Men who log 4 800 km or more a year on their mountain bikes can suffer scrotal damage that could reduce their fertility, a new study has found.

Scrotum abnormalities
Researchers examined 40 'extreme' bikers and 35 non-cyclists and found that 88 percent of the cyclists had cysts, calcification, varicose veins and other abnormalities of the scrotum. Only 26% of the non-cyclists suffered from similar conditions.

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Sperm samples showed that the extreme bikers had a count that was only a third that of the non-cyclists while bikers' sperm had less motility or movement than non-bikers, affecting fertility.

Invest in shock absorbers
According to lead study author Ferdinand Frauscher of University Hospital in Innsbruck, Austria, the repeated mechanical trauma to the testicles may cause vascular damage and thereby cause the reduction in sperm motility.

His study report was released at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America.

Frauscher suggests that men who spend a lot of time on their bikes should invest in shock absorbers and suspension systems. – (Health24)

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