Frequent mountain bikers may be at risk for low sperm counts

*** Frequent mountain bikers may be at risk for low sperm counts ***

Seattle Times & Los Angeles Times -- Weekend of 02/08-09/2003

For male bicyclists, the road to fatherhood may have just hit a few more bumps.

Two studies this winter add to recent evidence that bicycling can be hazardous to a man's
reproductive health — especially for dedicated mountain bikers. One found that frequent
mountain-bike riding can lower sperm counts, damage the scrotum and possibly reduce fertility. The
other showed that even less strenuous cycling can cause genital numbness and interfere with
erectile function.

Studies suggesting a troubling link between cycling and procreation have been steadily surfacing
since a prominent urologist asserted five years ago that bicycling has caused at least 100,000 men
to become impotent, and the latest research is sure to add to debate among cyclists and physicians.

"Biking overall is a great sport," said Dr. Ferdinand Frauscher, who presented the most recent
findings at a conference of the Radiological Society of North America. "It's excellent exercise for
the cardiovascular system, but like other sports — like skiing and running — it carries a certain
set of risks."

Mitigating products

But not even the latest findings, serious though they are, probably will knock the millions of
cycling men off their bikes. Not only are doctors reluctant to discourage the activity, particularly
when done in moderation, the cycling industry has developed new designs that can mitigate whatever
harm may exist.

Frauscher's study compared 40 mountain bikers with 35 noncyclists over one year and found that 90
percent of the cyclists who rode more than 3,000 miles a year produced one-third the sperm and had
much lower sperm motility and volume compared with noncyclists. The cyclists,

too, were almost four times as likely to exhibit scrotum abnormalities, including cysts,
calcifications and varicose veins.

"We believe the microtrauma from shocks and vibrations are the major reason for the resulting
testicular vascular damage," said Frauscher, a uroradiologist at University Hospital in
Innsbruck, Austria.

The other study, published in the Journal of Andrology, followed a group of 17 bicycle police in
Long Beach, Calif., and found that they had erections for less time during sleep compared with
nonriders. The study was done by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National
Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

Both studies cited the bicycle seat — or saddle, as bikers refer to it — as the chief culprit. The
more time on the bike, the more likely there

would be a problem. The saddle's nose often puts extra pressure on the perineum, the area behind the
scrotum, where nerves and arteries run to the genitals.

Many bicyclists — backed by some physicians — say the recent studies overstate the risks. They point
to countries such as China, where a vast majority of men bicycle and don't experience above-normal
rates of infertility or sexual dysfunction. Also, they say, fertility difficulties pale in
comparison with the well-known risks of remaining sedentary, a practice that contributes to obesity,
diabetes and heart ailments.

But even the most enthusiastic cyclists concede the saddle can be a real pain. Cyclists say the key
to finding a good one is trial and error and learning to make small angle adjustments.

"The saddle is the worst part of the bike, always has been, always will be," said Jim Hasenauer, a
board member of the International Mountain Bicycling Association. "I know guys whose garages are
full of saddles. It can be like trying to find the holy grail."

New saddles

In recent years, bicycle manufacturers have created dozens of new ergonomically designed
saddles, which more evenly distribute a rider's weight, promising comfort and alleviating
pressure on the perineum.

So far, the seats, which offer more padding or feature a triangle-shaped

wedge cut out of its middle, have received positive reviews. In the case

of mountain biking, doctors say the seats — when combined with a full suspension system — can go a
long way in warding off any potential fertility problems. Full suspension systems function like
shock absorbers on a car and create a smoother ride.

But there are a couple of reasons some bikers balk at the improvements. The first is cost. The
new generation of saddles can run $45 to $100, while full suspension can add as much as $150 to
$600 to the overall price. Also, saddles tend to be heavy and would add burdensome extra weight
to the bicycle.

If the precautions are taken, however, there's no reason to abandon cycling for fear of not being a
father, said Frauscher, himself a mountain biker.

CC- http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/healthscience/134629188_biketrouble09.html

Geneb...Wenatchee,Washington-USA All Things Northwest in BMX! ***** Gene`s BMX *****
http://www.genesbmx.com

 

"Geneb" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...

> *** Frequent mountain bikers may be at risk for low sperm counts ***

<snip>

And this is exactly what I'm hoping for!

--
Slacker

 

Geneb says:

>*** Frequent mountain bikers may be at risk for low sperm counts ***
>

I knew I shouldn't have spent all that cash on the vasectomy. I shoulda just ridden more.........

 

"Stephen Baker" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Geneb says:
>
> >*** Frequent mountain bikers may be at risk for low sperm counts ***
> >
>
> I knew I shouldn't have spent all that cash on the vasectomy. I shoulda just ridden more.........
>

In your case, just riding isn't worth the risk. Ya, ya. I know 'Baker' implies that you 'have one in
the oven', but ya ain't a good cook.

--
Cameron

 

Geneb <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> *** Frequent mountain bikers may be at risk for low sperm counts ***

<Bollocks snipped>

Nahhh!

Shaun aRe

 

....but shooting blanks gives me more chances.

"i'm not sure if that's the one baby....let's try again...."

 

I don't know. I rode more in the past 14 months (got laid off, decided to go back to school, sponged
off of the wife until school started9 months after my layoff) and we're expecting our first in July.

http://home.san.rr.com/mfpaul/baby.jpg

Michael

 

"Michael Paul" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I don't know. I rode more in the past 14 months (got laid off, decided to go back to school,
> sponged off of the wife until school started9 months after my layoff) and we're expecting our
> first in July.
>
> http://home.san.rr.com/mfpaul/baby.jpg

Yeah, but wasn't the baby conceived here in San Diego while you were 24-hour racing up in
Idlyllwild?

Bill "kid better not have blond hair" S.

 

Michael Paul says:

>http://home.san.rr.com/mfpaul/baby.jpg

Dang! I hope his/her legs grow some.. ;-))

Steve
PS - you would have thought that after 4 kids, one of them would have had an ultrasound, but No - no
pre-birth pics at all (not even any "during" pics, I'm glad to say.

 

"Stephen Baker" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Cameron says:
>
> >Ya, ya. I know 'Baker' implies that you 'have one in the oven', but ya ain't a good cook.
>
> Not cooking any more, but there are 4 beautiful, healthy "ones" walking around right now who prove
> that I was a damn' good "Baker" in my time ;-)

One of my riding buddies stopped at two muffins, one cinnamon-nutmeg, the other blackberry thorns.

>
> Anyway, mixing the dough is more fun than taking it out of the oven anyway. ;-))

Kinda the chef's helper, ain't ya?

--
Cameron

 

[email protected] (Stephen Baker) wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> Geneb says:
>
> >*** Frequent mountain bikers may be at risk for low sperm counts ***
> >
>
> I knew I shouldn't have spent all that cash on the vasectomy. I shoulda just ridden more.........

Took two of those procedures before I shot blanks (really, lets not talk about confidence in a
certain Boulder urologist). Don't want to think if I hadn't been riding. "Hey doc, what are you
cutting down there, Oh Nooooooo!"

Cheers, Shawn

 

On Sun, 09 Feb 2003 18:08:39 -0800, Geneb <[email protected]> wrote:

>*** Frequent mountain bikers may be at risk for low sperm counts ***
>
Don't need any more kids anyway.

Peace, Bill The mind serves properly as a window glass rather than as a reflector, that is, the mind
should give an immediate view instead of an interpretation of the world.
:-]

 

On Mon, 10 Feb 2003 02:46:07 GMT, "Slacker" <[email protected]> wrote:

."Geneb" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]... . .>
*** Frequent mountain bikers may be at risk for low sperm counts *** . .<snip> . . .And this is
exactly what I'm hoping for!

Me, too.
===
I am working on creating wildlife habitat that is off-limits to humans ("pure habitat"). Want to
help? (I spent the previous 8 years fighting auto dependence and road construction.)

http://home.pacbell.net/mjvande

 

Mike Vandeman <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Mon, 10 Feb 2003 02:46:07 GMT, "Slacker" <[email protected]>
wrote:
>
> ."Geneb" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> . .> *** Frequent mountain bikers may be at risk for low sperm counts *** . .<snip> . . .And this
> is exactly what I'm hoping for!
>
> Me, too.

You don't need to wish for it when you've got it already, Muck Vundlemonkey.

Shaun aRe

 

To bad your father(?) didn't do a lot of bike riding :<)

"Mike Vandeman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Mon, 10 Feb 2003 02:46:07 GMT, "Slacker" <[email protected]>
wrote:
>
> ."Geneb" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> . .> *** Frequent mountain bikers may be at risk for low sperm counts *** . .<snip> . . .And this
> is exactly what I'm hoping for!
>
> Me, too.
> ===
> I am working on creating wildlife habitat that is off-limits to humans ("pure habitat"). Want to
> help? (I spent the previous 8 years fighting auto dependence and road construction.)
>
> http://home.pacbell.net/mjvande

 

In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] says...
> To bad your father(?) didn't do a lot of bike riding :<)
>
>
I'm sure the town bike would disagree ;-)

 

Low sperm count no problem. Less weight. And for the uneducated it only requires one sperm to get
chick up the spout anyway.

"Mike Vandeman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Mon, 10 Feb 2003 02:46:07 GMT, "Slacker" <[email protected]>
wrote:
>
> ."Geneb" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> . .> *** Frequent mountain bikers may be at risk for low sperm counts *** . .<snip> . . .And this
> is exactly what I'm hoping for!
>
> Me, too.
> ===
> I am working on creating wildlife habitat that is off-limits to humans ("pure habitat"). Want to
> help? (I spent the previous 8 years fighting auto dependence and road construction.)
>
> http://home.pacbell.net/mjvande

 

Hmm, we sit on a saddle for 2+ hours at a time for fun. Is it any wonder that we (MTB bikers) have
problems with low sperm count, prostate inflamation, saddle sores, etc.

Just a hazard of the sport.

Baseball players tend to blow out their shoulders. Any wonder? They throw balls.

Paul Ayck <[email protected]> wrote:
> Low sperm count no problem. Less weight. And for the uneducated it only requires one sperm to get
> chick up the spout anyway.

> "Mike Vandeman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> On Mon, 10 Feb 2003 02:46:07 GMT, "Slacker" <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>>
>> ."Geneb" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> . .> *** Frequent mountain bikers may be at risk for low sperm counts *** . .<snip> . . .And this
>> is exactly what I'm hoping for!
>>
>> Me, too.
>> ===
>> I am working on creating wildlife habitat that is off-limits to humans ("pure habitat"). Want to
>> help? (I spent the previous 8 years fighting auto dependence and road construction.)
>>
>> http://home.pacbell.net/mjvande

--

+---
| Jason Murray, P.Eng.
+---
| Political movements are not sired by dispassionate logic; their mother is fear and their father is
| outrage. As a consequence, logical solutions are not only precluded; they are reviled.
+--- Jay D. Dyson