To be considered healthy, sperm, which can also be called semen, must be a whitish or grayish substance, however, due to changes in diet or other lifestyle habits, sperm can change color, can be a little more yellowish or even greenish.
Although in most cases this change is not considered worrisome, there are more serious situations that can lead to more permanent changes, such as dehydration, sexually transmitted diseases or liver problems, for example.
- So if there is a change in sperm that stays for a few days or is accompanied by other symptoms such as pain when urinating.
- Severe itching in the penis or redness.
- It is very important to consult a urologist.
- To identify the correct cause and start the best treatment.
Most processed foods contain dyes that can change the color of various bodily fluids, especially sperm. Therefore, men who have consumed a lot of these products may undergo a temporary change in sperm color.
In addition, a change in odor can also occur, especially if these products contain foods rich in sulfuric acid, such as onions or garlic.
What to do: the new color usually disappears naturally after ejaculation and is not accompanied by any other symptoms, this is not cause for concern.
Although the change in sperm color is one of the least common symptoms of a state of dehydration, it can also result from decreased water consumption in daily life, not least because it contains traces of concentrated urine, which may be present in the urethra and ends up mixed with semen.
Therefore, before yellowish sperm appear, it is common to observe changes in urine that indicate the presence of dehydration, such as darker urine, in less quantity and with a strong odor. See other signs that may indicate dehydration.
What to do: If you think the change is due to dehydration, you should increase the amount of water ingested during the day or rely on water-rich foods. Here’s how to drink more water during the day:
It is the most common cause of long-lasting yellowish sperm that usually indicates the presence of pus in semen, which can be caused by an infection such as chlamydia or gonorrhea. This type of infection usually occurs in people who have more than one sexual partner and do not use a condom during sex.
Generally, combined with color change, it is also normal to have other symptoms such as burns when urinating, itching of the penis, frequent urge to urinate or even unexplained fever.
What to do: Sexually transmitted infections should be treated with specific antibiotics. Therefore, it is very important to consult the urologist in case of suspected illness, to start the most appropriate treatment. Learn how to identify the most common STDs and how each is treated.
The presence of inflammation or infection of the prostate usually leads to an increase in white blood cells, which may end up being included in the semen, changing their color to yellow. Other common symptoms of these cases include pain when urinating, rectal pain, excessive fatigue, fever and chills.
What to do: consult the urologist in case of suspected changes in the prostate, to perform specific tests to help identify a problem in the prostate, initiating the most appropriate treatment. See what tests help evaluate prostate health.
Changes in liver function, due to diseases such as hepatitis or even the side effect of certain medications, can cause a change in sperm color to yellow. In fact, when the liver cannot function properly, there is no effective way to remove excess bilirubin, which begins to build up in the blood and affects various tissues of the body, resulting in jaundice.
In case of jaundice, in addition to yellowish eyes, sperm may also change and become yellower due to the presence of bilirubin. See what other symptoms may indicate liver problems.