# Sperm count and recovery **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 25, 2001, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sperm-count-and-recovery/83667 "2001-09-25T12:23:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cap\_n\_Crude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Cap\_n\_Crude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cap_n_Crude)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2001, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sperm-count-and-recovery/83667/1 "2001-09-25T12:23:44Z")
Given: a healthy adult male with a sperm count in the normal range. If said male ejaculates, and subsequently engages in further sexual activity, what’s his count likely to be with his next ejaculation? I know that time is the major factor here, so let’s consider the second event happening 1/2 hour after the first. Let’s also posit another occasion where the second ejcaulation is 1 full hour after the first. How many fewer swimmers, relatively speaking, will he have in each case? ---
**Author:** ![AbbySthrnAccent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@AbbySthrnAccent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AbbySthrnAccent)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2001, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sperm-count-and-recovery/83667/2 "2001-09-25T13:47:47Z")
Scroll down a bit to findThis > [@](#): > > Semen contains sperm and secretions of the seminal vesicles, prostate, Cowper’s glands, and urethral glands. The average volume expelled is about 2-3 mililiters containing about 100 million sperm per mililiter. > > Both the volume and sperm count decrease with successive ejaculations. Upon ejaculation the semen becomes less viscous due to proteolysis of certain proteins by enzymes. Human sperms travel at about 3 mm/min in the female genital tract taking some 30-60 minutes for sperm to reach the Fallopian tubes (where fertilization normally occurs). ---
**Author:** ![Cap\_n\_Crude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Cap\_n\_Crude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cap_n_Crude)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2001, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sperm-count-and-recovery/83667/3 "2001-09-25T20:17:05Z")
Bump. Thanks though, **Abby.** ---
**Author:** ![Cap\_n\_Crude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Cap\_n\_Crude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cap_n_Crude)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sperm-count-and-recovery/83667/4 "2001-10-04T03:11:28Z")
This is my final bump on this thread. If nobody has an answer, I can only hope that the SDSAB (or maybe even Cecil himself) is working on it. ---
**Author:** ![JillGat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@JillGat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JillGat)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sperm-count-and-recovery/83667/5 "2001-10-04T03:36:39Z")
Tell us more about why you need to know this, Cap’n. ---
**Author:** ![Limerick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a87d85/32.png) [@Limerick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Limerick)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sperm-count-and-recovery/83667/6 "2001-10-04T06:15:38Z")
Just like sperm count, your hypothetical ejaculations are really going to depend on the individual. However, the typical ejaculate contains much less sperm than is actually needed for successful fertilization, so even though you’ll get a decrease in number with subsequent ejaculations, it shouldn’t make any real practical difference. Sorry I can’t give you numbers. Wanna know about sheep sperm? ---
**Author:** ![Cap\_n\_Crude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Cap\_n\_Crude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cap_n_Crude)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sperm-count-and-recovery/83667/7 "2001-10-04T18:20:38Z")
**Jill,** it’s a bit involved. One of the reasons is simple curiosity over how easily we men can empty the fish pond, as it were. There will always be a few swimmers in there, but how fast can a guy produce new ones in a time of reproductive need? In a sense, it could be useful research for couples who don’t believe in artificial birth control – we could call this the “blowjob method.” 😉 **Lim,** obviously specific numbers won’t be obtainable here. I’d be more than happy to get a percentage figure. Healthy male, 2 ejaculations spaced 1/2-hour apart, second load has X% fewer sperm in it on average. And I’ll assume that you meant > [@](#): > > the typical ejaculate contains much **more** sperm than is actually needed for successful fertilization right? ---
**Author:** ![NotMrKnowItAll](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/6bbea6/32.png) [@NotMrKnowItAll](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NotMrKnowItAll)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sperm-count-and-recovery/83667/8 "2001-10-04T18:33:36Z")
> [@](#): > > we could call this the “blowjob method.” That method doesn’t work from exact personal experience with my ex-wife. ---
**Author:** ![Limerick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a87d85/32.png) [@Limerick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Limerick)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sperm-count-and-recovery/83667/9 "2001-10-04T23:47:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Cap’n Crude \* > > **Lim,** obviously specific numbers won’t be obtainable here. I’d be more than happy to get a percentage figure. Healthy male, 2 ejaculations spaced 1/2-hour apart, second load has X% fewer sperm in it on average. And I’ll assume that you meant > > > [@](#): > > > > the typical ejaculate contains much **more** sperm than is actually needed for successful fertilization > > right? \*\* Uh, yeah. Jesus, grad school is frying my brain. I couldn’t even give you percentages for humans. Sorry.