At What Age Does a Man Stop Ejaculating?

You may know that most men experience increased difficulty ejaculating as they get older. Still, we know that many men are unclear about whether there’s a specific cut-off one day in the future in their later years. Do men stop ejaculating at a particular age? 

It may seem like they do, given the association between age and erectile dysfunction. So, you might be surprised that you’re not necessarily on a ticking clock where you simply won’t ejaculate anymore after a specific birthday — not exactly.

Age may reduce sexual activity, cause declines in sexual performance and reduce your sex drive, but that doesn’t mean you have to stop enjoying sex or ejaculating as you age.

If you’re an older man experiencing ejaculatory issues or a young guy worrying about the future, we have plenty of information for you. Let’s start with the most pressing question.

While research shows that sexual function often declines as men age, there is no specific age at which all men will no longer be able to ejaculate. 

That’s because no longer being able to ejaculate is not a natural part of getting older. Instead, it’s a potential complication of many things that happen to our bodies as we age.

In short, you may have no problem ejaculating well into old age, while your friend may develop health conditions that lead to difficulties ejaculating in their 70s or 80s. Until you get there, there’s no way to tell if or when you’ll develop difficulty ejaculating with age.

That said, some studies have offered some context about how long men are typically sexually active, with one study suggesting that up to one-third of men aged 85 are still sexually active. 

According to the American Urological Association (AUA), it’s common for older men to experience a number of ejaculatory issues, including:

• Reduced sperm count and motility

• Reduced semen volume

• Less forceful ejaculate

• Delayed orgasm 

In addition, your erections may be softer, incomplete, smaller or not last as long.

The AUA also says that the sensation or feeling that you’re about to ejaculate — the warning — may also be shorter as you age.

Older men can also sometimes experience problems ejaculating at all.

Delayed ejaculation is a complicated problem — it can be chronic or temporary and caused by psychological issues or have entirely physical causes. What we do know is that your risk of delayed ejaculation increases with age, just like the risk of other medical conditions like prostate issues.

Why do these problems occur?

The National Library of Medicine lists a comprehensive number of ailments of the male reproductive system that may come from age — and fertility, urinary function, prostate gland issues (like enlarged prostate) and erectile function are all mentioned.

Older men should treat ejaculation issues similarly to younger men, with one exception: an increased focus on health conditions more common in older men, like poor cardiovascular health or prostate enlargement.

In some cases, it may take a while until the actual cause of your ejaculatory issues is found. But anyone with ejaculatory issues can improve their sexual health with the following activities (unless your healthcare provider says otherwise):

• Visit a urology professional if you’re concerned about semen volume or ejaculation. You should also see a healthcare provider for questions about other health issues like low testosterone levels or pain in your testicles.

• Embrace a healthy lifestyle: quit smoking, eat a balanced diet and exercise regularly. These all have the bonus of reducing high blood pressure.

• Consider taking erectile dysfunction medications like sildenafil (generic for Viagra®) or tadalafil (generic for Cialis®) if you’re finding it difficult to get or stay erect during sexual intercourse.

• Talk to a healthcare provider or mental health professional about any issues with depression, sexual desire or confidence, and consider antidepressants and therapy if you’re struggling.

• Train weak muscles. Kegels and pelvic floor exercises may help you build stamina (yes, men can do kegels too), although previous studies have found a very wide range of success rates for pelvic floor muscle training.

Getting older is great, but it can be a tough journey. Amid concerns like prostate cancer, declining sex hormone levels, heightened coronary risk factors and other chronic health conditions, a healthy sex life won’t always be a priority. We’re here to tell you that contrary to what you may hear, it can and should be a priority.

If you’re having intimate issues that you want to address for the health of your sexual relationships, the next step is talking to a healthcare professional. The fact is that psychological factors, sexual repression, orgasmic disorders and prostatic cancer are all potential causes of sexual dysfunction. You’re better safe than sorry when it comes to those problems.

Getting the treatment and support you need to live your best sex life is just one stigma-free connection away. Whether that support comes from psychological therapy, medication or something else, you can benefit from it — talk to someone today.