At what age does a man stop ejaculating? Understanding the changes in your body

There is no specific age when a man stops ejaculating, and many men can ejaculate throughout life, though semen volume and the “force” of ejaculation often decline with age.^,[1] If ejaculation changes suddenly or stops completely, it is worth getting checked because the cause is often identifiable and treatable.

The relationship

If you’re asking “at what age does a man stop ejaculating,” the most accurate clinical answer is that there is no universal age cutoff. Ejaculation tends to change gradually across adulthood, and many men maintain the ability to ejaculate as they get older, even if the volume is lower and the sensation or force feels different.^,[1]

What men often notice first is not a total stop. It is a shift in output. Semen is the fluid that carries sperm. With age, the glands that contribute fluid, mainly the prostate and seminal vesicles, may produce less, and the “rhythm” of the response may feel less intense.^[1]

The important distinction is between gradual change and abrupt change. A slow decline in ejaculation volume or trajectory is commonly reported with aging and is rarely dangerous on its own. But a sudden, persistent inability to ejaculate can signal a medication effect, nerve issue, or a change after pelvic surgery, and it is worth evaluating rather than ignoring.

How it works

The ejaculation reflex has two phases

Ejaculation is a coordinated reflex run by the central nervous system, meaning your brain and spinal cord control it. In phase one, nerves signal the vas deferens, tubes that move sperm, to deliver sperm into the urethra, the channel inside the penis, where it mixes with fluid from the prostate and seminal vesicles to form ejaculate, meaning semen plus sperm.

In phase two, pelvic floor muscles, especially the bulbocavernosus muscles at the base of the penis and nearby levator muscles, contract in waves to expel semen. These contractions can occur roughly every 0.8 seconds and may produce several spurts.

Why aging changes volume and “force” without a hard stop

There is no single switch that turns ejaculation off at a certain birthday. Instead, research on semen parameters shows that multiple semen measures can trend downward with age, and men may perceive this as less volume and less intensity.^[1],[4]

Just as importantly, ejaculation depends on the whole sexual response cycle. Libido is your baseline sex drive. Erection quality helps the urethra and pelvic floor work efficiently. If erections are less firm, ejaculation can feel less forceful even if the underlying glands still produce fluid.^,[5]

Hormones matter, but they are not the whole story

Testosterone is the main male sex hormone that supports libido and many sexual functions. Hypogonadism means persistently low testosterone with symptoms. Low testosterone can reduce desire and may indirectly affect ejaculation by lowering arousal and changing orgasm intensity.^[2],[3]

Clinical decision thresholds used in practice are that symptomatic men with total testosterone below 350 ng/dL are most likely to benefit from testosterone therapy, and if total testosterone is borderline, free testosterone below 100 pg/mL supports hypogonadism. A proper evaluation should confirm levels and look for reversible causes before treatment.^[2],[3]

Nerves and pelvic floor muscles drive the “pulses” you feel

The sensation of a strong ejaculation is closely tied to rhythmic pelvic floor contractions. Pelvic floor muscles are the sling-like muscles that support the bladder and help control urine and ejaculation. If these muscles weaken, or if nerve signaling is impaired, the pulses can feel softer and less coordinated.

This is one reason general health matters. Neuropathy is nerve damage. Conditions that affect nerves, or surgeries that affect pelvic anatomy, can change ejaculation even if libido remains intact.

When orgasm happens but semen does not appear

Anejaculation means no semen comes out during climax. This can happen even when orgasm still occurs. Another pattern is retrograde ejaculation, where semen goes backward into the bladder instead of out through the penis, which can show up as a “dry orgasm” and then cloudy urine afterward.

These patterns are common discussion points after certain prostate or bladder neck procedures, and they can also appear with some medications that relax smooth muscle in the urinary tract.

Conditions linked to it

When men search “at what age does a man stop ejaculating,” they often worry that aging alone is the cause. Aging can contribute, but a true stop, especially a sudden stop, often has a more specific explanation. These are clinically common categories to think about with a urologist.

• Medication effects that alter nerve signaling or smooth muscle tone, including some antidepressants and some urinary symptom medications used for prostate enlargement.^,[6]
• Post-surgical changes after procedures involving the prostate, bladder neck, or pelvis, where semen can be reduced or redirected.
• Nerve-related conditions where pelvic nerve signaling is impaired, including long-standing metabolic disease that can cause neuropathy.
• Hormone deficiency where low testosterone reduces libido and arousal, indirectly affecting orgasm and ejaculation quality.^[2]
• Erectile dysfunction where erections are consistently insufficient for sex, which can make ejaculation harder to reach or feel weaker. Erectile dysfunction means persistent difficulty getting or keeping an erection firm enough for sex.^[5]

Limitations note: Studies on ejaculation changes with age often rely on self-report or mixed laboratory measures, and “normal” varies widely between men. That means you should use trends over time and functional impact, not a single number, to guide next steps.^[1],[4]

Symptoms and signals

Not every change is a problem. Still, certain patterns should steer you toward a checkup instead of a wait-and-see approach.

• Likely normal, especially if gradual: less semen volume, shorter distance, fewer spurts, longer time to reach ejaculation, and a slightly softer orgasm sensation.^[1]
• Worth discussing at a routine visit: ejaculation that becomes consistently hard to reach, new low libido, or reduced morning erections that persists for months.^[2],[5]
• Book a urology visit soon: a new “dry orgasm,” especially after a medication change or a prostate procedure, or if fertility is a goal and semen volume drops sharply.
• Get urgent care: ejaculation or orgasm with severe pain, fever, blood in semen that persists, inability to urinate, or new neurologic symptoms like leg weakness or numbness along with sexual changes.

If you want a practical way to track changes, write down what changed, when it started, and what else changed in your health at the same time. That timeline is often more useful than trying to guess at what age does a man stop ejaculating.

What to do about it

If you’re worried about at what age does a man stop ejaculating, focus less on age and more on function. The goal is not to “maximize volume.” The goal is to protect sexual function, reduce anxiety, and catch true medical issues early.

1. Step 1: Get the right history and testing

   • Bring a medication list, including supplements, and note any recent changes.^[6]
   • Ask for a targeted sexual health evaluation. Many clinicians use validated questionnaires such as the IIEF, a standardized erectile function survey, to measure baseline and response to treatment.^[5]
   • If symptoms suggest low testosterone, test morning total testosterone and confirm if low. If borderline, check free testosterone. Use 350 ng/dL total or 100 pg/mL free as practical decision thresholds when symptoms persist, and evaluate for causes before treatment.^[2],[3]

2. Step 2: Fix the highest-impact levers first

   • Improve erection quality. For many men, stronger erections improve the perceived force and satisfaction of ejaculation because the system is working against better pressure and support.^[5]
   • Train the pelvic floor. Pelvic floor muscle training can improve sexual function for some men by improving strength and coordination of the muscles involved in ejaculation and orgasm.
   • Review medications with your prescriber. If a drug is likely contributing, the fix may be dose adjustment, timing changes, switching agents, or adding a counter-strategy, but only with medical guidance.^[6]
   • Address hormone deficiency when it is real. If you have symptoms plus consistently low testosterone, testosterone therapy may help libido and sexual function, but it is not a “semen volume” medication and it requires monitoring.^[2],[3]

3. Step 3: Monitor for response and escalate when needed

   • Reassess in 8 to 12 weeks after changes. Track erection quality, orgasm satisfaction, and whether ejaculation returns if it was absent.
   • If you have persistent anejaculation, “dry orgasm,” or fertility goals, ask about focused evaluation for ejaculatory disorders, including whether retrograde ejaculation is likely based on history and urine changes after orgasm.
   • If anxiety about performance is driving symptoms, consider sex therapy alongside medical evaluation. Anxiety can amplify normal age-related changes into a much bigger problem.

Myth vs fact

• Myth: “There’s a set age when men stop ejaculating.” Fact: There is no single age cutoff; changes are usually gradual and individual.^,[1]
• Myth: “Less semen always means something is wrong.” Fact: Volume can decline with age and still be normal, especially if the change is slow and you feel well otherwise.^[1]
• Myth: “If you can’t ejaculate, testosterone is the problem.” Fact: Hormones can contribute, but medications, nerve signaling, and post-surgical anatomy are also common drivers.^,[2]
• Myth: “A dry orgasm means you did permanent damage.” Fact: It can be a reversible side effect or a predictable outcome of certain procedures, and it should be evaluated in context.

Bottom line

When it comes to “at what age does a man stop ejaculating,” there is no universal finish line. Most men experience a gradual shift in volume and intensity rather than a complete stop. If ejaculation changes abruptly, becomes consistently “dry,” or disappears, treat that as a medical symptom, not just aging, and get a targeted evaluation.

References

1. Kidd SA, Eskenazi B, Wyrobek AJ. Effects of male age on semen quality and fertility: a review of the literature. Fertility and sterility. 2001;75:237-48. PMID: 11172821
2. Mulhall JP, Trost LW, Brannigan RE, et al. Evaluation and Management of Testosterone Deficiency: AUA Guideline. The Journal of urology. 2018;200:423-432. PMID: 29601923
3. Corona G, Isidori AM, Buvat J, et al. Testosterone supplementation and sexual function: a meta-analysis study. The journal of sexual medicine. 2014;11:1577-92. PMID: 24697970
4. Eskenazi B, Wyrobek AJ, Sloter E, et al. The association of age and semen quality in healthy men. Human reproduction (Oxford, England). 2003;18:447-54. PMID: 12571189
5. Rosen RC, Riley A, Wagner G, et al. The international index of erectile function (IIEF): a multidimensional scale for assessment of erectile dysfunction. Urology. 1997;49:822-30. PMID: 9187685
6. Serretti A, Chiesa A. Treatment-emergent sexual dysfunction related to antidepressants: a meta-analysis. Journal of clinical psychopharmacology. 2009;29:259-66. PMID: 19440080