What Happens To A Man's Prostate Right After Having Sex

When it comes to reproduction, the prostate plays a major role. About the size of a walnut, the prostate is the main hub in the production of seminal fluid. The prostate and seminal vesicles are essential in making sure that semen is released through the urethra, resulting in what we know as ejaculation. The prostate, in addition to the bladder, also works together to make sure the seminal fluid is expelled from the body and doesn't end up in the bladder instead. That's why having a healthy prostate and being aware of your reproductive organs is so important.

Naturally, after one has sex or masturbates, the seminal fluid that has been released needs to be refilled and unlike some organs that tend to dawdle, the prostate, as well as the seminal vesicles immediately get back to work. Of course, how long this takes is based on factors like age and overall health, but a 2017 study published in European Radiology found it can take up to three days — if ejaculation is avoided — to reach "maximal seminal vesicle distension." The same study also found that the reduction of seminal fluid stays low in volume for up to two days. But because the prostate is a necessary part of ejaculation and, especially for those hoping to procreate, volume might matter to you, so what's going on with your prostate after sex or masturbation is something you want to know.

Once a person climaxes and ejaculation has occurred, the prostate and seminal vesicle immediately get back to production. What's important to remember here is that semen and sperm are not the same thing, nor are they produced in the same place or at the same rate. For example, there are billions of sperm in a man's body on any given day, but sperm production, known as spermatogenesis, can take up to 74 days for this cycle to be completed, per Cleveland Clinic. But don't worry; despite this production time, millions of new sperm are born every day.

Because sperm can't get to where they're going without the prostatic and seminal fluids in the prostate gland and seminal vesicles, the prostate has no choice but to get back to business because it doesn't have the endless supply of sperm on tap. That's why if you don't have enough downtime between ejaculations, the volume of seminal fluid will be lower than expected or you won't release any at all, the latter being a dry orgasm — which isn't uncommon. "If you are having a dry orgasm, you will feel the physical sensations of orgasmic pleasure, but no semen will be released," clinical sexologist Sarah Melancon told Men's Health. "If a dry orgasm occurs after a recent orgasm with ejaculation, all you need to do is wait it out. Your body will naturally replenish your semen with time."

On average, according to the International Society for Sexual Medicine, the volume of semen that's released per orgasm is somewhere between 1.25 to 5 milliliters or about one-quarter to 1 teaspoon. So, in other words, there's not a huge amount in the first place. However, if you're not satisfied with your prostate's production rate and want to try to increase that volume, there are steps you can take. For starters, get healthy. If you smoke, quit. If you drink a lot, cut way back, and if the majority of your meals consist of processed foods, then it's time to move toward a healthier diet.

In addition to kicking your bad habits to the curb, reducing the number of times you masturbate and learning how to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles through Kegel exercises can also help. Granted, nothing is guaranteed here, but when you make healthy choices, your body tends to reward you for it. As of now, there's no magic pill that's going to make your prostate refill on command, but if seminal fluid volume is important to you then making these lifestyle changes may be just the thing you need.