Why dont i get precum

Medically Reviewed by Dany Paul Baby, MD on April 21, 2022

Pre-ejaculate is also called pre-cum, and is a liquid that squeezes out of the penis when aroused. It is formed by the accessory sex glands. These glands are different from the prostate and testes that make semen. The accessory sex glands do not produce sperm. You can't feel pre-ejaculate coming out of your penis, and there's no way to control it.

It is a clear, mucus-like liquid that appears at the tip of the penis during sexual excitement. It is produced by the accessory sex glands—the Cowper's gland, the glands of Littre, and the glands of Morgagni. The amount can be a few drops to 5 milliliters. These glands open into the urethra at different places.

The amount can vary in the same person at different times, depending on the intensity of sexual excitement.

What Does Precum Look Like? It is usually a clear, sticky liquid.

When Does Precum Occur? It occurs when you're feeling sexual excitement.

Pre-Ejaculate Meaning: Pre-ejaculate shows excitement. It means you feel desire for your partner. 

The Cowper's gland is the main source of the pre-ejaculate fluid. It is situated below the prostate and is also called the bulbourethral gland. It produces an alkaline, mucus-like fluid during sexual stimulation.

  • Pre-ejaculation fluid neutralizes the acidity in the urethra. Urine is often acidic and leaves an acidic residue in the urethra. Sperm don't thrive in an acidic environment. Pre-ejaculate provides a basic (alkaline) pH for the semen and urethra.
  • It contains glycoproteins, which provide lubrication during intercourse. 
  • The environment in the vaginal vault is chemically unsuitable for sperms. The pre-ejaculate fluid provides a neutralizing buffer and helps them survive and remain active.

Pre-ejaculate is released all through the sex act and it enters your partner's vagina. Any sperm in it can travel up through the cervix and find the egg in the fallopian tube.

The withdrawal method (also called coitus interruptus) refers to the withdrawal of the penis from the vagina before ejaculation. It's an ancient method, costs nothing, and has no side effects. But it is undependable. A pregnancy may happen because of sperm in the pre-cum.

The secretion from the Cowper's gland does not contain any sperm. However, the pre-ejaculate collected at the tip of the penis shows the presence of sperm.

Some studies have shown that more than 40% of men have sperm in their pre-ejaculate fluid. Some men always have sperm in their pre-ejaculate, while others never do. This always or never phenomenon probably explains why some men are successful at birth control by the withdrawal method. But the possibility of sperm in pre-ejaculate is high. The way to avoid pregnancy is to wear a condom from the first moment of genital contact.

For withdrawal to work as birth control, you must pull out when ejaculation is about to happen. It is difficult to do so every time. It is impossible to know about pre-ejaculate fluid entering your partner's vagina. Withdrawal works best with another birth control method like condoms, oral contraceptive pills, or a vaginal ring. 

There's a belief that the sperm in pre-ejaculate fluid are leftover sperm in the urethra from the last ejaculation. But even after passing urine several times after the last ejaculation, the pre-ejaculate contains sperm. Passing urine to wash out the urethra does not work to keep sperm out of pre-ejaculate.

If you don't want a pregnancy, the withdrawal method should not be your only form of birth control. You should combine it with another method. If you've completed your family or otherwise decided not to have children, male or female sterilization are dependable, permanent methods. The temporary methods are:

Diaphragm or cap. This covers the cervix of the uterus and doesn't allow sperm to enter the uterus.

Oral contraceptive pills. Also called "the pill." These pills contain both types of sex hormones, estrogens and progestins. The pill works by preventing the ovaries from releasing an egg at all. Oral contraceptive pills are more than 99% effective at preventing pregnancy.

Contraceptive implant. A doctor places a small plastic rod under a woman's skin. It releases the hormone progestin for three years and prevents pregnancy. 

Contraceptive injection. A slow-release injection of progestin is given to women. It prevents pregnancy for three months.

Contraceptive patch. A woman can stick it to her skin, and it releases progestin for a week. It has to be replaced every week for three weeks. It helps with heavy periods and painful periods and is effective even if you have nausea and vomiting.

Condoms. They prevent semen from entering the vagina. Apart from pregnancy, they also prevent the transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. 

Female condoms. Worn inside the vagina, they prevent sperm from entering the uterus.

Intrauterine device (IUD). These are small devices placed into the uterus. They release copper or hormones and prevent pregnancy. An IUD works for several years.

Vaginal ring. These are placed inside the vagina. They release hormones slowly and prevent pregnancy.

Yes, it can. The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is present in the pre-ejaculate fluid. The concentration of the virus is less than in semen, but the infection can happen.

The amount of this fluid is variable. Some men have large volumes. This can be socially embarrassing, as just being out on a date or kissing results in soaking of the pants. 

Excessive pre-ejaculate is not a medical problem or a threat to health. But if you want to reduce it, you should talk to your physician. Medicines like finasteride can relieve such symptoms.

Sperm leaks into the pre-ejaculate fluid in some men. The number of sperm is less than in semen but can probably cause pregnancy. If you're using the withdrawal method to avoid pregnancy, you should know that it alone is not enough protection. Even if you possess an iron will and withdraw before ejaculation each time, your pre-cum may cause a pregnancy. It's best to combine the withdrawal method with another method of birth control.

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not much more to it than that, I'm 18, never had sex, but I hear references to "precum" and it confused the hell out of me for a while, looked it up a while back and just shrugged like "oh well", now I'm more curious, do some guys just not have it? does it not happen from just masturbating? is not having it a bad thing? just looking for some outside input. thanks!

Precum or pre-ejaculate is a fluid that comes out of a penis when a becomes aroused. It can show up at any time during foreplay or during masturbation, and some people notice it, while others don’t. 

Why dont i get precum

It’s a very natural part of male anatomy, but there is still a lot of misconception about precum — what exactly it is, what purpose does it serve, and where does it come from. 

Well, good news — today we’re here to discuss everything there is to know about precum, aka pre-ejaculate.

So, let’s start from the very beginning: 

Pre-Ejaculate vs. Ejaculate

Many people are confused about the difference between precum (pre-ejaculate) and semen (ejaculate). 

Both fluids come out of the penis, both of them come out during the sexual activity, so are they really that different? 

The answer to this question is yes

Semen is a fluid that’s produced in the testes (aka testicles), and it carries sperm which has an important part to play in the continuation of the human race (not to be dramatic or anything).

Pre-ejaculate or precum is made in a different part of male anatomy, has a different structure, and serves a totally different purpose than semen. 

Where Does Precum or Pre-Ejaculate Come From?

Cowper’s gland, a pair of pea-sized glands located close to the urethra, is responsible for producing precum. 

It has tubes that are all connected to the same track where pee and sperm also travel via the penis, and it’s always released by the body involuntary when a man is aroused. 

What Does Precum Consist Of?

Precum is an alkaline fluid, and it mainly consists of mucus, water, and some other gel-like substances. 

While the gland that produces pre-ejaculate doesn’t produce or store sperm, it’s important to note that precum can contain sperm in it. 

In the study published back in 2010, the researchers found that 11 subjects out of 27 (41%) released a pre-ejaculate fluid that had sperm in it. 

Researchers also noted that 10 out of those subjects (37%) had sperm that was still active.

What Is the Purpose of Precum?

There are two notable functions of precum, and both are equally important. 

First, the precum functions as a natural lubricant for sexual activity for people with penises, just like arousal fluid is for people with vaginas. 

It helps to reduce friction during sexual intercourse, which in turn makes the whole experience more pleasurable and not painful. 

Another purpose of the precum is to neutralize the acidity in the urethra track, making it the perfect environment for sperm to survive and pass. 

Pee and sperm use the same track to travel through the penis. However, their PH balances are completely different — pee is acidic, and sperm is alkaline. 

Precum is alkaline, and it serves the function of neutralizing the urethra track before the sperm is released, allowing it to survive and reach its goal without issues. 

So, Does This Mean You Can Skip on the Lube?

While it’s true that one of the main purposes of precum is to lubricate the penis and make sexual intercourse more pleasant and enjoyable, it doesn’t mean that you should rely solely on it to make sex smooth. 

The amount of precum varies for different people the same way the arousal fluid amount varies. So, you shouldn’t solely rely on precum to do the job of the lubricant.

It’s also important to note that pre-ejaculate might not be the safest option as a lube alternative for people who don’t use alternative forms of protection from getting pregnant. 

How Much Precum Does the Body Produce?

The amount of precum that your body produces varies from person to person. It can be anywhere between a few drops to a teaspoon on average. 

In most cases, the amount of precum that men produce is not enough to lubricate the penis enough for penetration. However, there are some men who produce very large amounts of precum. 

Large amounts of pre-ejaculate is not a health concern, according to studies. However, it can be uncomfortable when the amount of precum a man releases soaks theor underwear when they’re aroused. 

If the amount of precum your penis produces when you are aroused causes issues and extreme un-comfort, then it might be a good idea to see a doctor. 

They can prescribe a special medication that can help deal with the excess amount of pre-ejaculate fluid.

There Is Not Much You Can Do To Control the Amount of Precum Your Body Produces

Some men might want to find ways to increase the production of precum to make their sexual experiences better. 

Just like men think that increasing their semen volume will make them more manly, they think that increasing the volume of their precum will give them an advantage in bed. 

However, the amount of precum your body produces is not dependent on you. Dr. Srikanth Reddy writes, “there is no way you can increase the quantity of precum. There are some traditional therapies like Tentex Forte available which claim to increase the pre-cum as well, but my patients have never noticed any benefit by that.”

Each body works differently, and for this reason, there is no way to increase the amount of pre-ejaculate fluid. 

And because there are different ways to enhance sexual pleasure and experience via different lubricants, there is no need to increase the amount of precum your body produces. 

So, don’t fall for the cheap gimmicks of taking pills, vitamins, and supplements to increase the amount of pre-ejaculate fluid. 

While a healthy and balanced active lifestyle can improve your stamina and sexual satisfaction in general, none of it will have to do anything with the amount of precum your body produces. 

Yes, Precum Will Make You Pregnant

The question most people are curious about is whether or not precum can make you pregnant. If it’s not really semen, then there shouldn’t be any issues, right? 

Well, not quite. 

As we already discussed at the beginning of this article, studies show that there can be a certain amount of sperm in the pre-ejaculate that’s released from the penis during sexual intercourse. 

There is no way to tell whether there will be semen in your precum. However, it’s always best to stay on the safe side and assume that there is a chance for it. 

No, the Pull-Out Method Doesn’t Work

The pull-out method or withdrawal method is a very popular choice of contraception among people, mostly because it’s free and doesn’t require a lot of planning in advance. 

However, it’s not a very effective method of protecting yourself from pregnancy. In fact, studies show that the pull-out method has a 20% failure rate, compared with condoms (13%) and hormonal birth control (6%).

So, if you’re trying to practice safe sex, using the withdrawal method is not the most responsible option as there is no way to stop precum from coming out of the penis during sexual intercourse. 

Also, the withdrawal method doesn’t protect against another concern people have about sexual activity — STI’s. 

Yes, Precum Will Transfer STI’s

Precum is a bodily fluid, which means that it can carry bacteria, viruses, and other substances that cause sexually transmitted infections like HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhea, and many more. 

There are studies done on pre-ejaculate carrying the HIV in it, so if you’re practicing sex (anal, oral, or vaginal) with someone you don’t know or someone who is HIV-positive, it’s best to protect yourself by using a condom. 

Just like there is no way to increase the amount of pre-ejaculate fluid your body produces, there is also no way to stop it from coming out when you’re aroused. 

So, really the only way to ensure that pre-ejaculate doesn’t enter a vagina is by wearing a protective barrier, aka a condom, whenever you’re engaging in sexual activity.