Does a man's sperm have a smell? What does the special smell of semen mean?

Many women say that after having sex with their husbands, their husbands’ ejaculated sperm has a very strange smell. For example, some women say that the sperm smells very bad, while others think that the sperm smells very fragrant. So, under normal circumstances, what does a man’s sperm smell like? And does this smell have any physiological significance?

Composition of semen

Semen, saliva, gastrointestinal fluid, blood, lymph, cerebrospinal fluid, etc. are all body fluids, but only semen has the most obvious smell. Semen is not as simple as other body fluids, it is a mixed fluid. In addition to sperm, other seminal plasma components in semen are composed of various secretions from the prostate, testicular fluid, seminal vesicle fluid, urethra, and vas deferens.

What does normal semen smell like?

The smell of normal semen is emitted after the oxidation of a chemical called arginine, which is very similar to the smell of chestnut flowers. Arginine is one of the many important components contained in prostate secretions. The oxidation of arginine must be involved in the seminal vesicle fluid. The prostate fluid obtained through rectal massage generally does not have the smell of natural ejaculated semen. It can be seen that the smell of normal ejaculated semen comes from the prostate, but it is emitted with the participation of seminal vesicle fluid. The lack of this characteristic smell in semen often indicates that the prostate function is damaged. Many patients with prostatitis often do not smell this smell in their semen.

What does it mean if semen has a special smell?

As for the physiological significance of the special smell of semen, it is speculated that it may be related to sexual desire and sexual behavior. In lower animals, the information of sexual activities and sexual selection of both sexes is mainly transmitted by smell; many mammals will emit a special smell during the estrus period to attract the opposite sex. Although the ways for humans to receive sexual stimulation have been continuously expanded in evolution, the position of smell in sexual selection has given way to vision. However, in recent years, scientists have discovered many secretions in the human body that can affect the opposite sex through smell, indicating that smell may still be one of the important sensory organs of the human body, and it is necessary to do in-depth research.