Ice on testicles and donating blood - the myths sold to men trying to boost their sperm
Every morning, Simon starts his day in a sauna, with an ice pack strapped to his groin. "I place it on the testicles in order
Every morning, Simon starts his day in a sauna, with an ice pack strapped to his groin. "I place it on the testicles in order to preserve high sperm count," he says. He believes the heat helps him sweat out toxins, improving his sperm function - but says he must take care to protect his testicles from the excessive heat. The 28-year-old from Miami gets daily sunlight exposure, exercises regularly, only drinks filtered water and wears cotton boxer shorts - all part of a fertility-focused health regime which he follows despite any medical evidence to prove it works.
There is an element of truth behind these claims - environmental pollutants and heating the testes can impact sperm quality. But it's unlikely these steps Simon takes will make a massive difference to his fertility, although exercising will improve general health. He is part of a growing number of men paying close attention to their fertility. On TikTok and Instagram, hashtags such as #malefertility, #semenanalysis and #sperm attract hundreds of millions of views, while online communities dedicated to improving sperm health have grown rapidly.
Simon is not planning to have children any time soon and doesn't have a partner - he is more concerned with whether a low sperm count could affect his health. He worries if he has low fertility it could affect something called the endocrine system, a network of glands and organs in charge of releasing hormones in the body. But there isn't evidence this is the case.
A low sperm count won't trigger endocrine problems, although they may happen together in some people.
The BriefWire