DEW ON THE LILY
Words: H4M contributing writer - Mickey Diablo
I
t’s the appetizer before the main course, the
Royal Variety Performance preceding the NYE
fireworks, the isolated showers which herald
the Highveld storm. I could wax lyrical a little
longer but I think you get the point… The fact is that
precum is not the main event, it’s not necessarily
that exciting, and it frequently goes unnoticed.
So what exactly is this colourless, viscous appetizer,
and how, if at all, does it differ from cum? Quite
simply, precum is the clear liquid that is secreted
from the urethra after sexual arousal (either visual
or physical) prior to ejaculation. It is referred to
rather clinically as pre-ejaculate, preseminal fluid,
Cowper’s fluid and, more colloquially, as precum.
Precum originates primarily from two pea sized
bulbourethral glands (also known as Cowper’s
glands) located below the prostate, which release
their secretions directly into the rear of the urethra.
The Cowper’s glands are supported in turn by the
smaller Littré glands located in the penis along the
urethra. Precum’s composition is similar to that
of cum, and yet it has some significant chemical
differences. There has been mass debate regarding
the presence of sperm in precum. Studies, however,
have been conflicting, with some not having found
any viable sperm in precum, while others have found
that a subset of men leak sperm into their precum.
The statistically small numbers of participants in the
various studies, however, have rendered any decisive
conclusions elusive. Bad news then, for those of us
practising coitus interruptus (the “pull out” method
of contraception in straight sex)!
So now that we know what precum is, the next
logical question is why do our bodies produce it, and
what is its function? Owing to the fact that acidic
environments are hostile to sperm, precum acts to
neutralise residual acid levels in the urethra caused
by urine, thereby creating more favourable pH
neutral conditions for the survival of the sperm on
its passage through the urethra. Precum also acts as
a lubricant during sex, although depending on the
quantities that your guy produces, you may not want
to put away that lube tube just yet.
Amongst the men that I’ve, ahem, come across (and
I’ve come across a few) their precum production
levels were as varied as their dick sizes. Many guys
produce no precum at all, while others experience
slight to moderate discharge, which may leak
onto their underwear. Others still may produce a
Mag 40
squirting discharge (as much as 5ml and more).
Many men may find excessive precum production a
source of embarrassment. Its also important to bear
in mind that the production of precum should not
be confused with premature ejaculation, which is
another matter entirely. There are a huge number of
geographical and cultural variations in the reported
incidence of excessive precum production. With
these factors in mind, it is difficult to say whether
the difference is really excessive precum, or the
social and cultural acceptability thereof.
My advice is to look on precum, including
“excessive” production, as normal, desirable and
pleasurable, as opposed to something dirty or
shameful. For those who are still concerned, take
comfort from the fact that the amount of precum
produced usually declines with age. And if all else
fails, there is medical treatment available, although
most guys would do well to realise that this approach
involves an element of using a sledgehammer to
crack a nut (or to bust a nut as the case may be…)
On a rather more serious note, studies have been
interpreted to suggest that, in men who are HIV
positive, a small amount of the virus can be found
in their precum although this is at significantly
lower levels than that found in cum. Evidence
suggests that precum carries a very low risk of HIV
transmission, but this body fluid becomes much
more significant when we look at other sexually
transmitted infections (STIs). Precum from a guy
with gonorrhea, chlamydia or syphilis could be
infectious. One’s risk of contracting an STI is not
limited to HIV, gonorrhoea, chlamydia and syphilis,
however. Other infections that can be spread
through precum include herpes, HPV (the virus that
causes genital or anal warts) and hepatitis.
So it seems that, as innocuous as this distillate of
love may first appear, precum not only has very
clearly defined biological functions, but also that
we ignore the potential sexual health risks inherent
in STI transmission at our peril. Perhaps some of
you guys, newly armed with this information, may
now have a fresh appreciation when admiring the
glistening dew on the lily before the rain showers
commence (and I’m not talking about flowers. Or the
weather.)
The views expressed in this article is that of the writer’s. To
find out more about Health4Men or to find your nearest gayfriendly clinic please visit www.health4men.co.za.