Laptop users in danger of deleting their sperm, The Australian, 10 December, 2004.
Laptop users in danger of deleting their sperm: [1 All-round Country Edition]
Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 10 Dec 2004: 3.
Abstract
"For a long time men seeking to have children, especially after some failed attempts, have been encouraged not to wear tight underpants and to allow a more natural temperature in that region," he said. "This study adds evidence to what has already been known anecdotally." Professor [John Macdonald] said while heat did not affect the ability to become aroused, it did affect the quality and quantity of sperm.
Full Text
THEY may be portable and convenient, but laptop computers may also carry hidden dangers -- especially for teenagers and young men.
The computers, which have exploded in popularity in recent years, can reach high operating temperatures that could heat up the scrotum, affecting the quality and quantity of men's sperm, according to a study.
If the men did not curtail their laptop use, they could face problems in 15 to 20 years when they wanted to start a family, said Yefim Sheynkin, from the State University of New York.
"Long-term use may have a detrimental effect on their reproductive health," he said.
"It is very difficult to predict how long the computer can be used safely.
"It may not be at all, if the testicular temperature goes up high within a very short period of time." John Macdonald, from the Men's Health and Information Resource Centre at the University of Western Sydney, said "the close proximity to heat can affect male fertility".
"For a long time men seeking to have children, especially after some failed attempts, have been encouraged not to wear tight underpants and to allow a more natural temperature in that region," he said. "This study adds evidence to what has already been known anecdotally." Professor Macdonald said while heat did not affect the ability to become aroused, it did affect the quality and quantity of sperm.
He said most men did not put laptops on their laps and usually there was something, such as a desk, between it and their genitals. "Our advice would be to continue keeping that distance," he said.