it is dawning on me that my semen does indeed stabalise her mood and she is definitely happier and more at ease with herself for a day or so after sex in which I ejaculate inside her. Other sex just doesn’t seem to do this for her, even though she has orgasms. In fact I have noticed that she is more satisfied by sex where she gets semen than sex where she has orgasms – though she does like both at once.
None of this is really surprising when you think about it and it has nothing to do with gender politics and everything to do with human biology.
I can only speak from my personal experience with my husband.
Most mornings when I wake up I love to get on top and ride his “morning wood” until I have pumped every last drop of sperm out of him.
After this I always feel really happy and ready to face the day. It really “puts a spring in my step” and I feel on top of the world.
I notice the days when I have not had my “morning semen fix” are the times when I feel down and irritable, and things just don’t go right.
Anti-depressants are big business for the pharmaceutical industry, but there is no reason why they should have a monopoly. Mankind may well be sitting on nature’s own equally effective natural depression remedy.
To the author: “… the rest of the seminal fluid has more than 4 dozen other chemicals. One of which is serotonin: The main neurotransmitter in antidepressants like Prozac Lexapro, Zoloft and Paxil.” You can’t possibly not know how wrong the latter half of this statement is. Please edit more carefully – there are people who will read this and not know any better.
For those others of you who may not know what may seem to be a subtle difference, ingesting neurotransmitters has not been shown to be effective at all. (Hence my expectation that no, ingesting semen would not have the same effect as vaginal absorption – if it does, then this would probably support those readers who are suggesting that the source of the reported effects is psychological rather than biological.)
These drugs do not contain serotonin. They contain chemicals which interfere with the body’s regulatory processes, such that the serotonin produced by the body remains available in the synapses for longer than it would if left to its own devices.
Another ‘common sense’ angle in this is that women who engage in regular unprotected sex – because they are not worried about conception or infection for whatever reasons – are more likely to be happy with their sex life (lives!) and to engage in more fulfilling sexual relations than women who cannot engage in uninhibited sex for various reasons.
I’ve always felt that women who have strong sex drives and are uninhibited in sexual intercourse, or are willing to do whatever pleases their male partners (from fellatio and swallowing to anal sex etc), that is, who do not have hang-ups about many or any aspects of sex, are more likely to be happy and psychically healthy than women who do have various hang-ups.
Anyway, I’m pretty sure that the causes of depression do not lie in chemistry alone, whether brain or general metabolic.
Based on this discovery then, does this mean that it’s possible for some men to be addictive to some women?
Sounds more like most of the women having unprotected sex were trying to get pregnant and so were more likely to be in stable relationships with men they trusted, so they were happier. Whereas the women having no sex or using condoms are feeling alone or in an uncommited relationship.
So I guess this is one advantage that gay people don’t get at all
You start with the “fact” that women sync up menstrual cycles when in close proximity. This is false. This comes from a really poor study by a university student that didnt use control groups correctly, and has been debunked by proper research.
https://verilymag.com/2017/11/do-womens-periods-sync-up-menstrual-synchronization
The fact that menstrual cycles appear to sync up is a mathematical phenomenon; assume you have 2 women in close proximity, a menstrual cycle takes 7 days, and a month has 28 days. Theres >30% chance that their menstrual cycles will line up by at least 1 day, just by random chance. This is a common misconception
Agreed, and we’ve updated the original article with a notation that this effect has not been confirmed in over four decades of additional, more rigorous research. Thanks for pointing this out to us.
To the editor. I know a woman who shares a room with three female cats. These cats always ovulate and menstruate at the same time. There is a lot of science i.e. facts which is nowadays forbidden and denied. I read a book “The Psychopath Whisperer” and most of the studied were violent killer males in US jails. The word race was never mentioned and neither was skin colour. There are facts known about this tricky subject but they are forbidden and no scientist will receive money to study this, nor will he get his book published. Modern science means confirming politically correct ideas, or the the scientist’s “problematic” results goes in to the dust bin, he is black balled out of the club, and might even lose his job. Thomas Watson dared to cross this line about facts re Race and he became an Unperson immediately.
Prozac and Oxycontin were both proved safe by “Science”. Which cost a lot of money to get the correct result. In the case of Prozac the first blind test got 30% cured by placebo. All of these inconvenient cured folks were removed and the test was rerun with the 70% remainder. Now Prozac was better than Placebo and Science proved it! It is legal to do 1,000 such tests and only report the 2 successful tests. The 998 which proved the drug does not work or is dangerous can be dumped. This is science at work, when big money can be made by fiddling with the truth. Oxycontin killed 100,000 or more Americans.
Women ovulating on the same day implies that human women are not in control of their own bodies but are subject to the rules of nature. Thus “science” and feminism and PC debunks facts.
“Nine nurses in the same labor unit are all due at the same time”
https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/25/health/nine-nurses-…
To Mike.
“a menstrual cycle takes 7 days, and a month has 28 days.”
A menstrual cycle takes 28 days and not 7. So to line up to the same day is less than a 4% chance. Add more women and the odds become much less likely. Try the odds of this number…
Nine nurses in the same labor unit are all due at the same time
I was only with two women long enough to see the effects of ejaculating into them. Both of them could be seen as regularly being in a better mood after sex, one every time and one about 1 time in 5. I therefore lean in support of the question being answered: YES!
The interaction of sperm and semen can be observed in particular in most over the age of 58 thru 65. In many cases in my observation stimulation is the key for the male rhythm and the opportunity of the key ingredients to mix and prepare for the release of the semen and sperm . As a man I’ve noticed the more stimulation the stronger and or more powerful and suggested of more satisfaction. I’d say that that would be the in a area of in public or risque sex in a forbidden or shunned place and or sec in a place like the workplace as being risky, the chance of being caught and the excitement being the act of taking the risk. In my observations as a 60 plus year old male in a 6 year relationship with a now 65 year old male that the sex corresponds with the increase of her bust size by more than 5 inches over the time period of the relationship and the passion. I’ve also noted the changes in skin texture and psychological aspects. Being an avid supersportsman and knowing about phermones in the situation of sex attraction and rut and or heat it is directly connected. Up until the invention of feminine napkins rahs were used. The sex attractants in females humans is the basic same as in deer, this has been proven by taking a used napkin and hanging it on a branch and watching the rutting buck approach and sniff. Also in a case of a woman during her cycle being followed and the buck sniffing and finally pushing her with it’s antlers to the point of an attack. This occurred in Gettysburg, Pa and a wildlife game officer intervened and saved the woman’s life. Another observation I’ve made is that there isn’t much of a difference in sexual activity, scent attract ion, sparring of males and females over a mate. In another words were mammals and when primed were going to mate.
Comments are closed.