Ah semen.
One of the many fluids are bodies like to emit. Just like our blood, urine, or saliva, semen can provide insights into our bodily health.
According to Metro UK, there are certain things you can learn from semen without a professional medical assessment. The colour, texture and smell can provide clues to your health. Read below...
1.Clear /White Semen
Image: Evgeniy Alekseyev
According to Medical News Today, healthy semen is a clear/white colour with a gel like texture similar to a raw egg.
Speaking to Metro UK, Professor Geoff Hackett said that, while most healthy semen is a "whitish, grey colour," you may notice the occasional yellow tinge.
2.Yellow semen
While the occasional yellow tinge is nothing to worry about, a consistent yellow pigment would be cause for concern. Yellow , or greenish semen may be an indication of an STI, such as chlamydia or gonorrhea. While many STIs have no symptoms, these infections could cause semen to have a foul odour.
Another aspect to yellowish semen could be alcohol related. Professor Hackett told Metro UK that a yellow or orange discolouration could be linked to excessive alcohol consumption, or urine infections.
Overall, a yellow semen pigment could be caused by an increase in the number of white blood cells in the body, brought on by infection. As such, if you have a consistent yellow colouration, you should seek medical advice form your GP.
3.Green semen
A green tinge in semen is most often brought on for the same reasons as a yellow colouration (see above)
According to Metro UK, it could also be caused by certain vitamins, medications or even food colours. If the colour persists, speak to your GP.
4.Pink or Red Semen
Image: Victoria Emerson
A pink or red colour in your semen is mot likely related to the presence of blood.
According to Metro UK, the most common reasons for this would be infections such as prostatitis, urethritis, an infection of the testes or an STI. A medical examination would be needed to establish the full cause.
Brown or black semen
Lastly brown or black colouration can be a sign of internal trauma. It may mean there has been heavy bleeding in the body, or blood has been in the body for a long period of time. This may be from a heavy injury, e.g. spinal cord injury.
Another factor that may cause brown or black pigment in semen is metals in the body. If you have been exposed to contaminated food, or are working with metals such as lead or nickel, these may cause a dark colouration in semen.
In summary, semen should be white/grey in colour, with a gel like consistency. Small changes in semen colour or texture are nothing to worry about, but if an unusual colour or odour persists, speak to your GP.
To learn more about your sexual wellbeing, try Beat's original podcast "Let's Talk About Gnéas(sex)
