Things You May Not Have Known About Semen

1. Sperm and semen are not the same thing.

Spermatazoa, or sperm, is the name given to the reproductive cell that looks like a tadpole. Seminal fluid is the stuff that the tadpole swims in. Together they form semen — an armored tank carrying a fertilization superhero. Or, as morgentaler calls them" heat-seeking missiles"

2. Seminal fluid is the sperm's sacred protector.

Seminal fluid helps sperm" do their biologic mission" as morgentaler calls it, by helping the sperm get into the female body. Seminal fluid is alkaline, so it reduces the acidity sperm experiences in the female reproductive system. And, perhaps most important, seminal fluid gives the sperm the energy (in the form of fructose) they need for their arduous swim.

3. Semen is formed in three different parts of the body, not just the testes.

According to morgentaler, semen comes from three main structures in the male reproductive anatomy. The first is the prostate, which forms a milky substance full of enzymes, proteins, and minerals. The second are the seminal vesicles, which produce the fructose as well as two-thirds of the fluid. The third are the testicles, which produce the sperm and some other fluid as well.

4. Sperm are the only human cells produced in one individual, but designed for survival in another.

" sperm are amazing" morgentaler says, because of this fact. Think about it! our bodies are designed to attack anything that is not from our own body. Sperm didn't get that memo, though. Not unlike the white-haired traveler anthony bourdain, sperm, too, venture on to parts unknown.

5. Dudes produce a shit ton of sperm.

According to morgentaler, a human male produces around 150 million sperm a day. That means you are producing a few thousand sperm every couple of seconds.

6. Most of a man's sperm are pretty useless.

According to morgentaler" guys are into quantity and not so much quality" only a bit more than half the semen in an average ejaculation can swim, he says, and up to 70–90% are not ideally shaped for swimming. We are talking two heads, two tails, big heads, small heads, big tails, small tails, no tails… it's a hot (literally) mess (sometimes literally).