Men who regularly lift heavy objects at work have higher sperm counts, according to a new study from researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
The Boston scientists found that occupational factors, such as physical demands and work schedules, were tied to higher sperm concentrations and serum testosterone among men in the Environment and Reproductive Health (EARTH) clinical study.
“We already know that exercise is associated with multiple health benefits in humans, including those observed on reproductive health, but few studies have looked at how occupational factors can contribute to these benefits,” said first author Lidia Mínguez-Alarcón, a reproductive epidemiologist in Brigham’s Channing Division of Network Medicine and co-investigator of the EARTH study.
“What these new findings suggest is that physical activity during work may also be associated with significant improvement in men’s reproductive potential,” Mínguez-Alarcón added.
The researchers found that men who reported often lifting or moving heavy objects at work had 46% higher sperm concentration and 44% higher total sperm count compared to those with less physical jobs. Men who reported more physical activity at work also had higher levels of the male sex hormone testosterone and, counterintuitively, the female hormone estrogen.