Influence of genital heat stress on semen quality in humans.

Plain-language summary

This review looked at how heat stress on the testicles affects semen quality in men. It examined studies on factors like prolonged sitting, tight underwear, sauna use, and fever, and how they relate to scrotal temperature and sperm health. The review found that while higher scrotal temperatures were linked to worse semen quality, the evidence for specific heat sources like tight clothing or saunas was mixed. Cooling the scrotum, however, was shown to improve semen quality.

Key findings

• Higher scrotal temperatures were linked to worse semen quality.
• Prolonged sitting at work raised scrotal temperatures but did not consistently correlate with worse semen quality.
• Tight-fitting underwear raised scrotal temperatures, but evidence linking it to worse semen quality was not convincing.
• Cooling the scrotum improved semen quality.