In an episode of The Kardashians, Kourtney Kardashian said that her and Travis Barker's were having fertility issues.
Kourtney underwent tests that showed that her thyroid levels were off. Her doctor gave the couple an unusual solution - Kourtney was to drink Travis's semen four times per week.
Your thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland located towards the front of your neck under your skin. It’s a part of your endocrine system and controls many of your body’s important functions by producing and releasing (secreting) certain hormones.
Your thyroid’s main job is to control the speed of your metabolism (metabolic rate), which is the process of how your body transforms the food you consume into energy. All of the cells in your body need energy to function.
When your thyroid isn’t working properly, it can impact your entire body.
You're probably wondering how drinking cum could possibly be related to your Thyroid. It's a great question - let's dive in.
An excess or deficit of thyroid hormones results in changes in the function of your testicles including sperm abnormalities and reduced semen volume.
Hyperthyroidism is an excess of thyroid hormones. It's been associated with reduced semen volume and reduced sperm density, motility, and morphology.
Hypothyroidism is a reduced amount of thyroid hormones. It's typically associated with reduced sperm morphology.
In an episode of The Kardashians, Kourtney Kardashian once revealed that she and husband Travis Barker were having fertility troubles.
Kourtney underwent tests to find the root cause of their difficulty conceiving and discovered her thyroid levels were off.
Their doctor gave the couple an unusual solution: Kourtney was to drink Travis's semen four times per week to improve her thyroid levels and increase her chances of getting pregnant.
So... does this strange suggestion have any truth to it?
No. There is no link between swigging semen and improving fertility in women. This is according to Gareth Nye, Ph.D., a lecturer of physiology at Chester Medical School in England who specializes in maternal and fetal health.
It's unclear if or why Kardashian's doctor would allegedly make this recommendation when there is no research to support the claim.
As for the overall health benefits of guzzling semen, there's a lack of research in this area, too. Semen contains fructose, magnesium, calcium, zinc, potassium and other components, so in some ways it's reasonable to assume that there's some benefit in consuming it. Semen doesn't contain enough of these nutrients to be your sole source of vitamins and minerals, so it's more like a healthy snack.
There are also claims semen has mood-boosting, stress-relieving and anxiety-reducing benefits, but there's not enough evidence to support these claims. Sex itself can certainly increase mood and reduce stress.
The good news is that despite the lack of evidence for many of the claimed benefits of drinking semen, it isn't harmful unless you're allergic to it, so you're unlikely to have any adverse effects from ingesting your partner's ejaculate. Keep in mind that semen can carry STDs, so make sure to practice safe sex.
References
1. Thyroid dysfunction and semen quality, Sandro La Vignera and Roberto Vita
