Scrotal Warming:  Can Boxer Briefs Affect Your Sperm Count?

Male fertility can be a complex thing, and many elements can affect it, positively or negatively. If you and your partner are trying to have a baby, or you hope to start a family one day, it’s wise to know as much as possible about what can cause issues with your sperm count. as possible.  It might be that a few simple changes could make a difference. 

Some of the things that you’ll immediately think of (or that your doctor will talk to you about if you need some advice – and advice is always worth getting) are diet, exercise, and your overall health, including your mental health. However, there could be one thing that you’re overlooking that might be the answer you’re searching for: your choice of underwear. 

There’s always been a bit of a debate between boxers and briefs, and in most cases, it comes down to personal preference, of course, but what about boxer briefs? They fall somewhere in the middle of boxers and briefs (hence the name!), and many people like to wear them because they’re comfortable and supportive at the same time, but can boxer briefs really affect your sperm count? Read on to find out more. 

Sperm Production 

Before we answer the question of whether boxer briefs can impact fertility, it’s important  to discuss how sperm production actually takes place. 

Sperm production (also known as spermatogenesis) takes place in the testes, which are in the scrotum. We’re not going to go into the exact process of sperm production because there’s a lot to it, involving dividing cells and all kinds of hormones, but the fact is that the scrotum itself plays a big part in ensuring that enough healthy sperm is produced. That’s the important factor to bear in mind when it comes to thinking about boxer briefs and how they might impact sperm production. 

One of the main jobs the scrotum has is to keep the testes at a lower temperature than the rest of the body, which is vital for healthy sperm production.  If the testes are too hot, healthy sperm production can be negatively impacted.  Any problems with body temperature can, therefore, be a disaster when it comes to your fertility. 

Scrotal Temperatures And Sperm Quality 

There’s been a lot of research into what makes some sperm better than others, and in many cases, temperature played a big part. When the testes get too hot, sperm production can be reduced and any sperm made will generally be less mobile – that’s not good news if you’re trying to make a baby as the sperm just isn’t going to have the power it needs to reach the egg. 

On top of that, high temperatures in the scrotum have been shown to increase the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which is something that can seriously damage sperm cells. All in all, the hotter the scrotum, the more negatively affected your sperm is going to be. 

How Your Choice Of Underwear Makes A Difference 

If it’s rising scrotal temperatures aka Scrotal Warming:  (sorry I couldn’t resist) that has such a massive impact on sperm production and ultimately, the health of sperm, then it makes sense that the type of underwear you choose to put on each day would play a role.   

It would make sense that loose-fitting traditional boxers would be a great option to consider. They provide air flow and greater freedom of movement so the testes remain in a cooler environment and sperm production shouldn’t be affected. 

Then what about traditional briefs? This style offers a snugger fit, pulling the scrotum up closer to the body making the scrotum warmer than usual, which means the testes are warmer, which means sperm production can be negatively affected. So yes, the choice between whether to primarily wear boxers or briefs can have a big impact on your sperm count, with the latter being much more of a problem. 

Boxer Briefs Make A Difference

 While boxers as loose fitting underwear  may be good for your sperm count, many men don’t like wearing them as everyday underwear because all of the extra fabric under your trousers can be uncomfortable and the loose fit means no support and ride-up issues.  

Briefs on the other hand may be responsible for poor swimmers, but their sleek silhouette provides support and minimal fabric to ride-up.  

Thankfully you don’t need to make a binary choice.  The answer could be the middle ground: boxer briefs. 

Boxer briefs are a fantastic compromise between the comfort of traditional boxer shorts and the support of briefs, and they’ll also allow for a lot of freedom of movement, ensuring that there’s good airflow to your scrotum and your sperm count and semen quality can be unaffected. 

Here’s some good news for brief guys.  If you don’t like boxer briefs or boxer shorts, look for briefs with a contoured pouch. In fact, boxer briefs with a contoured pouch are also a great idea. What is a contoured pouch? A pouch that is shallower at the top and deeper at the bottom providing more space for the scrotum is considered a contoured pouch.  This provides more room to keep things cooler while still providing the support you need.  

The second thing to look for in briefs in particular but boxer briefs as well is fabric.  Look for lightweight breathable fabrics that encourage cooling airflow like cotton or modal.  Nylon or polyester are not breathable fabrics and will trap heat increasing the potential harm to sperm production.

What To Consider 

So, the evidence looks as though it points to the fact that wearing tight-fitting underwear like briefs could negatively affect sperm production and fertility, but there are other things to think about that could cause an issue, so don’t just rely on wearing looser or more breathable pants to give yourself healthier sperm and a higher sperm count. 

Some of the other factors at play include your overall health, your weight, your sleep patterns, your diet, how much exercise you do, and even what job you do – studies are still ongoing into this, but there is some suggestion that those working in the construction industry, for example, could have lower sperm counts because of the materials they come into contact with every day. So, wearing boxer briefs could help, but they might not solve all the issues, which is why getting advice from an expert is always worthwhile. 

Making Good Choices 

In the end, while the choice to wear boxer briefs instead of anything else might not seem like a big deal, it could make a difference when it comes to sperm count and quality, and it certainly can’t hurt to make the switch to see if it helps. At Alphx, we have a wide range of underwear for you to choose from, so take a look today to see what suits your needs. 

Can boxer briefs affect your sperm count? More research is definitely needed, but it does seem right now as though your underwear choice and sperm production are linked, and if you want to improve your male fertility, wearing the right underwear is a good start.