Illustration: Man having a hot water bath

By Lucy Osuizigbo-Okechukwu

A General Physician, Dr Peter Atangwho, on Tuesday urged men to desist from bathing with hot water frequently to prevent low sperm count and other fertility problems.

Atangwho, the Chief Executive Officer of TeleMed Online Clinic said that using hot water to bath constantly may be good for other skins but not the testis.

“Bathing with hot water frequently or men who use Saunas often, expose their testicles to heat and it reduces their sperm count.

“Sperm cells are made to best survive in temperature of around 20-25 degrees Celsius, which is lower than normal body temperature (which is around 37 degrees Celsius).

“That is why male testicles hang down away from the body.

“In fact, if you are worried about infertility, it is best to bath with cold water, avoid hot water baths, ” he said.

According to him, heat and radiation from laptops and cell phones could also damage sperm and cause lower sperm count as an average laptop generates heat of up to 70 degrees Celsius during use.

“Placing a laptop directly on your laps can transfer some of that heat to your testis and prolonged use may cause irreversible changes in your male reproductive function.

“It is best to use your laptop on a desk or table. Also, studies have shown that using a cell phone for as little as one hour a day ‘cooks’ sperm.

“Men are hence advised to keep their cell phones as far away from the testes as possible by holding it in the hand or keeping it inside the back pocket instead of the front pocket,” he said.

He also advised men to avoid wearing tight underwear’s such as pants or shorts as they keep the testicles closer to the body, leading to warmer temperatures that may kill sperm and lower sperm count.

“Wear boxers instead of tight pants, and always go to bed naked if you want to become a father.

“A lot of couples currently have fertility problems and a large part of the problem is sperm-related. Sperm counts have been declining steadily over the past 50 years.

“Other common ways men damage their sperm without knowing are through untreated infections, indiscriminate use of drugs, smoking, taking Marijuana and steroids abuse.

“Men should avoid those factors listed and boost your sperm count, motility, viability and overall fertility, “he advised.

NAN