How long does it take for sperm to regenerate?

For small organs, the testes are veritable workhorses. The average set of testicles produces over 1,000 sperm cells per second, which can amount to several million (some estimate ~100 million) of sperm per day. So, it makes sense that each ejaculation can contain up to hundreds of millions of sperm. But once the swimmers are set free, if you will, how long does it take for sperm to regenerate? 

Keep reading to learn about sperm production, how ejaculation affects sperm health, and what you can do to improve the health of sperm to increase the chances of conception.

On average, it takes about 64 days for the testicles to produce sperm from a cell to mature (think: ejaculation-ready) sperm. Though this estimate can differ among men due to various factors, such as age, lifestyle, and genetics. 

Technically known as spermatogenesis, the production of sperm starts after puberty and occurs in the testes, which descend from the body. And there’s a reason for this: By hanging away from your body, they’re able to maintain a balmy, spermatogenesis-friendly temperature of 2°–4°C lower than core body temperature. (So, if the normal body temperature is 37° or 98.6°F, then the testicles should be around 94.6°–96.6°F for optimal sperm production.)

Also necessary for sperm production? Hormones, including testosterone and follicle stimulating hormone. 

During those 64 days, sperm cells go through a lot of changes to become sperm that are capable of fertilizing an egg:

The hypothalamus (a gland in your brain) triggers the production of gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH). This stimulates the pituitary gland (located at the base of your brain) to release luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). 

After traveling through the bloodstream, LH prompts cells in the testes to produce testosterone, which supports spermatogenesis. Meanwhile, FSH activates sperm production, which takes place in the seminiferous tubules (tightly coiled tubules in the testes). 

Through multiple steps of cell division, a sperm cell begins to develop from spermatogonia (germ cell) to spermatozoa (mature sperm). At this point, sperm is made up of three parts: a head, midpiece, and tail. The former carries genetic material while the latter ultimately helps the sperm travel to the egg for fertilization. 

Sperm then moves from the testes to the epididymis (a tube attached to each testicle), where it goes through the final steps of maturation to be able to fertilize an egg. But first, it pretty much just hangs out in the epididymis until ejaculation. When a man becomes aroused, it’s go-time for the sperm: It travels through tubes called the vas deferens and mixes with fluid to form semen, which then moves through the urethra and, during orgasm, is released.

Each ejaculation contains approximately 1.5–5 mL of fluid. In each milliliter, there are 20–150 million sperm. That means the average ejaculation can release tens to hundreds of millions of sperm. But not all of these swimmers are capable of fertilizing an egg. In healthy semen, at least 60% of sperm are expected to be shaped and swim normally; many of the others would not be able to function successfully.

With so many swimmers leaving the body, however, you might ask “can you run out of sperm?” The answer: No. Your body regenerates sperm every day so you shouldn’t “run out.”

Ejaculation does not “get rid of” all of your sperm, even when you do it frequently. And masturbation, by itself, does not cause low sperm count. 

Ejaculating daily may cause an initial drop in semen and sperm quantity, but this effect plateaus, and you’re still left with ample amounts to potentially lead to a pregnancy. 

There is also evidence that sperm hanging  around in your testes for quite some time isn’t necessarily a good thing, especially if you’re trying to conceive. Why? The longer sperm are stored in the male reproductive system, the more damage they may develop to their DNA, leading to lower-quality sperm. 

There seems to be an overall thought that sperm count and quality has declined over recent decades around the world due to lifestyle and environmental factors. However, there isn’t enough evidence to show that that’s the case. We don’t know for sure at this time. 

In general, sperm health is composed of several factors, such as sperm count, sperm motility, and genetics, among many others. The healthier your swimmers, the more likely they are to make the journey to the egg and successfully fertilize it. 

Sperm health is assessed via semen analysis, which looks at the quantity and quality of semen and sperm. The test measures a range of different values, including:

• Sperm count: number of sperm present in a semen sample. A high sperm count is more likely to lead to fertilization. 

• Sperm motility: how well sperm can move, which is key given the fact that sperm have quite the journey from testes through the female reproductive system. 

• Sperm morphology: shape and structure of sperm. Sperm with normal morphology or shape are more likely to be healthy and be able to fertilize an egg. 

• Semen pH level: acidity or alkalinity of semen, which can influence sperm function, provide insight into the health of male reproductive organs, and play a key role in maintaining seminal quality. 

• Semen viscosity: thickness or consistency of semen, which can affect sperm’s ability to move freely and travel through the female reproductive tract. 

• Sperm agglutination: clumping of sperm, which may indicate issues (such as those with the immune system) that can affect sperm function. 

• Semen volume: the total amount of semen produced in one ejaculation.

Here, a few tactics to improve sperm health: 

• Exercise regularly: Not only is it beneficial for your overall health, but routine physical activity can lead to higher sperm count and improve sperm motility. It's also been shown to boost testosterone levels, which can play a role in sperm production and overall wellbeing. 

• Maintain a healthy diet: A healthy and balanced eating plan has been associated with better sperm and semen quality. In fact, research suggests that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables (bonus points if they’re raw) can improve semen quality and fertility. They also provide plenty of fiber and other key nutrients (e.g. antioxidants, vitamin C) that have been shown to support sperm health. Other sperm-friendly foods include those that are good sources of healthy fats (e.g. salmon, olive oil, nuts) as well as lean proteins (e.g. chicken, turkey, fish). Meanwhile, consuming lots of saturated and trans fats—e.g. processed foods, red meat—may negatively affect the structure of sperm and fertility overall. So, you might want to steer clear of them. 

• Quit smoking: Tobacco smoke can wreak havoc on various parts of your wellbeing, including, yup, your reproductive system. In fact, smoking has been associated with decreased sperm count and can negatively affect sperm shape and size. 

• Limit or stop drinking alcohol: Higher alcohol intake has been shown to lower the amount of semen ejaculated as well as reduce testosterone levels—two effects that can both negatively impact fertility. What’s more, a 2014 study found that regularly high alcohol consumption can adversely impact sperm concentration, total sperm count, and sperm morphology—and the negative effects became more pronounced the more the participants drank.

• Avoid excessive heat: As mentioned before, the testes need to remain cool to produce sperm effectively. Research shows that exposure to extended bouts of hot temperatures, such as via a sauna, hot tub, or certain working environments, can damage sperm quality, count, and motility. 

Although the testes produce sperm starting from puberty through your entire life, advancing age can cause a decrease in semen and sperm quality, which can affect the likelihood of conception. While you can’t really control age, you can influence other factors that affect fertility and, in turn, your chances of conception.While there are many different ways to bring a child into this world, for the sake of this article, we’re going to focus on conception between a heterosexual couple. 

So, to boost your chances of conception, you should try to have sex regularly (every 1-2 days) throughout the woman’s fertile window, which includes the days leading up to and the day of ovulation. An egg only lives 12-24 hours after it’s released while a sperm can live in the uterus for up to 5 days. Having frequent intercourse during this time in a woman’s cycle can increase the likelihood of sex leading to a pregnancy. Research suggests that at-home ovulation predictor kits may be somewhat helpful in determining the right time to have intercourse.

While it’s generally recommended to have sex every day or every other day leading up to ovulation, waiting a bit longer in between sessions may not hurt and could even help the likelihood of conception. Some research suggests that abstaining from ejaculation for 1–3 days prior to getting it on can lead to increased semen volume, sperm concentration, motility, total sperm count, and sperm DNA fragmentation—all of which may help with conception.

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Every article on Health Guide goes through rigorous fact-checking by our team of medical reviewers. Our reviewers are trained medical professionals who ensure each article contains the most up-to-date information, and that medical details have been correctly interpreted by the writer.

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Current version

July 23, 2024

Written by

Jessica Migala

Fact checked by

Raagini Yedidi, MD

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About the medical reviewer

Raagini Yedidi, MD

Raagini Yedidi, MD, is an internal medicine resident and medical reviewer for Ro.