Pumping it up may Impact Male Fertility

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Friday, October 13, 2006; 12:00 AM

(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Pumping up the workout might not be a good idea for men who are trying to father a child.

New research suggests exercising to the point of exhaustion lowers sperm counts and reproductive hormone levels.

The study involved 16 healthy young men with an average age of 19 who were assigned to one of two groups. Those in the first group pedaled their way to exhaustion on an exercise bike four times a week for two weeks. Men in the second group were instructed to avoid intense exercise for the same time. All underwent sperm and hormone tests before and after the study period.

Men who avoided intense activity showed no differences in sperm or hormone levels over the two weeks, but men who engaged in the intense exercise program had a significant drop in both. While their levels bounced back to near normal a few days after stopping the exercise, the researchers believe these findings raise concerns about the impact of intense exercise on male fertility. Noting most of the men in the study were young and healthy, they also speculate the effects of exercise on fertility could be much stronger or longer lasting in older men.

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SOURCE: International Journal of Sports Medicine, 2006;27:680-689