How Is Sperm Digested? We Asked Doctors So You Don't Have To

The craziest sex questions always seem to start in a group chat. "You guys, what does sperm come out as after being swallowed?" my friend asked one Sunday afternoon, presumably a few hours after her Saturday-night interest left her apartment. In all honestly, we were stumped. While we had previously discussed the pros and cons of swallowing versus spitting, best blowjob tips, and oral-sex positions, never had we ever taken a moment to process how sperm is...well...processed.

This was our sticking point: semen (the ejaculate containing sperm) isn't quite the consistency of water, which would obviously come out in the form of pee. But it's also not as thick as food, which would point to it being digested and excreted the way our meals are (aka as poop). So then how is semen processed? And if you swallow it, is there any nutritional benefit?

For all those wondering the same questions (but too afraid to ask), we decided to launch a full-blown investigation into how semen is broken down in the body, recruiting the help of two doctors. Read on to find out what happens to semen after it's been swallowed. You know...for the sake of the group chat.

Daniel Boyer, MD, is a practicing physician with experience in internal medicine, pathology, and gynecology and obstetrics.

Justin Houman, MD, is a board-certified urologist.

In order to understand how semen is processed, it's important to know what semen consists of. According to Daniel Boyer, MD, semen is a lot like food in that it's made up of fluids and essential nutrients like calcium, magnesium, zinc, potassium, and glucose. This means that your body processes swallowed semen the same way it does solid food: "Once ingested, [semen will] pass through the normal digestion process that food usually undergoes," Dr. Boyer tells PS.

As for whether semen comes out as pee or poop, Dr. Boyer says it could be either. "The body treats semen components just like those contained in normal food substances, and will come out of your body in the form of pee/stool as a byproduct of digestion."

Celebrities like Kourtney Kardashian and Christina Aguilera say semen does everything from improving fertility to boosting your protein. But although there may be some other nutritional benefits to swallowing semen, Dr. Boyer says "the nutritional composition of semen is not significant enough to rely on as a source of nutrients for the body."

With that in mind, Dr. Boyer says that semen is filled with nutrients that could be beneficial for overall health, including "depressive-antagonizing hormones like serotonin and oxytocin." As Justin Houman, MD previously told PS, the primary components of semen include sperm cells, water (which makes up the majority of its volume), various proteins, fructose (which provides energy to the sperm cells), and ascorbic acid to protect the sperm from oxidative damage. Other minerals include zinc, calcium, and magnesium. However, one would have to consume extreme amounts of semen to see any substantial effect on nutrition.

That's the final word for one of my group chat's more unhinged threads. Make sure to keep this info handy in case the topic ever comes up in a chat of your own.

— Additional reporting by Chandler Plante

Taylor Andrews is a PS Balance editor who specializes in topics relating to sex, relationships, dating, sexual health, mental health, and more.

Chandler Plante is an assistant editor for PS Health & Fitness. Previously, she worked as an editorial assistant for People magazine and contributed to Ladygunn, Millie, and Bustle Digital Group. In her free time, she overshares on the internet, creating content about chronic illness, beauty, and disability.