Consistent Declining Male Potency: Chair and Dress do matter?

Consistent Decline in Male Potency: Does Sitting and Dress Matter?

Research has shown a notable decline in male potency over recent years, especially in sperm quality and quantity. This issue is evident not only in scientific studies but is also commonly observed in everyday life and affects many people. The Indian Express highlighted this trend seven years ago, and it remains a growing concern (1).

In this discussion, I will focus on two significant factors contributing to the decline in male potency: sitting habits and clothing choices. You might wonder why only these two factors, given that there are several others, such as alcohol, smoking, and obesity, that also play a role. The reason I’m highlighting these two is because they directly negate the very purpose of the testicles being located outside of the body: to maintain a lower temperature for optimal sperm production.

The scrotum’s role in temperature regulation is vital to male reproductive health. When sitting for long periods or wearing tight clothing, the temperature of the scrotum can rise, disrupting this natural cooling process and affecting sperm quality and quantity. This makes sitting habits and clothing choices particularly important in maintaining male fertility.

At the heart of these processes are two key organs: the scrotum and testicles.

• Scrotum: The scrotum is a loose pouch of skin that hangs behind the penis and contains the testicles. Its primary role is to regulate the temperature of the testicles, as sperm production requires a temperature slightly cooler than the body’s core temperature. The scrotum adjusts this by contracting and relaxing, moving the testicles closer to the body for warmth or farther away to cool them (2).
• Testicles: The testicles are oval-shaped organs that lie within the scrotum. They produce testosterone, the male sex hormone, and are responsible for sperm production through a process called spermatogenesis. Inside the testicles are seminiferous tubules, where sperm is made.

 

Testicles (testes)

The testes are oval organs about the size of very large olives that lie in the scrotum, secured at either end by a structure called the spermatic cord. Most men have two testes. The testes are responsible for making testosterone, the primary male sex hormone, and for producing sperm. Within the testes are coiled masses of tubes called seminiferous tubules. These tubules are responsible for producing sperm cells through a process called spermatogenesis.

Reproductive Capability and Sperm Quality

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines a man as capable of reproduction if his sperm count is at least 15 million per milliliter. However, in India, some labs still consider 20 million as the minimum threshold for infertility. To address this, the WHO has conducted workshops in India, training embryologists on the latest guidelines and how to assess sperm quality more accurately.(TOI).  

Despite these efforts, sperm quality and quantity continue to decline globally. A French study from 2012 reported a 32% drop in average sperm count over several decades, which triggered global concern (Daniel Franken). A 1992 study published in the British Medical Journal revealed a consistent decline in semen quality over the past 50 years, and subsequent research has confirmed this trend in many regions, including India. However, as sperm quality and quantity fall, an epidemic confronts Indian men, A French study that reported in Dec 2012 a 32% drop in average sperm count globally has shaken the medical world (IE).

Factors Contributing to Declining Sperm Quality

Facts to Support the Decline

The British Medical Journal published its landmark, comprehensive 1992 study that indicated “a genuine decline in semen quality over the past 50 years,” and scientists began hypothesizing about potential causes (3). Semen parameters in Indian men have declined with time and the deterioration is quantitatively higher in the infertile group. A study conducted in 2018, also provides reference values for semen parameters in Indian men (4).  In a study conducted some 2 decades back shown a significant decrease (P < 0.05) in sperm count (43%) and a departure from normal sperm morphology (30%) over some time. In the fertile group as well, there is a similar reduction in sperm count and sperm morphology. The percent of all men in the category of > 100 million/ml sperm count decreased with a concomitant increase in the < 20 million/ml group. The preliminary analysis indicates a decline in semen quality in our group of men over a decade (5), , while in the past decade also a report showed a similar pattern (6). 

The issue of declining semen quality got global attention in 1992 when a meta-analysis by Carlsen et al., revealed that the mean sperm concentration had fallen from 113 to 66 million/ml (almost 50%) in the past 50 years between 1938 and 1990 (7) . Subsequently, andrologists and clinicians all around the world conducted many retrospective and prospective studies to investigate such changes in the male population of their respective regions and many of them found a conceivable downward trend in various semen parameters (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)

What could be the Possible Reason for Decline

Several reasons have given to decline in the quality and quantity of sperm, which mainly include infection, obesity, alcohol, smoking laptop, and of course age. As per WINFERTILITY, there are mainly 7 reasons to explain, why this decline is and that includes diabetes, drug use, Hot Tubs, and Saunas and Boxers vs. Briefs in addition to the aforesaid reasons. ToKnow More

Sitting Habits and Clothing: Key Factors in Male Potency

For the present discussion, we will focus on two specific factors: sitting habits and clothing choices, particularly in India. The male testicles need to stay cooler than the rest of the body to produce sperm effectively. When the testicles are exposed to excessive heat, as in hot tubs or saunas, sperm count decreases. Similarly, tight clothing, especially jeans or briefs, can elevate the temperature around the scrotum, disrupting the natural cooling process.

Research has shown that men who are exposed to heat due to their occupation are 1.8 times more likely to have abnormal sperm morphology and are more likely to face difficulty conceiving. Sitting for extended periods, especially in tight clothing, increases the risk of scrotal temperature rising and affecting sperm production.

Traditional Attire and Climate Considerations

Historically, traditional Indian clothing, such as the loose-fitting pheran in Kashmir, dhoti in the Gangetic plain, and lungi in the south, has provided better airflow and cooling for the testicles. These garments were designed with local climate conditions in mind, allowing proper aeration and temperature regulation for male reproductive health.

In contrast, modern clothing such as jeans, which originated in colder regions, may exacerbate the issue by keeping the scrotum too close to the body, leading to an increase in temperature.

Temperature affects the Sperm Production

A large case-control study found that men exposed to heat because of their occupation were 1.8 times more likely to have morphologically abnormal sperm. They were also 1.8 times more likely to have been trying unsuccessfully to conceive for more than one year, than men who had not been occupationally exposed to heat (23).

Now if you sit on a chair, wearing jeans or even pants, again keep it close to the legs and then the temperature of the scrotum comes close to the body temperature, which nullifies the purpose of nature to put it outside of the body. Just think, the ancient Indian traditional style of sitting, Sukhasana or Padmasana, during which the scrotum hangs away from the thighs, provides good aeration and temperature exchange with ambient temperature.

Secondly, see the Indian male attire from loose Pheran in Jammu and Kashmir, followed by Dhoti in the Gangetic plain, to lungi in south India, as we move from north to south of India. One can clearly see the climatic conditions have closely followed in their attires. As the climate is becoming warmer, complete support to assure proper aeration and acclimatization of the scrotum have taken care of.  Remember the person who had intended not to go for sexual affairs, and claim themselves ‘Infirmary’, use to wear, langotes (Diapers).

What Can Be Done?

Although we can't reverse the clock or change our professions, we can make simple changes to improve male reproductive health. Start by reconsidering your choice of clothing. Opt for loose-fitting trousers instead of tight jeans and consider switching to boxers instead of briefs. The goal is to ensure your scrotum stays cool and properly ventilated, allowing for optimal sperm production.

Incorporating traditional practices, such as the ancient Indian sitting postures like Sukhasana or Padmasana, can also help. These positions naturally allow the scrotum to hang away from the body, ensuring better aeration and temperature regulation. By making small adjustments to our sitting habits and attire, we can combat the decline in male potency and support healthier reproductive function.