Recreational riding and male fertility

[davenoeljones]

Hi all,
My wife and I are underway trying to multiply and naturally we are trying to do everything to help our chances, off the booze, neither of us smoke etc. The subject of my riding came up. I ride around 150kms a week (up to 250 in summer), twice to work (15kms each way) a trainer session or two and about a 70km bunch ride on the weekend. I can only find two studies online that HUNDREDS of news articles refer to. One of which is done on 15 pro triathletes doing more than 500+kms on the bike a week and training 9 times a week for 8 years, resulting in 1/3 of them showing low count and motality. The other was done on males that were already attending a fertility clinic.....both using 'may' all over the show and saying further research is required.

Now I don't want to stop my riding if it isn't making any difference, which I suspect. But currently I am getting a dirty look every time I throw the lycra on and swing a leg over the De Rosa and it is frustrating me. Has anyone heard of anyone that was effected by my level of riding?

Thanks.

[reefer]

Has she been reading:
https://theconversation.edu.au/cyclists ... amage-8429

[davenoeljones]

Well sort of. Certainly no issues in numbness, cracking a wood etc. She is onto this whole 'heating up the boys' theory, and in her mind a soon as I sit on the seat millions of them die a horrible death.

[gabrielle260]

Surely the real point is how many cyclists doing your volume of riding have had children? The answer to that is a very big number!
Personal experience - at the time Gabby got pregnant, I was doing over 350km a week so I am part of the very big number!
Have you had your sperm count tested? If it is in the normal range, why worry?
Good luck... Parenthood is an amazing experience!
Andrew

[davenoeljones]

That's how I feel exactly. Yip had two checks a month appart, on the bottom of normal for the first one, and back into normal for the second, both times I was riding fairly heavily and competed in two triathlons during the 3 months prior. I suspect the first lowish one was the result of a large summer of partying, 3 stags, my stag, 6 weddings, our wedding etc etc.

[darkelf921]

As a father of five and the recipient of a vasectomy, cycling /exercising increases your fertility. Lack of exercise, alcohol, late nights, etc will cause you problems. I was even put on a high peanut diet at one stage as we were trying for a boy. You hear a lot of weird theories but the one most doctors seem to agree on is exercise is very beneficial.

[bigfriendlyvegan]

Jens Voigt has 6 kids. No one rides harder than Jens. I suspect he's still in the peloton at 40+ to avoid them.

I have 4 kids, one of them born after lots of cycling. If you want one, my 11 year old is close to being given away.

As mentioned above, exercise promotes health, which is in no way bad (except when it goes to extremes).

Good luck. Keep trying.

[cyclotaur]

...... If you want one, my 11 year old is close to being given away......

Good luck. Keep trying.

You're not really selling him on the whole idea there ....

My prescription is forget all about it and take a long holiday to Europe instead and let nature take its course - worked for us !

[foo on patrol]

Practice makes perfect!

Foo

[pacra]

I've cycled for many years and in that time fathered four children.

The only thing i have ever read about exercise generally and fertility was a reprint of a Lancet article which suggested a weak correlation with higher male blood CO2 levels and increased female births. The article was way back in the 70's and was done on RAF pilots, who you would expect have a higher fitness level than most.

[foo on patrol]

Also let your nuggets be free and not couped up in jocks.

Foo

[Ozkaban]

My prescription is forget all about it and take a long holiday to Europe instead and let nature take its course - worked for us !

good idea - the instant you make it inconvenient to be pregnant, Whammo! The holiday trick worked for my wife and I

[bigfriendlyvegan]

My prescription is forget all about it and take a long holiday to Europe instead and let nature take its course - worked for us !

good idea - the instant you make it inconvenient to be pregnant, Whammo! The holiday trick worked for my wife and I

There's probably a lot of truth in this. The way I understand it, in the peloton there are team leaders and domestiques. When things are stressful, the domestiques will work to protect the team leader. The won't let a break away get to the end and it turns into a bunch sprint, and everyone receives the same time. What you need is a situation where the break away will make it to the end and this will only happen when the peloton doesn't sense a threat. if you know what I mean.

[wombatK]

Just turn her logic around a bit... If she's confident cycling is destroying your fertility, will she expect you to have a vasectomy once you've got the required number of sprogs

Cheers

[davenoeljones]

Thanks all for your thoughts. I'm still yet to find one man that improved by keeping off the bike.

[gorilla monsoon]

Kids are over-rated anyway. But the practice sessions are always very enjoyable.

[sogood]

Take her on a cycling holiday in Paris and all will be well.

[gorilla monsoon]

Yes, after a holiday in Paris you won't be able to afford to have kids!

[Comedian]

I reckon you'd be more use as a fit man of idea weight than an overweight one..

[sb944]

As a father of five and the recipient of a vasectomy, cycling /exercising increases your fertility. Lack of exercise, alcohol, late nights, etc will cause you problems. I was even put on a high peanut diet at one stage as we were trying for a boy. You hear a lot of weird theories but the one most doctors seem to agree on is exercise is very beneficial.

I have to say, lack of exercise, alcohol, late nights, depression, stress + tiny bit of unprotected sex = number 3 for me, doh.

But in your situation I do love the idea of planning a great holiday, to de-stress about the pregnancy thing. Money well spent for a lot of people.

[Chooka]

I'm pretty sure the amount of km you're riding would have no effect on your fertility levels. IMHO stress plays a massive part in the whole thing, when me and the missus were trying for a kid, it was like the "honeymoon stage" all over again, but after a couple of months of trying...nothing. We both gave up worrying about it then BAM! pregnant without even trying....

[GreyhoundCycle]

My and I are also trying to get kids... she's a bit worried about her age as a mum.

Read articles about males tend to have more drive after exercise (i think Men's health.. yeah, only if my wife looks like the young models in the photos)