The truth, and our advice, about laptops, cell phones, saunas, hot tubs and bicycling
For Father’s Day, our Dallas fertility center offers the gifts of truth and good advice to men trying to conceive. The truth: Using laptops and cell phones, sitting in saunas and hot tubs, and bicycling can all generate excessive heat that can damage the testes and lower semen quality. Read on for our advice.
Be careful with laptops and cell phones
There’s evidence that using a laptop with a Wi-Fi connection is a male fertility risk. A Fertility and Sterility study examined nearly 30 sperm samples that were stored normally or under a laptop with a wireless connection. Sperm in the laptop sample had decreased motility and more DNA damage. Cell phone emissions are another male fertility risk. The University of California-Berkley reports that eight of nine studies showed a negative impact on sperm counts from cell phones, especially when kept in pants pockets.
Avoid hot tubs and saunas
Time in a hot tub or sauna is relaxing, but exposure to high temperatures is a male fertility risk. It can take up to three months to recover sperm counts after such an exposure, so consider other ways to unwind.
Stay off bikes
At our Dallas fertility center, we urge you to exercise for your health and fertility. Cycling is popular, but it’s a male fertility risk. A study found that men who rode a bicycle for more than an hour and a half each week had 34% lower sperm concentrations than men who didn’t ride. The reason is higher temperatures due to pressure on the scrotum.
3 tips to boost male fertility
To address these male fertility risks, our Dallas fertility center offers these tips.
- Place your computer on a desktop and keep your cell phone away from you when not using it.
- Avoid hot tubs and saunas, or greatly limit time spent in them and cool off often.
- Find alternatives to bicycling for exercise.
You can learn more about male fertility risks. Contact us to get tested and let us help you achieve your goal of fathering a child.