Boxers link to sperm production debatable

Boxer shorts or loose undergarments help in higher production of sperms according to a recent study published in Human Reproduction which is the first comparison of loose undergarments versus tight ones.

Scientifically it is known that tight undergarments affect the production of sperms.

Dr Preethi Reddy, senior infertility specialist at Rainbow Hospitals explained, “The testes are outside the body as they are to be maintained at one degree lower than the core body temperature. The sperm production is optimal when the temperature is slightly lower than the body temperature. Wearing tight inner wear wherein the testes are held close to the body increases the temperature and compromises sperm production. Even jeans that are too tight produce similar effects.”

Boxers are used by educated and self-conscious men in metropolitan cities and urban areas. But there is a widespread misconception that innerwear must be tight.

Dr G. Rahul Reddy, andrologist at Androcare and Men’s Health Institute explained, “The general choice of underwear remains regular briefs and trunks because of the widespread notion of scrotal support being important. This is one of the reasons for tight innerwear. But it must be understood that there is not only one factor that affects sperm production. Many other factors like radiation from mobile phones, keeping laptops on the lap and working, smoking, alcohol and other comorbid conditions like diabetes and hypertension are also found to affect sperm production.”

With the incidence of infertility rising from 10 to 15 per cent in India, the causes of male infertility are also coming to fore and experts state that unhealthy lifestyle choices among men is proving to be the major reason for bad sperm quality.

But they state that the debate over boxers versus tight briefs is inconclusive as the available data is not enough to reach a definite conclusion and more sample based studies have to be carried out.