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Ever find yourself stressing over this: Why is my sperm watery and clear? This is a common concern among reproductive-aged men. And we have answers for you.
It’s no secret that sperm health is a major factor in male fertility. But did you know that the look and consistency of your semen can give you clues about your sperm production?
Even though semen is 80% water, it doesn’t usually look like water at all. Instead, it should be relatively thick, sticky, and grayish or whitish in color. In fact, if your semen looks watery, it may indicate a low sperm count or an issue with other male reproductive organs.
Keep reading for more details so you can determine exactly what’s going on with your seminal fluid.
And just for your reference: The correct term is actually “watery semen,” not “watery sperm.” But since the word “sperm” is commonly used by the general public, we have included “watery sperm” in brackets throughout the article.
What does normal semen look like?
Before we talk about the causes of watery semen, let’s understand what normal semen looks like. (And also make sure we know the difference between semen and sperm!)
You may have heard friends or Internet forums use “sperm” and “semen” as one and the same. But there’s an important difference between the two.
Sperm is a male reproductive cell that fertilizes an egg. It’s just one component of semen.
Semen, aka ejaculate, is a fluid made up of:
- Sperm cells
- Fluids secreted by your prostate gland, bulbourethral gland, and seminal vesicles
- White blood cells (WBCs) and epithelial cells
And here’s what normal healthy semen looks like at a glance:
- Whitish or grayish
- Thick and sticky
- Similar to the consistency of jelly or egg whites
Curious to know why semen looks this way?
The presence of proteins and the high amount of sperm cells creates a whitish color. These proteins also create that jelly-like consistency. All of this is a sign of a healthy sperm count!
But perhaps you’re still wondering: is it normal for my sperm to be watery? We’ll explore several reasons you may notice semen that’s more liquid-like in the next section.
What causes clear, watery semen (watery sperm)?
There are a few reasons you may have watery semen (watery sperm). And thankfully, not all of them are harmful. So no need to jump to any scary conclusions.
But typically, the more watery your semen is, the less sperm it contains. As a rule of thumb, if you’re seeing watery semen (watery sperm) every now and then, it’s likely not a reason to be concerned.
But if you have watery or discolored semen often, there could be an underlying condition to blame.
Here are some of the potential causes for clear sperm:
1. Frequent ejaculation
Having sex or masturbating multiple times a day could cause your sperm count to decrease. This doesn’t mean your sperm production is lower overall. But on each ejaculation, the amount of sperm will be lower. This is because the time it takes for sperm to fully regenerate is just over 2 months (64 days to be exact). So even though your body produces sperm every day, the full count won’t be replenished right away. This is why frequent ejaculation can make your semen look watery. One study looked at the effect of daily ejaculation for 6 men for a period of two weeks. They found that ejaculating daily didn’t cause any harm to the overall sperm health of these men. But they did find that as the two-week period progressed, the samples contained a significantly lower volume of sperm and seminal fluid. Learn more: Does ejaculating multiple times reduce sperm count?2. Low sperm count
Another possibility for why you’re seeing clear semen is a low sperm count. We’ve touched on this a little already. But there’s a difference between occasionally having a low sperm due to ejaculation habits versus having a low sperm count overall. Having a low sperm count means one of two things.- First, it could mean there are less than 15 million sperm per every mL of semen produced.
- Or it could mean there are less than 39 million sperm total in the entire ejaculate.
- Varicocele: With varicocele, the veins within the scrotum become enlarged due to abnormal circulation. It’s a fairly common condition for men who are struggling with conceiving. In fact, studies show that 2 out of every 5 men with fertility challenges have varicocele. The telltale of this condition is having swollen testicular veins.
- Hypogonadism: This is when your testicles are unable to produce enough testosterone. Hypogonadism keeps you from maintaining a healthy sperm count.
- Infections: Some infections can also cause low sperm count if they go untreated. A few of these are prostatitis, chlamydia, and gonorrhea. So seek medical attention right away if you think you had (or have) an infection.
- Ejaculatory issues: Some men suffer from a condition called retrograde ejaculation. In normal ejaculation, your semen travels through the penis. In retrograde ejaculation, the semen travels in the opposite direction through to the bladder.
- Abnormalities of the testicles: If you’ve experienced any sort of trauma or injury to the testicles, that can lead to low sperm count. Undescended testicles and swelling caused by an STD or other infection can lower sperm count too.
- Lifestyle factors: Sperm count can also be impacted when you take certain medications, consume alcohol, smoke, or use drugs. And strenuous physical labor over a long period of time can lower sperm count too. So making changes to these lifestyle factors may help you improve your low sperm count. Just remember, it will take a little over 2 months to actually notice the change in your sperm health.
- Environmental toxins: Being around radiation and other environmental pollutants can negatively affect fertility and sperm health. Consider if where you live or work may have a heightened risk of this type of exposure.
3. Zinc deficiency
Another factor that can lead to low sperm count that most men are less familiar with is having low levels of zinc. When it comes to male fertility, zinc has several important functions. It has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant capabilities, and it also acts as a sperm protectant. Having a zinc deficiency can play a part in quite a few male health challenges. (And some of these could impact fertility). Some of these include:- Hypogonadism
- Reduced testis volume
- Lower testicular weight
- Gonadal dysfunction
- Inadequate development of secondary sex specifications (this can result in lack of features like facial and pubic hair and the male “Adam’s apple”)
- Shrinkage of the seminiferous tubules (these are tiny tubes inside the testes that help produce sperm cells)
- Failure of spermatogenesis (sperm production)
- Failure of male gonad growth (a.k.a. your testes don’t develop)
4. Pre-ejaculation fluid
Another possibility for what appears to be watery semen is simply confusing pre-cum with ejaculate. Before having an orgasm, you could secrete prejaculatory fluid. It’s not uncommon for people to confuse this fluid with ejaculate. But pre-ejaculation fluid will not contain any sperm. How can you tell the difference? If it’s before intercourse and it’s clear and watery, it’s precum. If it’s after sex and thicker and whitish in color, it’s cum. The chart below gives you a helpful visual of this.Can I get pregnant with watery semen (watery sperm)?
How can I check my sperm count?
Of course, it would be nice if there was an easy way to determine your sperm count just by looking at it. But the only way to confirm if you have a low sperm count is to get a semen analysis test. This analysis can be performed at a lab, your doctor’s office, or a fertility clinic.
In some cases, you’ll need to produce the semen sample at the site of the test. In other cases, you may be able to produce the sample at home and bring it in. It will depend on where you get the test done.
And just as a reminder, the sign of a healthy sperm count is 39 million or more sperm per ejaculate. Your doctor can give you more details about your overall sperm health based on your test results though.
Let’s say you get the test done and find out you do have a low sperm count, what should you do next? We’ll go over this scenario in the next section, so stick with us.
How can I improve my sperm count?
We’re sorry to hear that you’re dealing with this. This type of news can feel frustrating, even heartbreaking. So it’s only natural to begin wondering: is there any way I can increase my sperm count? And the answer is yes. There are several things you can do.
The major ways you can do this involve dietary choices and certain lifestyle factors.
Here’s a quick glimpse at a few specific ways you can improve your sperm count:
- Getting enough sleep
- Engaging in mild to moderate exercise
- Managing stress levels
- Staying away from drugs and alcohol
- Eliminating your exposure to environmental pollutants and toxins
- Getting enough vitamin D, vitamin C, zinc, omega-3 fatty acids, and antioxidants
Learn more: How to Produce More Sperm
Another way to improve your sperm count is to avoid common sperm killers.
Know more: 9 Sperm Killers to Avoid When You’re Trying to Conceive
These suggestions are a good place to start for improving your overall sperm count and health. But be aware that certain underlying conditions may require more rigorous treatment in order to see results. This is why we suggest talking to your fertility specialist about your unique circumstances and fertility goals.
Takeaways
- Semen, also called ejaculate, contains sperm and fluids. Healthy semen is a thick consistency and whitish or grayish in color.
- You may notice clear, watery semen if you have frequent ejaculation (more than once a day).
- More concerning causes of watery semen include low sperm count and zinc deficiency. Sometimes certain lifestyle and dietary changes can help with these conditions. But it will take about 2 to 3 months to see if these changes affect sperm production.
- Pre-cum is watery in consistency and is sometimes confused with ejaculate. But you can tell the difference because pre-cum is secreted during foreplay. Ejaculate comes after an orgasm.
- Depending on the cause of your watery semen, it may be a sign of male infertility. This is because it’s an indication of fewer sperm. But this isn’t always the case, and sometimes some simple lifestyle changes will do the trick.
- To see if you have a low sperm count, you ask your doctor about getting a semen analysis.
- If you’re TTC and experiencing watery semen (watery sperm), consult your fertility specialist. It’s also best to keep the time between ejaculation at least 2 days apart. Research shows that this 2-day window gives your body enough time for healthy sperm production.
FAQs
No, healthy sperm is not usually clear in color. Instead, it should look like a milky white or cloudy gray color and be sticky and jelly-like in thickness.
No, staying well-hydrated will not affect the consistency of your semen. Watery semen is a result of low sperm count.
Certain STIs can cause infection and lead to damaged testicular tubes (which sperm have to travel through). And some STIs like chlamydia, ureaplasma, and trichomoniasis can harm sperm production. In both scenarios, sperm quality is affected and your semen may appear watery.
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- Influence of ejaculation frequency on seminal parameters | Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology
- World Health Organization reference values for human semen characteristics*‡ | Human Reproduction Update | Oxford Academic
- Thyroid dysfunction and semen quality – Sandro La Vignera, Roberto Vita, 2018
- What are some possible causes of male infertility? | NICHD
- What lifestyle and environmental factors may be involved with infertility in females and males? | NICHD
- Zinc is an Essential Element for Male Fertility: A Review of Zn Roles in Men’s Health, Germination, Sperm Quality, and Fertilization – PMC
- Influence of the abstinence period on human sperm quality: analysis of 2,458 semen samples – PMC
- Semen Analysis – Health Encyclopedia – University of Rochester Medical Center
