We have all heard the saying that cycling could affect fertility, but is it really true?
And the verdict is clear: cycling practiced in a regular manner, not at a performance level, does not seem to affect fertility. Extreme training, however, can have effects on both women and men.
Professor Colin Duncan, a fertility specialist at the University of Edinburgh, says that cycling is not a major concern for doctors treating fertility issues, writes The Guardian.
What effects can it have on women
For women, the risks mainly appear at extreme levels of physical activity, such as those encountered in the training of performance athletes.
Intense physical effort can reduce the body fat percentage and can disrupt ovarian function. Under these conditions, menstruation may stop, and fertility may temporarily decrease.
Therefore, the issue is not cycling itself, but the combination of excessive physical effort and the physiological changes it can cause.
How male fertility can be affected
For men, the main factor taken into account is the temperature of the testicles. Prolonged sitting on the saddle can increase the local temperature, which can influence sperm production.
However, Professor Duncan emphasizes that, for most men, cycling practiced within normal limits does not have significant effects on fertility. The body produces many more sperm than needed for reproduction, so a potential decrease in their number does not automatically affect the ability to conceive.
"If you practice extreme cycling, the number of sperm will change to some extent," explains the specialist.
The effect may be more significant for men who already have a sperm count at the lower limit of the normal range.
In the evaluation of male fertility, doctors also analyze other lifestyle factors. Smoking, alcohol consumption, and frequent exposure to high temperatures, including through the use of saunas, may warrant recommendations to modify daily habits when sperm analysis issues are identified.