11/30/2018 / By RJ Jhonson
For men, choosing the right underwear could mean taking much more than comfort into account. A study confirmed that wearing loose-fitting boxers can improve your sperm count better than wearing tight-fitting briefs can.
Men choose their underwear based on many factors. While some prefer the loose fit of boxers, others like the snug feel that only briefs can provide. However, researchers from Harvard University say briefs may not be the best, especially for men with low sperm count.
The study involved 656 men between the age of 18 and 56. All of the participants visited Massachusetts General Hospital seeking fertility treatment. Everyone provided blood and semen samples, as well as information about their underwear of choice.
It was found that those who wore boxer shorts regularly had a 25 percent higher sperm count than those who preferred wearing snug briefs. They also had a 17 percent higher total sperm count and 33 percent more swimming sperm cells.
Those who liked wearing briefs had higher levels of follicle-stimulating hormone whose main function is to stimulate sperm production when things go wrong. The presence of this hormone is interpreted as a sign of poor reproductive health and is linked to excessive heat.
Although the participants were being treated for fertility issues, their semen quality was considered good when compared to the standards set by the World Health Organization (WHO). According to the researchers, this is reason enough to believe that the study’s outcomes could apply to all men, even those without problems with their fertility.
Allan Pacey, a professor of andrology at the University of Sheffield, says the study confirms that changing small factors, such as men’s underwear of choice, can cause significant changes in sperm quality. He clarifies that this shouldn’t be taken to mean that merely shifting to boxers can cure infertility. The study, after all, measured just sperm quality and not fertility itself.
“There is no actual proof that switching underwear style will make any difference. However, I think it is a reasonable low-cost and low-risk lifestyle change that men with poor sperm quality can undertake to potentially improve their semen quality,” he says.
The study was published in the journal Human Reproduction.
Your sperm count has a considerable effect on your fertility. The normal sperm count ranges from 15 to 250 million sperm cells per milliliter. Any lower than 15 million means you have a low sperm count. This may cause problems in getting your partner pregnant.
There are several natural ways by which you can increase your sperm count. Here they are:
Learn about natural ways to remedy infertility at Remedies.news.
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