Laptop Comps May Affect Male Fertility

[The 14th Colony]

Well this sure throws a kink into cyber sex, huh?

Laptops May Damage Male Fertility

Using it on your lap could be risky
Men who use laptop computers could be unwittingly damaging their fertility, experts believe.
Balancing it on the lap increases the temperature of the scrotum which is known to have a negative effect on sperm production, researchers found.

Coupled with the rising popularity of these computers - about 150m people use them worldwide - much more research is needed say the US authors.

The State University of New York findings appear in Human Reproduction.

Teenage boys and young men may consider limiting their use of laptop computers on their laps.

Lead researcher Dr Yefim Sheynkin

Lead researcher Dr Yefim Sheynkin, from the State University of New York at Stony Brook, said: "Laptops can reach internal operating temperatures of over 70°C.

"They are frequently positioned close to the scrotum, and as well as being capable of producing direct local heat, they require the user to sit with his thighs close together to balance the machine, which traps the scrotum between the thighs."

The researchers asked 29 healthy male volunteers aged between 21 and 35 to take part in an experiment.

They then recorded the temperature changes to the scrotum caused by laptop use and different seating positions over one hour time periods.

Just sitting with the thighs together, a posture needed to balance a laptop, caused scrotal temperatures to rise by 2.1C.

Heating up

When the men used a laptop in this position the average temperatures increased by 2.6C on the left of the scrotum and 2.8C on the right.

It is worrying that having a laptop on your knees for only an hour can increase the temperature of the scrotum so significantly.

Dr Allan Pacey of the British Fertility Society

Dr Sheynkin said: "The body needs to maintain a proper testicular temperature for normal sperm production and development (spermatogenesis).

"We don't know the exact frequency and time of heat exposure capable of producing reversible or irreversible changes in spermatogenesis.

"But previous studies suggest that 1°C above the baseline is the possible minimal thermal gradient."

He said any changes might be reversible, but that repetitive use of a laptop in this way might cause permanent damage.

"Until further studies provide more information on this type of thermal exposure, teenage boys and young men may consider limiting their use of laptop computers on their laps," he said.

Speaking on behalf of the British Fertility Society, Dr Allan Pacey, senior lecturer in Andrology at the University of Sheffield, said: "We already know that increasing the temperature of the testicles can affect sperm production.

"It is worrying that having a laptop on your knees for only an hour can increase the temperature of the scrotum so significantly.

"Men who use laptops regularly should be very careful.

"Further work is needed to see if regular laptop use is a risk factor in male fertility."

[Rowan]

Male fertility is becoming an issue all over this planet sperm count is dropping. I read recently that the foam found in your pillows, car seats etc gives off something that can cause sterility in males as well. I'll see if I can find that article and post it here.

[The 14th Colony]

Oh great, so now we have to cut out the sex with pillows too? Dang.

[Senmut]

Sterility? I guess my laptop is a bit late.

[Darth Marley]

The heat issue is not particularly well thought out.
Have they never heard of the "hot tub" method of birth control?

[The 14th Colony]

I may not have, unless I know about it but not by that referance. What is the hot tub method, Darth?

[Darth Marley]

90 minutes in a really hot hot tub before any activity that might produce offspring.
Kills the little swimmers dead.

[The 14th Colony]

Oh, okay that. Like hardboiling eggs.

[Rowan]

This lasts until after the first ejaculation? And then back into the tub for another 90 minutes before participating in those kinds of activities again?

[Senmut]

Originally Posted by Rowan

This lasts until after the first ejaculation? And then back into the tub for another 90 minutes before participating in those kinds of activities again?

That might depend on the man's rate of spermatogenesis. Of course, if you both just stay in the water.....

[Rowan]

LOL Sen I'm sleepy I didn't even think of that




Here is something I found I had not heard of I only briefly perused this so I'm not sure about it will read more in the morning too tired now


http://www.strobel.com/newsrelease.htm

[Darth Marley]

Of course, if you don't have a hot tub, you could "boil eggs" instead I suppose.

[bsg1fan1975]

well don't some men realize that is why you use a table for your laptop?

just a bit of common sense here ya know

[Senmut]

Originally Posted by Rowan

LOL Sen I'm sleepy I didn't even think of that




Here is something I found I had not heard of I only briefly perused this so I'm not sure about it will read more in the morning too tired now


http://www.strobel.com/newsrelease.htm

I thought burning up the mattress was the idea??????

[Muffit]

The whole idea of people receiving funding for measuring testicle temperatures is a bit unsettling for me

What a job...!!!

[julix]

Originally Posted by Muffit

The whole idea of people receiving funding for measuring testicle temperatures is a bit unsettling for me

What a job...!!!

I agree Muffit ....could I um....volunteer?????

[Rowan]

Originally Posted by julix

I agree Muffit ....could I um....volunteer?????

Damn I was thinking the same thing after reading Muffit's post and then I saw yours !!! you beat me to it!!

[Darth Marley]

Pop Sci has an occasional "worst jobs in science" feature.

http://www.popsci.com/popsci/science...713471,00.html

[Rowan]

I think the worst job I ever had was grinding dried feces samples 8 hours a day for a student working on his doctoral thesis, even though I wore a mask it would get into my nose and I’d smell it for days afterwards.


Although while working in the veterinary hospital I used to hate to have to grind up the leftovers of peoples pets after they had been cremated - you see it doesn't all get reduced to ash and people get freaked out when they see recognizable "parts" in the ashes so I had to find all the parts that weren't ash and grind them I’d put them through an old meat grinder- one piece at a time, and crank the handle.


Course there is always the job I had feeding the baby kestrels when I worked for a raptor research center. every morning I’d grab a fistful of dead 3 day old baby chicks (chickens) cut off their beaks, wings and feet, peel off all the skin and feathers and then pop them into a blender and hit grind. Mmmm yum!

yup I've had some wonderful jobs in my life!!! Hope I didn't gross ya all out too much

[Rowan]

I just read your link Darth and it jogged my memory while working for that raptor research center one of the things I did was to feed the baby kestrels. One student who was working on her Doctoral thesis set up a scientific experiment to determine the minimum amount of food required to maintain the life of the baby kestrels so she divided up that years crop of baby’s into several groups each group of birds were assigned a different quota of food, I hated feeding the baby’s in the 40% group, you knew they were going to die even before you started this experiment and to have to stop feeding them when you knew the food was there and they were hungry was – lets just say torturous for me.

[Senmut]

Originally Posted by Rowan

I think the worst job I ever had was grinding dried feces samples 8 hours a day for a student working on his doctoral thesis, even though I wore a mask it would get into my nose and I’d smell it for days afterwards.

Talk about a crappy job!

[Rowan]

Originally Posted by Senmut

Talk about a crappy job!

[bsg1fan1975]

those are some bad jobs that would give me night and daymares!