Nocturnal Emission — TCM Food Therapy & Dietary Approach
Nocturnal emission refers to abnormal outflow of semen.
Traditional Chinese Medicine Patterns
In TCM, this condition is differentiated into several patterns, each with a classical herbal formula:
Exuberance of Sovereign and Ministerial Fire
Treatment principle: Clear the Heart and Drain the Liver
Formula: Huanglian Qingxin Yin (Coptis Decoction to Clear the Heart); Sancai Fengsui Dan (Three Talents Marrow-Sealing Pill)
Downward Pouring of Damp-Heat
Treatment principle: Clear Heat and Drain Damp
Formula: Chengshi Bixie Fenqing Yin (Cheng's Dioscorea Decoction to Separate the Clear) — from *Yi Xue Xin Wu*
Overstrain Injuring the Heart and Spleen
Treatment principle: Regulate and Supplement the Heart and Spleen, Boost Qi and Control Essence
Formula: Miaoxiang San (Wonderful Fragrance Powder)
Insecure Kidney Qi
Treatment principle: Supplement the Kidney and Benefit Essence, Secure with Astringents to Check Emission
Formula: Jinsuo Gujing Wan (Golden Lock Pill to Consolidate Essence)
These formulas are for reference under TCM syndrome differentiation and should only be used under the guidance of a qualified practitioner.
Food Therapy & Diet
Dietary Therapy Recipes
- Cordyceps (dongchongxiacao) stewed over water with rock sugar to taste, or steamed with longan, walnut kernels and Chinese dates and taken; an excellent product for securing essence, boosting qi and specifically tonifying the life gate. Cordyceps tonifies the kidney and benefits essence and qi.
- Ginkgo kernels 60g, stir-fry then add sugar and water and decoct; eat the ginkgo and drink the soup, once daily.
- Eucommia (duzhong) 15g decocted in water, then put 1 pork kidney into the duzhong soup and cook; eat the meat and drink the soup.
- Chive seed (jiucaizi) 10g, polished round-grained rice 50g. Stir-fry the chive seed on low heat until cooked, put with the rice and a little fine salt in a clay pot with 500ml water, cook on low heat until the rice opens and the porridge thickens. Take warm 2 times daily. Effects: warm the kidney and support yang, stop seminal emission.
- 1 egg, heart-removed lotus seeds, euryale seed and huai yam 9g each. Decoct the lotus seeds, euryale and yam together, then cook the egg in the soup; when the egg is done add cane sugar to taste. Eat the egg and drink the soup, once daily. Effects: tonify the spleen, benefit the kidney, secure essence and calm the mind. Suitable for kidney-deficiency nocturnal emission.
- Walnut kernels 9g, psoralea (buguzhi) 6g, pound into a paste together, take with salt water, once daily. Also has kidney-tonifying and essence-securing effects.
- 1 soft-shelled turtle, pork spinal cord 200g. Cook the 2 ingredients with ginger, scallion and pepper powder to taste into soup. Eat the meat and drink the soup. Effects: nourish yin, tonify the marrow, secure the kidney. Suitable for kidney-deficiency nocturnal emission.
Understanding the Condition
Nocturnal emission refers to abnormal outflow of semen. Emission during a sexual dream is called wet dream (mengyi); emission without dreaming is called seminal efflux (huajing). In TCM this condition is mostly attributed to deficiency-fire, with the heart, liver, and kidney held responsible. Stirring of heart and liver fire, reckless movement of ministerial fire due to yin deficiency, and downward assault of damp-heat can all disturb the seminal chamber and cause semen to flow out; kidney deficiency with an unconsolidated seminal gate can also cause loss of control and spontaneous emission. Treatment should use food therapy with actions that tonify the kidney, consolidate essence, invigorate yang, and calm the mind, which can achieve twice the result with half the effort.
This content is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.