When you think of cutting out things that are unhealthy in your life, you probably think: no more margaritas, drop the smokes, fewer late nights and no more toxic relationships. But what about masturbation? Have you ever thought about giving that up and practicing seminal retention?
Well, if you’re a man, you might want to take a closer look at the ramifications of this taboo subject.
Spermidine in sperm
First off, let's talk about spermidine and spermine. What? Yes, they’re a thing. And they’re so vitally important that they exist in great quantities in your sperm because they protect your DNA as it swims to the egg.
These curiously named compounds also trigger autophagy, which is your body’s natural process of cellular renewal and recycling. If you don’t’ have enough spermidine, you can’t trigger autophagy.
No autophagy? Cue wrinkles, thinning, graying hair and accelerated internal tissue, organ and cellular aging. All the things that we associate with 'normal, healthy' aging.
Spermidine is so important that it can protect neurons from damage by oxidative stress and is preferentially taken up by cardiomyocytes, specialized cells in the heart that emit the electrical impulses that make your heart beat. Brain function and heart beat? Yes, spermidine is rather important.
But it’s also been linked in several epidemiological studies to a longer, healthy life [1].
When we’re young, we tend to have lots of it because our tissues and gut biome can manufacture it and we can also get another third of our needs met through natural concentrations of spermidine and spermine in our food – it’s in every plant and animal on the planet.
However, if you’ve ever had a round of antibiotics, you’ve probably disrupted the balance in your gut and hurt those colonies of healthy gut bugs that produce these magical substances. Pair that with a little stress-busting visit with Mrs Hand and her 5 lovely daughters and you may well be low in not just zinc, magnesium, potassium and vitamin B12, but also vitamin C as well as spermidine and spermine.
By how much? Well, the average seminal emission contains anywhere from 15 to 50mg of spermidine. The amount seen in clinical trials to reverse subjective cognitive decline? [2] 1mg per day.
And dare I say that low zinc, magnesium, B12 and spermidine have all been linked to premature gray hair? And low zinc, vitamin C and spermidine to low immunity? Yep, that too. As a matter of fact, a study out this week from the Charite Hospital in Berlin and the University of Bonn showed that when cells were exposed to SARS-CoV2 in vitro and then spermidine and spermine were introduced to their petri dish, SARS-CoV2 triggered virophagy, a specialized type of autophagy which can engulf SARS-CoV2 virus [3].
Seminal Retention Benefits for Longevity
So the takeaway? Guys, try practicing more seminal retention, an ancient Taoist sexual art whereby you experience an orgasm but not the ejaculation. And if you’re wondering if you need to meditate like a monk to do this, the shortcut is to just press your perineum with your fingers as you feel you’re about to orgasm. Since the perineum contains a huge bundle of sensitive nerves – it is the ‘G Spot’ for guys after all – this could actually be more pleasurable without being depleting.
Other Spermidine Sources
What is an easy way to help replenish spermidine levels? One way is to increase your intake of high-spermidine foods like Japanese natto (a delicacy made from fermented soybeans) or a supplement like Primeadine® that provides additional spermidine as well as a prebiotic fiber that selectively feeds the friendly gut bugs in your biome that manufacture spermidine too.
References
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