What Does Healthy Semen Taste, Smell, and Look Like?

Changes That May Point to a Health Concern

Some people may wonder what healthy semen tastes like, looks like, or smells like. While you may be able to alter these characteristics, changes can also be a sign of a problem.

The taste, smell, color, and consistency of semen can vary from one person to the next. Semen can also change from one ejaculation to the next. Most of the time, these changes are normal, but some may indicate a medical concern.

Foul-smelling semen, pinkish or greenish semen, or exceptionally low (and even very high) semen volumes should be evaluated by a healthcare provider.

This article answers some common questions about what healthy semen should look, smell, and taste like. It also describes changes that warrant investigation by a healthcare provider.

What Is Semen?

Semen is the cloudy, white fluid released from the penis when you ejaculate ("cum"). It consists of sperm cells (spermatozoa) and a sticky, syrupy liquid called seminal fluid.

The role of seminal fluid is to transport sperm and provide them with nutrition and a stable environment so they can survive for up to five days to enable fertilization.

With every ejaculation, about 100 million sperm cells are released from the penis.

How Semen Is Produced

Sperm cells are produced in the testicles (balls) and then transported to the epididymis, a coiled tube. There, the sperm mature under the influence of hormones from the testicles and pituitary gland. This process takes around two and a half to three months.

Once mature, the sperm cells migrate to a long, muscular tube called the vas deferens where they mix with seminal fluid secreted through passageways called the ejaculatory ducts. The end product is semen.

Sperm production to ejaculation
Verywell / JR Bee

The seminal fluid itself is composed of fluids from three organs:

  • Cowper's gland: This pea-sized organ secretes fluids that function as a lubricant and help neutralize acids to keep sperm cells alive.
  • Prostate gland: This walnut-sized gland secretes fluids that keep semen in a liquified state while providing nutrients and enzymes that nourish and protect sperm cells.
  • Seminal vesicles: These are a pair of tube-shaped glands that secrete fluids rich in fructose (a sugar used for fuel) and prostaglandins (a type of fat that triggers vaginal contractions to propel sperm into the vaginal canal).

During ejaculation, powerful contractions of the bulbospongiosus and pubococcygeus muscles propel semen out of the penis through a long tube called the urethra.

How Long Do Sperm Live?

The average life span of sperm is 74 days. After ejaculation, sperm can live inside the female reproductive tract for up to five days.

Taste and Odor of Semen

Semen can taste salty, sweet, or bitter and has a musky chlorine scent, similar to a blooming ornamental pear tree.

Semen is typically more alkaline than acidic, an environment that sperm cells thrive in. With semen, a healthy pH balance (anywhere between 7.2 and 8.0) corresponds to a more ammonia-like or chlorine-like smell.

At the same time, organic chemicals called amines are largely responsible for the smell people associate with semen. The amines found in semen include putrescine, spermine, spermidine, and cadaverine.

Semen's high fructose content can give it a slightly sweet taste. However, a more alkaline pH can make semen taste salty or bitter (or a combination of sweet and salty).

How Food Affects Odor and Taste

Certain foods can alter the taste and smell of semen, making it more bitter, pungent, or musky. These include:

  • Alcohol
  • Asparagus
  • Cabbage
  • Coffee
  • Dairy
  • Garlic
  • Meats
  • Onions

Other foods are thought to make semen smell or taste milder or sweeter, including celery, parsley, and pineapple. Taking multivitamins can also give semen a more metallic or mineral taste.

Can Diet Impact Sperm Quality and Fertility?

Research shows what you eat and drink can alter sperm quality and fertility. Diets high in processed meats, trans fat, soy, and high-fat dairy can affect the shape, quantity, and motility of sperm. Diets high in fish, fruits, vegetables, and walnuts are shown to increase sperm quality.

Other Factors That Change Semen

Smoking tobacco can also alter the taste or smell of semen. Cigarette smoke can also reduce the quality, count, and motility of sperm and make it harder for you to conceive.

Another factor that can influence the smell or taste of semen is an infection. These include urinary tract infections (UTIs) and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) like chlamydia, gonorrhea, and trichomoniasis.

A foul, "rotten," or fishy smell may be a sign of a UTI or an STI, particularly if accompanied by testicular swelling or an abnormal discharge from the penis. Both can potentially affect your fertility if left untreated, so speak with a healthcare provider as soon as possible.

How Semen Looks

Normal semen is generally an off-white or slightly yellow color. The consistency should be similar to that of egg whites or somewhat jelly-like. There may sometimes be jelly-like globules in the semen, which is normal if you are dehydrated or have not ejaculated in a long time.

Changes in semen color or consistency are usually of little concern, but specific changes may suggest a health concern.

Watery Semen

Semen can sometimes be watery and pose no particular concern. It may be that you have ejaculated recently or frequently, consumed large amounts of water, or overheated your testicles (such as by wearing tight underwear and exercising vigorously). In cases like this, the wateriness may be temporary and nothing to worry about.

A zinc deficiency can also sometimes cause thin, runny sperm.

At other times, watery sperm may be an indication of oligozoospermia (low sperm count). This occurs when there are fewer than 15 million sperm per milliliter of semen. Watery sperm is characteristic oligospermia, the condition of which may be caused by:

  • Varicocele (the swelling of veins from the testicles)
  • STIs like gonorrhea and chlamydia
  • Epididymitis
  • Testicular trauma
  • Retrograde ejaculation (in which semen flows back to the bladder rather than out of the body)
  • Hormonal disorders like hyperprolactinemia. which can disrupt the normal production of sperm
  • Antisperm antibodies (abnormal immune proteins that attack and damage sperm)
  • Testicular cysts
  • Benign testicular tumors
  • Testicular cancer

Red or Brownish Semen

If your semen has a red or brown color, it may be a sign of blood. While this may seem alarming, the condition (called hematospermia) is usually not serious. Most of the time, it is caused by tiny blood vessels that have ruptured in the seminal vesicles or prostate gland during an erection or ejaculation.

Other causes of hematospermia include:

The good news is that most cases of hematospermia clear on their own without incident. Rarely is blood in semen a sign of cancer.

Yellow or Greenish Semen

Semen with a pronounced yellow or green color may be a sign of an infection. There are other possible causes as well, including:

  • STIs like chlamydia, gonorrhea, and trichomoniasis
  • Prostatitis (inflammation of the prostate, often due to an infection)
  • Jaundice (the buildup of a yellowish pigment called bilirubin due to conditions like hepatitis and gallstones
  • Pyospermia (a condition linked to male infertility in which high concentrations of white blood cells in semen damage and weaken sperm cells)

How Much Semen Is Produced?

The volume of semen that is released during ejaculation can vary. A 2012 review of studies published in the Journal of Andrology suggests the average volume is 3.4 milliliters (mL). This is roughly 2/3 of a teaspoon.

Semen volume may impact male fertility. Research suggests having a higher-than-normal semen volume corresponds with a lower sperm count. This is due to the dilution of sperm cells.

On the other hand, a lower-than-normal semen volume (less than 1.5 mL) also corresponds to a lower likelihood of fertility. Consistently low semen volumes may be due to a condition such as retrograde ejaculation.

Low semen volumes may also be a sign of other medical conditions. A 2014 study in Fertility and Sterility evaluated over 9,000 males with an average age of 38. They found that people with low semen volumes were nearly two times more likely to have high blood pressure or heart disease than those with normal semen volumes.

Low semen volume is not always a sign of infertility or illness. It can also be a sign of dehydration or recent ejaculation.

When to See a Healthcare Provider

If you have concerns about your semen, talk to your healthcare provider, who may refer you to a urologist (a specialist of the male reproductive tract).

Signs that should be evaluated include:

  • Abnormal discharge
  • Fever with other signs
  • Foul, "rotten," or fishy-smelling semen
  • Lump or hardness in a testicle
  • Red-, brown-, yellow-, or green-colored semen
  • Swollen or enlarged testicles
  • Testicular pain

Summary

Semen is typically off-white or slightly yellowish with a consistency similar to egg whites. It often has a slight ammonia scent and can vary in flavor from sweet to salty to bitter.

Specific changes in the smell, taste, color, taste, volume, or consistency of your semen may indicate an infection, infertility, or disease. These include foul-smelling semen, discolored semen, waterly semen, or abnormally high or low volumes of semen. Changes like these should be investigated, mainly if the symptoms are persistent or worsening.

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Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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By Jerry Kennard
 Jerry Kennard, PhD, is a psychologist and associate fellow of the British Psychological Society.