13 Facts About Semen And Sperm: Composition, Volume, And More

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Sexual Health

What’s the Difference Between Semen and Sperm? And 12 Other FAQ

Medically reviewed by Kevin Martinez, M.D. — Written by Adrienne Santos-Longhurst on August 31, 2020

Difference
Misused terms
Semen’s makeup
Semen’s purpose
Semen’s origin
Semen’s volume
Sperm and pre-cum
Sperm’s size
Sperm’s volume
Sperm’s longevity
Sperm’s development
Sperm’s production
Takeaway

Semen is a fluid that contains sperm and fluids from the prostate, seminal vesicles, and bulbourethral glands. It helps sperm travel to an egg for fertilization.

editorial image of about two dozen white sperm shapes swimming in the same direction against a solid orange background

Pondering sperm and semen and wondering how they differ? We’ll cover that and answer some of your other burning questions here.

Aren’t they the same thing?

Nope! (Mind blown, right?)

Semen and sperm are kinda like squares and rectangles. Sperm is a part of semen, but semen isn’t a part of sperm.

Semen, also called ejaculate or cum, is the whitish fluid that comes out of the penis when a person comes — well, usually, but not always. (You can read more on dry orgasm here if you’re curious.)

Sperm are male reproductive cells and are just one component of semen, though a very important one if you’re looking to reproduce.

Why are the terms used interchangeably?

Who knows for sure? But it’s easy to see why people do it.

I mean, both come out the same place, after all. And both words contain five letters and start with the letter ‘S’.

It’s an honest mistake.

Is there anything else is in semen?

Yep! Semen is actually a combination of mature sperm and fluids from the prostate, the seminal vesicles, and bulbourethral glands.

This cocktail is chock-full of ingredients, including sugars, proteins, and even some vitamins and minerals.

What is the purpose of semen?

You know how sperm cells are shaped like tadpoles and often referred to as “swimmers”? Yeah, no.

Despite their wiggly tails and fish-esque appearance, without the help of semen to carry them, sperm would just keep swimming in circles.

Semen is essentially the tailwind that helps sperm get to the egg for the purpose of procreation.

Where is semen formed?

The making of semen is actually a big and pretty impressive production.

Semen is formed in a few different places:

Testicles. The testes — aka the balls — are two small organs that sit inside the scrotum and make sperm and testosterone.
Epididymis. This long tube is located near each testicle and moves the sperm from your danglers to the vas deferens.
Vas deferens. This tube connects the epididymis and urethra, which is the hole that urine and semen exit the body through. The vas deferens stores sperm and carries it out of the scrotum.
Seminal vesicles. These sac-like glands sit behind the bladder and produce seminal fluid that forms part of semen.
Prostate. The prostate is a gland that surrounds the neck of the bladder and urethra and secretes an alkaline fluid that forms part of semen. It also helps propel semen from the penis.

Once semen is made, it passes through the urethra and out of the penis during ejaculation.

How much semen is typically ejaculated?

On average, around a teaspoon’s worth, but there are a few things that affect this.

Factors like smoking, diet, genetics, and overall health can impact semen volume.

If a person with a penis goes a few days without sex, they’re likely to ejaculate more. Age is another big factor.

Fun fact: Those with penises produce the most semen in their early 30s.

Does pre-ejaculate contain sperm?

Not usually, but it can.

If there’s sperm leftover in the urethra, it can get mixed in with pre-ejaculate, or pre-cum, if you prefer.

This is why the pull-out method isn’t considered a reliable form of birth control.

In various studies, samples of pre-ejaculate have been shown to contain active, mobile sperm.

Can you actually see sperm?

Only if you’re looking through a microscope.

Sperm are tiny. Like really tiny.

The average sperm measures just 4.3 micrometers (μm) long and 2.9 μm wide.

How much sperm is typically ejaculated?

From 15 million sperm to over 200 million sperm per milliliter (ml) of semen is considered a normal sperm count.

Lots of things can affect sperm count, from problems anywhere along the reproductive system to medical conditions to lifestyle, even a person’s environment.

How long do sperm live?

It depends on where it lands once it leaves the body.

Sperm that make it into the warmth and safety of a vagina can live up to 5 days thanks to the protective effects offered by cervical mucus.

For sperm that land elsewhere, the chances of a long life are pretty dismal — usually only a few minutes, especially if they land on a cold, dry surface, like the bathroom floor or computer screen.

Hot water can kill sperm even faster.

How long does it take the body to make sperm?

The body is like a sperm assembly line, always making new sperm.

The entire process, from germ cell to mature sperm takes around 74 days.

Does the body ever stop producing sperm?

Nope. A penis haver’s body continues to make sperm as long as they’re alive.

That said, quality and motility decline over time, especially after the age of 50.

What’s the bottom line?

People will likely forever use the words semen and sperm when referring to ejaculate, but you, smarty-pants, now know they’re not the same.

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesHistoryHealthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Bellastella G, et al. (2010). Dimensions of human ejaculated spermatozoa in Papanicolaou-stained seminal and swim-up smears obtained from the Integrated Semen Analysis System (ISAS). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3739080/
Durairajanayagam D, et al. (2015). Sperm biology from production to ejaculation.https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-2140-9_5
Killick SR, et al. (2010). Sperm content of pre-ejaculatory fluid.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3564677/
Kovavisarach E, et al. (2016). Presence of sperm in pre-ejaculatory fluid of healthy males.http://www.thaiscience.info/journals/Article/JMAT/10986029.pdf
Mayo Clinic Staff. (2018). Low sperm count.https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/low-sperm-count/symptoms-causes/syc-20374585
Sperm. (2017).https://sexinfo.soc.ucsb.edu/article/sperm
What factors determine semen volume? (n.d.).https://www.issm.info/sexual-health-qa/what-factors-determine-semen-volume
What is semen? (2015).https://sexinfo.soc.ucsb.edu/article/semen

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Medically reviewed by Kevin Martinez, M.D. — Written by Adrienne Santos-Longhurst on August 31, 2020

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