Killing sperm: Alcohol, soy sauce, paint, laptops, tight underwear cause infertility

DO you wear tight Y-fronts, sprinkle plenty of soy sauce on your noodles, and rest your laptop on your crotch?

You could be unwittingly lowering your sperm count, a new graphic warns.

Up to a fifth of young men find themselves with a low sperm count, which is defined as having fewer than 15 million sperm per millilitre of semen.

And one in six couples now has difficulty conceiving, with a low sperm count or poor sperm quality the cause in about 20 per cent of cases.

From sunscreen to abstinence, and bacon to cycling, studies have shown a myriad of things,which lower sperm count.

Here, a new infographic by Superdrug and published by DailyMailOnline, compiled using several medical studies, reveals what to avoid to keep semen sprightly…

The graphic shows what people perceive lowers sperm count, the top answers being radiation, narcotics, and stress. It also shows the factors that actually lower sperm count, including hot weather, being overweight and too much exercise.

Wearing snug underwear causes the testes to become too hot. In one study, men who wore tight underwear for 120 days saw a 100 per cent reduction in their sperm count.

Those with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of over 24 can have a 22 per cent decline in sperm count, and those with a BMI of over 35 are 19 times more likely to experience low sperm count.

Smoking cigarettes can harm genetic material/ Deoxy Nucleic Acid (DNA), prompting sperm mutations. Drinking alcohol also lessens sperm count and concentration and lowers the percentage of normal sperm.

Non-stick pans and takeaway wrappers contain PFC’s (perfluorochemicals), which have been shown to cause a reduction in normal sperm.

Chemicals found in sunscreen can reduce sperm count by 33 per cent. One chemical, octinoxate alters hormone levels, and oxybenzine slows sperm production.

Plastic bottles and the lining of food cans contain bisphenol A. High concentrations of this chemical affect sperm motility – its ability to move spontaneously and actively.

Men with normal sperm counts who are abstinent for up to 14 days saw a 25 per cent reduction in the percentage of their normal sperm.

Smoking marijuana affects the size and shape of sperm and therefore inhibits sperm function. Experts advise not smoking the drug when trying to conceive.

Studies show the heat and radiation that emanates from mobile phones can reduce sperm motility by 8.1 per cent, lowering fertility.

Bacon, cycling, watching television and lounging in a jacuzzi are all factors that can reduce sperm count.