Anti-Depressant Actions of Semen

[James Michael Howard]

An article was published in the June issue of "Archives of Sexual Behavior"
which suggested that semen contains an anti-depressant hormone which
positively affects women. (I have included the abstract of the article
below.) This is my "letter to the editor" of this journal and the authors
which may explain their findings.

"Regarding your report about research suggesting anti-depressant effects of
semen, more specifically that Gallup, et al., suggest that semen contains
hormones that reduce depression, I have a response. In 1985 I suggested that
depression is due to reduced dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). This has since
been supported. Now, in response to the effects of semen on reducing
depression, I point out that "In a group of men with established fertility,
dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate had the highest concentration and testosterone
sulphate had the lowest (mean levels of 1-04 mumoles/1 and 1-52 nmoles/1,
respectively) [in semen]." (Clin Endocrinol (Oxf) 1976 May;5(3):253-61). I
suggest that the anti-depressant effects of semen are due to DHEA."

James Michael Howard
Fayetteville, Arkansas, U.S.A.

Here is the abstract of the article:

Arch Sex Behav 2002 Jun;31(3):289-93

Does semen have antidepressant properties?

Gallup GG Jr, Burch RL, Platek SM.

Department of Psychology, State University of New York at Albany, Albany, New
York, USA.

In a sample of sexually active college females, condom use, as an indirect
measure of the presence of semen in the reproductive tract, was related to
scores on the Beck Depression Inventory. Not only were females who were having
sex without condoms less depressed, but depressive symptoms and suicide
attempts among females who used condoms were proportional to the consistency
of condom use. For females who did not use condoms, depression scores went up
as the amount of time since their last sexual encounter increased. These data
are consistent with the possibility that semen may antagonize depressive
symptoms and evidence which shows that the vagina absorbs a number of
components of semen that can be detected in the bloodstream within a few hours
of administration.

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