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Testicular Heat Stress and Sperm Quality

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Male Infertility

Abstract

Testicular temperature is reflected by the temperature of the overlying scrotum. The scrotum is well placed anatomically and is capable of physiologically maintaining a hypothermic testis. However, when normal thermoregulation of the testis is impaired, heat stress can occur, negatively effecting semen quality and sperm concentration, motility, and morphology. A number of factors can disturb thermoregulation and increase testicular temperature including pathological conditions such as varicocele and cryptorchidism, posture, clothing, common lifestyle choices such as use of saunas and warm baths, certain exercises such as cycling, laptop usage and occupations that involve or generate heat, and raised ambient temperature. Often, these factors do not occur alone but in combination with one another, which compounds the negative effect of high testicular heat levels on semen parameters. This chapter discusses physiological thermoregulation in the testis, the impact of its failure on semen quality and enumerates factors that could simultaneously and cumulatively contribute to testicular heat stress. Awareness of the potential risks involved and methods to alleviate prolonged scrotal warming are important in the preservation of male fertility. Simple changes to daily habits could help lessen the impact of increased testicular temperatures on male fertility.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Reproductive Medicine, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA

    Damayanthi Durairajanayagam PhD, Rakesh K. Sharma PhD & Ashok Agarwal PhD

  2. Division of Medical Physiology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, Western Cape, South Africa

    Stefan S. du Plessis BSc (Hons), MSc, MBA, PhD (Stell)

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  1. Damayanthi Durairajanayagam PhD
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  3. Stefan S. du Plessis BSc (Hons), MSc, MBA, PhD (Stell)
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  4. Ashok Agarwal PhD
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Correspondence to Ashok Agarwal PhD .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Medical Physiology, Stellenbosch University Faculty of Health Sciences, Tygerberg, South Africa

    Stefan S. du Plessis

  2. Department of Urology, Cleveland Clinic Center for Reproductive Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA

    Ashok Agarwal

  3. Department of Urology, Cleveland Clinic Glickman Urological & Kidney Institute, Cleveland, Ohio, USA

    Edmund S. Sabanegh, Jr.

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Durairajanayagam, D., Sharma, R.K., du Plessis, S.S., Agarwal, A. (2014). Testicular Heat Stress and Sperm Quality. In: du Plessis, S., Agarwal, A., Sabanegh, Jr., E. (eds) Male Infertility. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-1040-3_8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-1040-3_8

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