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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/et?ac=001612468322797&rtmo=V6VSJJ JK&atmo=99999999&pg=/et/00/5/31/wscrot31.html
Stand up for sperm By Roger Highfield, Science Editor
THE strongest evidence so far to back the suggestion that men who spend hours seated are more at risk of infertility is published today.
A French team reports a significant rise in scrotal temperature when men remain seated for long periods, for instance in a car, which could affect sperm count and quality. This rise could explain studies showing that sperm counts in professional drivers are lower, that their sperm have more abnormalities, and that their partners take longer to conceive.
Today's report, published in the journal Human Reproduction, is the first scientific study of what happens under normal driving conditions. Dr Patrick Thonneau, director of the Male Fertility Research Group, Toulouse, said: "This is the first time scientists have been able to assess how in the sitting position there is an increase in scrotal temperatures."
He said that the findings probably apply to other situations where long periods are spent seated, or to hot environments, such as while baking or welding. The team found that during the first 20 minutes of driving - in which the subjects were 'wired up' by having skin thermometer probes taped to the scrotum - the mean scrotal temperature rose from 34.2C to 35.5C.
From 20 to 120 minutes it increased from 35.5C to 36.2C, then stabilised. A comparison between the mean temperature after two hours of driving and during walking showed that the left scrotum was 1.7C higher while driving and the right scrotum was 2.2C higher.
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