# Sperm count question **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 24, 2021, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sperm-count-question/931399 "2021-01-24T23:16:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dpgarland](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c89c15/32.png) [@dpgarland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dpgarland)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2021, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sperm-count-question/931399/1 "2021-01-24T23:16:51Z")
I recently had a semen analysis done, really just out of curiosity. Anyway my sperm count turned out to be 300.6 million with 71% motility. I was honestly surprised by the amount. Does that mean that I’m above average? Is there anyone else here that personally has higher numbers? ---
**Author:** ![ASGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@ASGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2021, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sperm-count-question/931399/2 "2021-01-25T01:00:58Z")
I cannot contribute to the question. But at my last blood donation I was surprised to learn that men are not allowed to be sperm donors after age 40. Hmn. I didn’t think my sperm went bad that quickly. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2021, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sperm-count-question/931399/3 "2021-01-25T01:01:23Z")
> [@dpgarland](#): > > Is there anyone else here that personally has higher numbers? While the question of what is average is factual, this portion of the OP is basically an informal poll. As such, let’s move this to IMHO (from GQ). ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2021, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sperm-count-question/931399/4 "2021-01-25T01:21:45Z")
It’s not clear how your count was measured. The average or normal sperm count range is 15 to 200 million per mL, according to the Mayo clinic. If you are measuring per ejaculate instead of per mL, the normal range is roughly 40 to 900 million. Normal mobility is 32 to 75 percent. While low sperm counts have a negative effect on fertility, normal or high sperm counts do not correlate with increased fertility. There is no benefit to being above average. While high sperm counts alone are not harmful (or helpful), if this is combined with hyperspermia (larger than normal output of semen), this can have a negative effect on fertility. I’m an engineer, not a doctor. If one of our medical dopers has better info, trust what they say. I’m only going by what I’ve read and the numbers I googled to get the normal range. > [@ASGuy](#): > > I didn’t think my sperm went bad that quickly. Recent studies seem to indicate that it doesn’t, and that the age should maybe be raised to at least 45 or 50. These studies are based only on fertility rates though. If there is a greater risk of birth defects or whatever that would not be covered by these studies. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2021, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sperm-count-question/931399/5 "2021-01-25T02:03:22Z")
> [@ASGuy](#): > > But at my last blood donation I was surprised to learn that men are not allowed to be sperm donors after age 40 I have no comment on your learning. But I do wonder _how_ this particular issue came up? I’m imagining something like: > ASGuy: Hey Phlebotomy Person: What other ooze or goo can I donate for some coin? I’m kinda short this week. > PhP: How old are you? > ASGuy: 47. > PhP: Well you’re too old for sperm, and we don’t want poop. So you’re outta luck. I do have the phone number of a gangster who says he’ll buy a kidney. You wanna talk to him? > AsGuy: Err ummm No thanks! Forget I asked! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2021, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sperm-count-question/931399/6 "2021-01-25T03:43:51Z")
You had your sperm count tested? Bet that cost a load. ---
**Author:** ![BippityBoppityBoo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bippityboppityboo/32/5745_2.png) [@BippityBoppityBoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BippityBoppityBoo)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2021, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sperm-count-question/931399/7 "2021-01-25T16:20:44Z")
ISWYDH ---
**Author:** ![Scarlax](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlax/32/2927_2.png) [@Scarlax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlax)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2021, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sperm-count-question/931399/8 "2021-01-25T17:31:19Z")
Wait, this isn’t about Sesame Street. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2021, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sperm-count-question/931399/9 "2021-01-25T17:38:40Z")
> [@dpgarland](#): > > I recently had a semen analysis done, really just out of curiosity. Who does a semen analysis out of curiosity? And then comes here looking for bragging rights? ---
**Author:** ![dpgarland](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c89c15/32.png) [@dpgarland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dpgarland)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2021, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sperm-count-question/931399/10 "2021-01-25T19:10:45Z")
Me, obviously. Or were you not paying attention? ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2021, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sperm-count-question/931399/11 "2021-01-25T20:06:38Z")
Out of the multitude of curiosities I’ve had in my life, that is one that never crossed my mind. Do you think you’ll have follow-up tests to track your potency? ---
**Author:** ![jaycat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat/32/3015_2.png) [@jaycat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaycat)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2021, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sperm-count-question/931399/12 "2021-01-25T23:02:05Z")
Sperm-counter is not a job I would particularly want. ---
**Author:** ![FinsToTheLeft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finstotheleft/32/2930_2.png) [@FinsToTheLeft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinsToTheLeft)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2021, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sperm-count-question/931399/13 "2021-01-25T23:21:53Z")
I had one done post-vasectomy that came back 0, which was the correct answer for me. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2021, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sperm-count-question/931399/14 "2021-01-26T00:03:48Z")
> [@wguy123](#): > > Out of the multitude of curiosities I’ve had in my life, that is one that never crossed my mind. Do you think you’ll have follow-up tests to track your potency? I suppose we could think the OP is just unusually interested in his own sperm. Some folks are like that. Or so certain documentary vids on the internet seem to show. Or at least that’s what I hear they show. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2021, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sperm-count-question/931399/15 "2021-01-26T19:53:35Z")
> [@Scarlax](#): > > Wait, this isn’t about Sesame Street. One spermatozoon! Two spermatozoa! Three spermatozoa! ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2021, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sperm-count-question/931399/16 "2021-01-26T22:50:17Z")
> [@wguy123](#): > > And then comes here looking for bragging rights? > [@dpgarland](#): > > Me, obviously. Since one way to increase your sperm count is to simply not have sex, this might not be something that you want to brag about. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2021, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sperm-count-question/931399/17 "2021-02-03T02:30:06Z")
I just needed the two