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Effect of increased scrotal temperature on sperm production in normal men
1Department of Medicine, Harbor-University of California, Los Angeles Medical Center, Torrance 90509-2910, USA. WANG@HARBOR6.HUMC.EDU
Objective:
To determine whether application of polyester-lined athletic supports to bring the testes closer to the abdomen increases scrotal temperature and decreases sperm production.
Design:
Prospective clinical study.
Setting:
University academic medical center.
Patient(S):
Twenty-one healthy male volunteers.
Intervention(S):
The study consisted of a pretreatment period of 6 weeks, a treatment phase of 52 weeks, and a recovery phase until return to normal sperm production. During the treatment phase, the men wore polyester-lined athletic supports (single layer, double layer, or double layer impregnated with aluminum) throughout the day.
Main Outcome Measure(S):
Semen parameters and sperm function tests.
Result(S):
In all three groups of subjects, scrotal temperature was consistently increased by 0.8 to 1 degree C while the subjects were wearing the athletic supports. Mean sperm concentration; sperm motility, morphology, and viability; sperm hyperactivation; and ability of spermatozoa to penetrate zone-free hamster oocytes were not affected by the increase in scrotal temperature.
Conclusion(S):
The increase in scrotal temperature induced by polyester-lined athletic supports was insufficient to cause significant suppression of spermatogenesis or alteration of sperm function.