Road Cycling - Cycling and sexual dysfunction

I've been hearing comments that cycling long distances will affect your sex life in a negative way because of the pressure placed on the perineal area when you ride. I've heard everything from erectile problems to low sperm count. Is there any scientific research to prove or debunk this?

B-U-L-L-S-H-_T

Does that answer your question? :)

:) Not if you get the right seat. Try this link. http://bicycling.about.com/library/weekly/aa082901a.htm

Old "news" that has been discredited. A urologist seeking fame extrapolated dire warnings based on VERY few (probably 1 maybe 2) anecdotal accounts from patients who were bicycle police. Do a search on the archives. This has been covered numerous times.

NOPE!! Neither does heart attacks:D

there has been a lot of mud slinging on both sides, but the truth is that there is no definite proof one way or another. So I'd say it's probably not true

Found this...

Bike Seat Link to Impotence Rests on Disputed Evidence
Author: Roy Furchgott; Special to The Washington Post
Washington PostAugust 28, 2001, Page: F1

For a fitness story with legs -- and real public impact -- it's hard to top the one that ran in a 1997 issue of Bicycling magazine.

The article cited an unpublished study by nationally prominent urologist Irwin Goldstein suggesting that bike seats crush the main artery to the penis, causing permanent impotence.

Soon the story was picked up by "20/20" and an impotence warning was appearing in just about every article about biking and injury. Goldstein, whose comments in the initial article were somewhat guarded -- "I cannot say that sitting on a bicycle seat causes impotence," he told the magazine, and "I can't claim that long-term compression causes impotency, but I kind of think it does in a very small percentage of cases" -- was soon dispensing irresistible quotes, such as, "There are two kinds of cyclists: those who are impotent and those who will be." Even a single ride on the wrong seat can do major and permanent damage, he says, and the only safe way to cycle is on a recumbent bike.

Anxious to quell fears raised by these remarks, manufacturers rushed to produce anatomically contoured bike seats for both sexes. (Goldstein says women cyclists also face reproductive health concerns.) These presumably safer seats are now sold widely, but consumers still worry.

"[The issue] comes up every day," reports "Faruq" Robinson, a salesperson at City Bikes in Washington, who says bike shoppers regularly ask him if a cycle they are eyeing will cause numbness and harm their sexual ability.

He tells them the truth: He doesn't know. In fact, aside from the self-assured Goldstein, no one seems to know what to believe.

Four years after Goldstein's bombshell, many experts retain grave doubts about the evidence on which it rests. Goldstein's findings have never been reviewed and assessed by his peers, published in an academic journal or tested and replicated by other researchers.

And while other studies suggesting a link between cycling and genital numbness or impotence have been published in scholarly journals, experts say these reports are flawed. Biking on a narrow, rock-hard seat -- or any ill-fitting or uncomfortable saddle -- may numb your privates, but there's no clear proof that temporary discomfort or lack of feeling is linked to impotence.

Those at odds with Goldstein include four well-regarded urologists. Contacted for this article, each said that while it is possible for male cyclists to damage the sexual apparatus in an accident -- especially by smashing the crotch against the top tube, the horizontal bar between the seat and the handlebars -- the chances of doing lingering damage by just sitting tight and pedaling are very low.

"It's safe to bicycle," says William D. Steers, chairman of the urology department at the University of Virginia School of Medicine in Charlottesville. "That's an easy one. This whole [impotence-cycling] thing is really out of proportion. In China 90 percent of the male population cycles, and they don't seem to have a problem maintaining the population."

The cycling-impotence question, Steers says, has diverted attention from behavioral factors -- like smoking, overeating and inactivity -- that are far riskier to male reproductive health. "I find it disconcerting that attention to unhealthy behaviors hasn't been raised, when a healthful activity is getting this huge scrutiny."

Goldstein says he became convinced of cycling's ill effects after noticing in the mid-1980s that many of his male patients with complaints of sexual dysfunction were cyclists. He wondered if some of these problems stemmed from sitting on a narrow saddle for prolonged periods. His theory was that the saddle pushed into the perineum -- the soft tissue between the sit bones of the pelvis. Routed between those bones are the major blood vessels that feed the penis. Compressing soft tissue between a hard saddle and a hard bone, he suggested, was courting disaster.

After months of requests for copies of his initial study and a second one (also unpublished), Goldstein failed to provide much of that research for this article, saying the information was not readily available. But he agreed to describe his findings by phone.

According to the magazine article, Goldstein assembled a test group of 100 bike-riding men who had come to him for treatment of impotence. He measured blood flow to the penis while they lay flat on their backs and he applied pressure to the perineum with one of two cycling saddles or a chair. Goldstein says he found a 66 percent average reduction in blood flow from a narrow saddle, a 25 percent reduction from a wide saddle and no reduction from a chair. From this, he concluded that repeated compression of the penile artery would cause it to flatten or become blocked, which would eventually result in impotence.

Goldstein says he presented these findings at an American Urological Association conference. (He said he couldn't recall exactly when and where this meeting occurred, and the organization was unable to verify when Goldstein made this presentation.)

Goldstein says he followed his compression research with a second study, showing that cyclists had more than three times the impotence rate of runners, which he presented at another medical convention. Arthur Burnett, associate professor of urology at the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions in Baltimore, calls this study, based on questionnaires to members of a running club and a cycling club, "terribly flawed."

"I think the premise was inflated; to presume that [cycling] is a major cause of erectile dysfunction in America is not correct," says Burnett. Goldstein's hypothesis, he says, "needs to be corroborated by other studies that show how real it is."

Goldstein says he's been too busy to submit his studies for publication in a peer-reviewed journal and that it's hard to find sponsors to pay for corroborating research. His critics, he says, "are welcome to their own opinion. I see patients with this problem all of the time."

Over the last two decades, more than a dozen studies examining the relationship between cycling and impotence have been published in medical journals. Steers says all of them have problems, such as an inadequate control population of non-cyclists of the same age and physical condition, and small sample size. "To power a study you need thousands of men," says Steers, while the largest of the published reports included only 160 men.

From where he sits -- with a professorship at the Boston University School of Medicine, honors from his professional colleagues and a practice where he treats as many as six patients a week for impotence that he believes is related to cycling -- Goldstein says he needs no further convincing. "If you sat in my chair, it would be clear. The impotent come in here, and I am the advocate for them."

While advocacy may not foster dispassionate research, it sells in the free market. Former emergency physician and inventor Roger Minkow used Goldstein's data to design a saddle with a channel cut to relieve pressure on the perineum. The Specialized Body Geometry saddle has sold 1.3 million units and sparked a design revolution. Minkow says his seat -- if it is properly fitted to the rider -- is as easy on the perineum as a chair. He also says he has research -- unpublished -- to back up this claim.

While the hazardous-saddle question remains unresolved, some riders clearly like having a choice of seat configurations. Says Robinson at City Bikes, "I had one of my customers kind of barge in on a crowded day and holler, 'Hey guys, my new saddle is great! My penis doesn't fall asleep anymore.' That's the level of enthusiasm."

Copyright 2001 The Washington Post

Local note; This article was reprinted in the New Orleans Times-Picaynue under the headline "Channeled bike seats made to prevent numbing" and a large picture of a Tricot Split Rail saddle was featured.

The evidence linking bicycling to sexual dysfunction is scant and inconclusive. The evidence linking cardiovascular fitness (a byproduct of bicycling) to improved sexual function is strong.

I can't remember the source, but they showed a couple of stats. The percentage of cyclist with sexual dysfunctions was actually lower than that of the overall population.

The stat could be misleading if not compared to the average population. You hear that 3% of cyclist have a sexual dysfunction and automatically attribute it to cycling. However, when compared to 5% of the entire population having a dysfunction, it looks like you're better off cycling.

Between us, now that I am cycling, it seems that it has had a beneficial effect:eek:

Sounds like danr and Regularguy and Cipher know what they are talking about! I have always heard that those reports were all just a bunch of BS.

From everything I have seen and heard, cycling makes men more virile, doesn't have the opposite effect. The men posting here all seem to be in agreement with that! (Which is one reason why I do love cyclists!!)

Sandra

I understand that as much as 30% of the male US population has an ED problem, but only 4% of male cyclist do. If you are active in one phsycal activity or another, your risk of health problems decrease.

Thanks to all your replies, I appreciate them!

I don't think these posts have to do with virility or sexual adequacy <or inadequacy>. It's about low sperm count as a result of pressure on the penis when riding.

Having said that, I think there's some merit in the argument. I do believe that if you cycle for long periods of time, the glands can be affected. I don't think it happens with every rider, but I do think some are affected.

Gotta get to bed!

K

The evidence linking bicycling to sexual dysfunction is scant and inconclusive. The evidence linking cardiovascular fitness (a byproduct of bicycling) to improved sexual function is strong.

yes!

1) you need to make sure your saddle fits right - and if you have numbness or soreness "there" then change the saddle and/or get a bike shop bike fit (about $40)
2) unless you have numbess (above) or have a major crash (see below) it only really matters if you are riding A LOT like the pros - say 10,000km or more per year (note: i rode 10km last year and had a bike fit a few years ago after having some saddle numbness and checked with a urologist again last year about it who said not to worry - that the benefits to circulatatory system were better for "sexuality and aging" than the negatives of cycling) ---- and here the evidence is VERY weak and there are small studies that "prove" everything
3) there does _appear_ to be a link between genital trauma (i.e. crashing your nuts on the top tube) and reduced ability to father children (has nothing to do with not being able to have an erection). there is a study i think of Austrian mountain bikers that shows reduced sperm quality among pro mountain bikers - a group more likely to have accidents resulting in genital trauma.

in this regard (#3), does anyone know if it is possible to wear a cup while riding? i am thinking only for downhill/technical riding when i wear knee protectors, elbow guards and thick gloves and other protective gear. i've been meaning to try out a regular sports cup i have from hockey but no idea if one can ride "normally" or if it will interfere. although it happened most as a kid when riding a bike to big, i have also "met the top tube" in some crashes recently (like when jumping or doing a big drop).

I like the Body Geometry saddles I have on both of my bikes. My equipment works just fine, thanks.

Sometimes, a certain kind of numbness can´t be denied, but it´s getting better the more you get used to. In a couple of rides you won´t have any problems worth to mention.
Look at Indurain, shortly after he ended his career he became father.

Originally posted by Koffee Brown
I don't think these posts have to do with virility or sexual adequacy <or inadequacy>. It's about low sperm count as a result of pressure on the penis when riding.

The sperm count argument started after the virility argument was shot down in flames like the lame piece of crap that it was.


Originally posted by Koffee Brown
Having said that, I think there's some merit in the argument. I do believe that if you cycle for long periods of time, the glands can be affected. I don't think it happens with every rider, but I do think some are affected.

We could make the same argument about living in a city and breathing pollutants if we wanted to, we could make the same argument about being sexually active per se if we wanted to. The fact is, there has yet to be any conclusive proof about this. Until there is, I'm not going to take it seriously.

There was an article in the Montreal Gazette late last summer about this very topic. They said that there was a negative impact while young, but cycling actually has a POSTIVE effect when older, something about blood flow, I can't find the article so I can't remember exactly what the reasoning was.

I think its true. . .

every time I read Bicycling I get this numb brain dead feeling.
now that can't be too good for you now can it?

:roflmao:

Marty

A couple more thoughts. As with a lot of cycling issues I look at the pro peloton. These guys ride 3-5-7 hours a day almost year round. If impotence or low sperm count from cycling were an issue don't you think it would show up there? Just about all the married pros seem to have little cyclists-in-training.

Between you an me I used to have occasional problems when I was younger. Since taking up cycling, I've had none. It's easy to imagine that there might be problems, a lot of weight on a small area, but you should only worry if you're numb. Most impotence issues are caused psychologically, it's a rare case indeed for it to be a physical problem. Worry not, but if you are getting numb sort out your riding position.

Happy riding both on and off the bike :P

I believe the hype- I don't think it happens to every cyclist, but it does happen to some.

Actually, this happened to me- riding constantly over a four year period gave me constant numbness "down there" (to put it politely). I had no idea what was happening to me, and by the time I realized how bad the problem was, it was too late to do anything but lay off on cycling until "things" got back to normal. My doctor has no solutions for me.

I'm still not 100%. I don't even think I'm more than 60%, but compared to a couple of years ago, it is better than what I went through. And it was a scary and difficult time for me (and my boyfriend at the time).

Maybe it won't happen to you, but it DOES happen to some people. The important thing is to seek help right away as soon as you notice any numbness in that area- I waited a looooooooong time, and that's too bad for me.

Now I am very careful- still making a slow comeback healthwise, and working on saddle positioning, and getting the Terry Liberator should help. Plus my regular checkups at my doctor to make sure I'm still making progress.

Koffee

No problems here...many miles, many encounters.......

zachary, born jan 28th, 1995
justin, born may 30th, 1998
benjamin, born december 12th, 2002

at least 3,000 miles for the last 5+ years

all conceived during differing high milage points in my season. never a problem. i have 3 reasons why this is bunk. that being said i believe that the fit starts with the bike. my center of gravity is over my belly and not any closer to my hands or even at or behind my torso.

There might be something in these claims as it is known that prolonged pressure
on a nerve can cause problems.
However Dr Goldstein also dismisses saddles with cut outs etc which remove
pressure from the offending area,so im a bit skeptical about his claims.
Has he done tests on these saddles? I think not.
Its strange his claims in some way have been a boon to saddle makers.

Originally posted by RegularGuy
The evidence linking bicycling to sexual dysfunction is scant and inconclusive. The evidence linking cardiovascular fitness (a byproduct of bicycling) to improved sexual function is strong.


Speaking as one who has severe problems in this area at 34years old, I'm hoping the new bike addiction (!) will in fact be yet another weapon in my fitness arsenal in changing my weight from 235lbs to 160lbs. I reckon my worn out CV system has more to do with my problems than *anything* else.

10lbs down... 65lbs to go. ;)

Then it's shag city.....*















* May not be true. Hehehehehe......

The thing that bugs me most about the funky saddles inspired by Dr Goldtein's hype machine is they do not address the root of the problem; ie: poor posture on the bicycle. In most cases the problem is a too-low handlebar that causes the rider to lean forward onto his genitals. Thus, the quickest, easiest cure for "numb nut syndrome" is raising the handlebar.

The data in the medical literature is inconclusive.

Sperm count can be affected due to prolonged raised temperatures of the testicles but it would only affect couples who have problems concieving.

The fact that 90 percent of all viagra users are either diabetics or smokers, cycling should be the least of a man's worry. (Consdering the fact that cycling prevents and improves diabetic control) cycling probably does more to stave off erectile dysfunction.

cycletourist is right, if people just learned to sit properly and had better form, there wouldn't be as many problems. (By the way, most of the studies that were done where blood flow was assesed before, during and after cycling were not preformed by professional cyclists who know how to ride and handle the seats better).

Yes there has been some strange saddles designed.
Any body seen the spongy wonder?

HEADLINES-
"Lance Armstong has zero sperm count."

damn right i have sexual dysfunction. i can't shut off the desire. this blood flow exercise is great. It's gotten so bad that i've had to replace sex with food....now i can't button my pants.

HEADLINES-
"Lance Armstong has zero sperm count."

only on one side :-)

I had a debate at a dinner party this past summer with some friends on this topic. One of my friends, a doctor, forwarded to me a PDF version of an article on this topic - a copy of it is pasted below without footnotes. Send me a private message if you want me to email you the PDF version (the copied and pasted version below may be difficult to read easily).

MARGARET JACKSON PRIZE ESSAY
____________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________

Great balls of fire and the vicious cycle: A study of the effects of
cycling on male fertility

Tom Southorn, BSc, Fourth Year Medical Student, St George’s Hospital Medical School, University of London, Cranmer Terrace,
London SW17 0RE, UK. E-mail: 97ms144@sghms.ac.uk
Correspondence: Tom Southorn, 87 Kenlor Road, Tooting, London SW17 0DG, UK. E-mail: tsouthorn@hotmail.com
The Journal of Family Planning and Reproductive Health Care 2002: 28(4): 211–213

Abstract

Over the past few years we have been bombarded with
publicity telling us to do more exercise in order to reduce
our risk of developing heart disease. Also, as commuter
traffic increases and petrol prices rise, workers are
constantly looking for quicker, cheaper and greener ways of
travelling short distances. As a result of this, bicycle sales
have risen exponentially. However, as the popularity of
cycling increases, so do the fears that spending hours in the
saddle every day may not be as beneficial as first thought.
For many years now reports in the literature have suggested
that exercise in general, and cycling specifically, may
actually increase an individual’s risk of developing
problems in the male reproductive system. In this report I
will review the evidence available in the literature, paying
special attention to cycling and the risks of developing
testicular cancer, secondary impotence and, most
importantly, the effects on male fertility.

The effects of exercise on potency and fertility

Testicular cancer

There has been a lot of work done recently on the aetiology
of testicular cancer and any predisposing or protecting
factors. In England and Wales testicular cancer is now the
most common form of cancer in men aged 15–44 years,1
and over the past few decades there has been a continuous
rise in the incidence. The identification and modification of
risk factors could stem this rise and even cause a decrease
in the number of new cases. At present the only risk factors
that have been identified with certainty are a history of
undescended testis and infantile inguinal hernia.
Forman et al.1 undertook a study to determine the risk of
testicular cancer associated with undescended testis,
inguinal hernia, age at puberty, marital status, infertility,
vasectomy, and amount of exercise. The key findings
associated with exercise were that the risk of testicular
cancer decreased with increased amount of exercise (over
15 hours a week) and increased with increased sedentary
time. Subfertile men are known to have an increased risk of
developing testicular carcinoma in situ,1 and it has been
suggested that cancer and subfertility are both associated
with an underlying defect in spermatogenesis. The common
finding of a reduced sperm count in men with testicular
cancer1 strengthens this hypothesis. It is thought that large
amounts of exercise might alter hormonal profiles and that
these hormones might exert some effect on the rate of
mitosis of germ cells, leading to a decreased risk of
developing testicular cancer.1
In an earlier study, Coldman et al.2 looked at the
relationship of testicular seminoma and particular activities
in addition to cryptorchidism and infantile inguinal hernia.
In particular they looked at the possible role that trauma
might play in the aetiology of testicular cancer. Trauma may
well act as a trigger for diagnosis, but can it also predispose
an individual to develop testicular cancer? The authors
found a relationship between testicular cancer and cycling
and horse riding. Both of these activities may expose the
scrotum to direct and repeated trauma, which is unlikely to
be encountered in any other situations. Both activities also
involve close contact with leather or similar products, which
may have been treated with a large variety of chemical dyes
and waterproofing agents.

Nerve entrapment, impotence and subfertility

Damage or entrapment of the pudendal nerves and/or
arteries is a well-documented complication of cycling,
although mainly from case reports.3–5 In the majority of
these case reports, the cases presented with penile
insensitivity following lengthy bike rides. Symptoms also
included bladder outflow obstruction4 and secondary
impotence, which may persist for weeks, even months.5 It is
thought that the pudendal nerves are trapped between the
nose of a narrow bicycle saddle and either the pubic bone5
the pubic symphysis3 or the ischial bone.6 The symptoms of
bladder outflow obstruction are thought to be as a result of
compression of the proximal urethra, external urinary
sphincter and prostate, also caused by the nose of the
bicycle saddle.4 In almost all cases, reduction or cessation
of cycling activities resulted in full recovery from
symptoms. For those continuing to cycle long distances,
accurate set-up of the bicycle with regard to saddle height
in relation to handlebar height, and the use of a wider, more
padded seat would seem to alleviate the symptoms in most
cases.
Aboseif et al.7 investigated the effects of occlusion of the
internal pudendal and penile arteries on the erectile
response of dogs. They found that acute occlusion of one
artery did not affect the response, as the contralateral artery
compensated with an increase in flow. However, bilateral
occlusion significantly reduced the response. Erection was
not abolished completely due to the presence of small
collateral arteries, which were not blocked. Chronic
bilateral occlusion does not significantly affect erection, as
these collaterals develop to take the place of the occluded
arteries. The acute occlusion effects on dogs possibly mimic
the effects that cycling may have on human erectile
function.
The term ‘Alcock syndrome’ was first established in
1987 by Amarenco (reviewed by Oberpenning6) to describe
this type of cyclist paralysis. The pudendal nerve originates
from the sacral plexus and circulates around the sacrospinal
ligament and subsequently enters into the fatty tissues of the
ischiorectal fossa. Close to the insertion of the ischiotuberal
ligaments into the ischial bone the pudendal nerve enters
the Alcock canal, accompanied by the pudendal artery and
vein. After passage through this canal, the pudendal nerve
continues its course, emerging from below the symphysis to
provide innervation of the perineum and genitals. Sitting on
a hard, narrow bicycle saddle, together with the mechanical
stress of rotating the pedals, places a great deal of stress on
the perineum and the Alcock canal and, as a result, nerve
and arterial compression against the bones of the pelvis
occurs. Downward pointing, or wider bicycle saddles, may
alleviate this problem.
Andersen et al.8 examined the association between
cycling and symptoms of nerve entrapments. Their study
looked at participants of an annual cycling race in Norway.
The Great Trial of Strength is a non-stop 540-km race from
Trondheim to Oslo. The authors distributed questionnaires
addressing several factors as detailed below to those
competing:
1. Training frequency before the tour
2. Average number of weekly tours of at least 1 hour
during the past 3 months
3. Number of previous long rides of more than 100 km
4. Number of previously completed tours of the Great
Trial of Strength.

Symptoms were assessed under four headings as follows:
1. Hand weakness
2. Numbness in the hands
3. Numbness in the genital region
4. Impotence.

Libido and ejaculation were not assessed. Cyclists
complaining of symptoms were followed up for further
details. (The results for nerve entrapment in the hands are
not relevant to this discussion and so are not mentioned
further here.)
It is thought that the incidence of impotence in cyclists is
very low, although still higher than in the healthy
population.5 Obtaining reliable data on this subject is very
difficult so the values quoted by Andersen et al.8
(impotence 13%) must be regarded as minimal values.
From this study it is suggested that long-lasting pressure of
1–2 days is needed to induce symptoms of impotence. It is
thought that the pathophysiological process is a
combination of ischaemic neuropathy, arterial insufficiency
and nerve compression.
This idea of a connection between long-standing pressure
from the saddle and impotence is not a new one.
Hippocrates first documented evidence of this
phenomenon, although not in cyclists! Writing about the
Scythians, a caravan people living north of the Black Sea
and renowned for their equestrian skill, he mentioned that
‘The constant jolting on their horses unfits them for
intercourse’. He also states that ‘These complaints come
upon the Scythians and they are the most impotent of men’.
Hippocrates states that this affliction is also due to the fact
that ‘They always wear trousers and spend most of their
time on their horses, so that they do not handle the parts, but
owing to cold and fatigue forget about sexual passion’.8
In general, Andersen et al.8 state that an ischaemic cause
of nerve block is expected to be of shorter duration than a
demyelinating cause due to pressure. In long cycling tours,
an uninterrupted period of 10–15 hours on the bike is not
uncommon, and duration of symptoms seems to be related
to the number of hours spent continuously in the saddle. If
demyelination does occur, symptoms may persist for up to
6 months.8

Torsion

Jackson and Craft9 state, in a case study, that cycling may
be a significant cause of torsion of the testis. They describe
five cases of teenage boys presenting with torsion, all of
whom described the onset of pain as starting during or
shortly after completion of a bike ride. It would appear that
the testis could become twisted between the thigh and the
saddle as the legs go up and down. If the torsion is not
corrected quickly, orchidectomy is indicated to remove the
dead testis. This may lead to a significant effect on fertility
in later life.

Scrotal temperature

It is a commonly accepted belief that tight-fitting underwear
could be responsible for the recent decline in male fertility.
The reason for this being that tight-fitting underwear is
believed to lead to a rise in scrotal temperature. Davidson
first recognised the potential for underwear type to
influence scrotal temperature and fertility in 1954.10 In a
recent study by Munkelwitz and Gilbert10 they found no
significant difference in scrotal temperatures between men
wearing brief-style underwear and men wearing boxer
shorts. Could this belief be a myth? It is certainly based on
very little actual evidence. Strong evidence remains,
however, that raising scrotal temperature results in atrophy
of the testicular germinal epithelium and arrest of
spermatogenesis.10
Arce et al.11 suggested that the effects of exercise on
spermatogenesis might not be as a result of hormonal
changes but might, in fact, be as a result of increased scrotal
temperature. This increase may be as a result of wearing
tight, supportive clothing during periods of strenuous
exercise. It has been shown in other studies that elevations
in scrotal temperature beyond 30 minutes may result in
disturbing effects on spermatogenesis. Lucía et al.12
suggested that this might be of special relevance to the issue
of subfertility and cycling, given that professional cyclists
exercise for several hours a day wearing close-fitting Lycra
outfits, which may lead to a marked and sustained rise in
scrotal temperature.

Discussion

Is exercise really good for you?

Besides considerable health benefits from exercise, the
increased pursuit of fitness also results in some health
hazards with which the physician must deal. Cycling is
certainly no exception, and may actually be worse than
many other forms of exercise when performed at a high
level. The studies reviewed here show a few different
mechanisms for how exercise, in particular cycling, might
affect male health and fertility.

Testicular cancer

These studies suggest that exercise at a reasonably high
level has a protective effect against testicular cancer.
However, cycling, as well as horse riding, seem to
predispose an individual to testicular cancer. It is impossible
to say whether these two facts might cancel each other out,
however it is certainly a fact that could be explored further.
More work would need to be done looking at cyclists and
horse riders in particular. It is worth noting that Lance
Armstrong, who has won the Tour De France cycle race,
reputedly the toughest race in the world, for the last 2 years,
was diagnosed as having testicular cancer with metastases.
Fortunately, he made a full recovery before astounding
everyone by winning the race for the first time against all
odds. Armstrong was advised to freeze a sperm sample
before commencing his chemotherapy and has since
fathered a child. This would suggest that even cycling at a
professional level does not reduce your fertility enough to
make you unable to fertilise an egg. However, the question
still remains as to whether Armstrong developed the disease
as a result of the sheer amount of gruelling training needed
to be a professional cyclist?

Nerve entrapment and impotence

It would seem from these studies that cycling does indeed
cause neuropathy, however, it still seems unlikely that this
has any long-term effect on male fertility. The most severe
effect would seem to be loss of penile sensation for a period
of time, related to the extent of injury. Researchers seem to
be divided as to whether cycling can cause impotence.
Andersen et al.8 provide good evidence to say that it can, in
some individuals. Due to the personal nature of this
problem, it is worth remembering that many sufferers may
not wish to disclose the information to a researcher or
clinician and so the problem is almost certainly underreported.
Similar studies performed at other endurance
cycling events may provide further good evidence on this
problem. An interesting point would be to study the
differences in development of symptoms between those
cyclists who partake in road races, where the majority of the
ride is spent firmly in the saddle, and those who ride in offroad
mountain bike races. Due to the more technical nature
of mountain bike racing, the rider will tend to shift his body
weight on and off the saddle at regular intervals.

Trauma

It is accepted that long-distance cycling results in testicular
trauma that would not be experienced in many other
pursuits. It remains to be tested how this trauma might
affect male fertility. This is a hard variable to study as
trauma is impossible to measure accurately in a
retrospective study, and a prospective study is hampered by
the very real problem that volunteers would be very
unwilling to subject themselves knowingly to testicular
trauma, no matter how small.

Increased temperature

The long periods of activity associated with high-level
exercise, especially cycling, will undoubtedly cause an
increase in core body temperature. It would also seem to
cause an increase in scrotal temperature, especially if tight,
supportive clothing is worn at the same time. This increase,
if prolonged, is likely to cause deleterious effects on
spermatogenesis. How severe these effects are is a subject
that the many hundreds of young professional cyclists
would like to be explored before too much longer. Until
then, their profession dictates that they don their brightly
coloured, sponsor-covered, Lycra race suits for every race.

Conclusions

There is a vast amount of literature available on the subject
of exercise and male fertility. What is reviewed here is only
a tiny fraction. However, even from these studies it is clear
that there is potential for much more work to be done on this
subject. The question ‘Can exercise result in a reduction in
male fertility?’ has not yet been fully answered. Even in the
light of all this research, cycling is enjoying its most popular
period ever, and the public is still being told that the more
exercise you do, the healthier you will be and the longer you
will live. This project suggests that in some cases this may
not be true. The association between cycling and urogenital
pathology has not gone unnoticed by the bicycle industry.
At present there are a vast number and range of saddles on
the market, utilising novel designs and materials in an
attempt to relieve pressure on the more sensitive parts of the
perineum and instead take advantage of the bony skeleton.
Whether any of these new designs proves to be successful
remains to be seen. In the meantime it is encouraging to see
the cycling industry keeping up to date with current
research.

Also, see http://www.cyclingnz.com/science.phtml?n=42

I've been hearing comments that cycling long distances will affect your sex life in a negative way because of the pressure placed on the perineal area when you ride. I've heard everything from erectile problems to low sperm count. Is there any scientific research to prove or debunk this?

Fizik saddle...only problem I have right now is that the fitter I get, the more erectile issues I have...as in....well, you know what increased blood flow will do!

>>>>that volunteers would be very
unwilling to subject themselves knowingly to testicular
trauma, no matter how small.<<<<

no kidding ? :-)

I'm a big believer of countoured saddles.

There may not be proof, but if it feels better on the "mini-catatonic"s, then it's better for me too ;)

That said, just look at your genitalia, seiously just look, then see how it rests on your bike saddle. If anyhting sensitive is being pinched, it could very well get messed up if it stays pinched for extended periods of time. The thing is it's hard to prove, but sometimes it's better to play it safe and just get something that fits your anatomy better.

Now for men, i think ball-hop would lead more to sterility than anything....you guys know, where it gets mashed down into teh saddle on the downstroke, and eventually finds it way up again, just to get mashed down immediately after.....it's like getting each testicle kicked rapidly....it sucks and I know that can't possibly be good for you.

Old "news" that has been discredited. A urologist seeking fame extrapolated dire warnings based on VERY few (probably 1 maybe 2) anecdotal accounts from patients who were bicycle police. Do a search on the archives. This has been covered numerous times.

I wonder if these bike police are also motorcycle cops? I have heard of reports that a "warm" radar gun placed between the legs of the officer after use can also cause problems...

q

does cycling make ya bigger?....