A study that looked at fertility in male mountain bikers revealed that though a good exercise, mountain biking could reduce a man's fertility. While previous studies have associated the sport with erectile dysfunction, this study aimed at finding out whether there was a link between reduced fertility & the sport.
A comparative study was made of 35 extreme mountain bikers and 30 non-bikers, wherein extreme bikers were classified as those who biked more than two hours a day, six days a week, and more than 3,000 miles a year. Analysis of semen of the two participating groups indicated a considerable reduction of sperm count and motility of the bikers. The sperm count and motility of bikers was 20 million/ml and 29 percent respectively.Analysts also fear that the continuous trauma to the testicles could cause vascular damage resulting in reduced count and motility. The risk of testicular cancer in men who mountain bike is also found to be higher due to increased risk for calcifications in the testicles and other problems. These findings were indicated in the ultrasound images taken during the study.
Researchers advised mountain bikers to use a bike with a shock absorber as well as padded cushions and shorts to minimize the percentage of trauma to the testicles.
