Fertility Myths about Men

Myth: Fertility cycles are only for women.

The time of day or year can affect fertility. Sperm production increases during cooler temperatures which would explain why sperm counts are higher in winter and lower in the summer season. Men also have higher sperm counts in the morning which is also when they have higher levels of hormones. Experts still don’t fully agree if time or day of the year affect fertility overall.

Myth: Riding a bicycle doesn’t affect fertility.

The exercise isn’t what is bad for you. Bicycling becomes  a problem when you are sitting for long periods of time especially if you are wearing those tight bicycle shorts, this temporarily raises scrotal temperature which affects sperm production. This is why men who are hoping to conceive should skip saunas and hot tubs. Things you can do to help are taking frequent breaks from cycling and choosing wider and softer bicycle seats.

Myth: Daily sex will increase your chances for conception.

Overall the ability to conceive is about timing. Usually the best time to conceive is on the 11th or 17th day of the woman’s menstrual cycle. A mans sperm can live anywhere from 48-72 hours in the reproductive tract of the female. Therefore having sex daily may to little to nothing in helping with conceiving.

Myth: Only overweight men have problems with their sperm.

Well we know that being obese can affect sperm production it is also known that being underweight can also have an impact. Being underweight means you more then likely have a hormonal imbalance as well as being malnourished. A study done shows that men with an optimal BMI (20-25) had high sperm production levels then those who were underweight or overweight.

Myth: Lubricants don’t speed up sperm.

Lubrication decreases the friction which helps increase the pleasure during sex. However when it comes to conceiving it can be counterproductive. Many ingredients could be toxic to sperm and can affect their ability to move. Saliva and lotions can also have this effect. If you do need to use some sort of lubrication consult with your physician to see what would be the best choice.