We all know that wearing the wrong kind of underwear can cause discomfort but were you aware that certain kinds of underwear can be detrimental to your health, too? For men, the style and fit of your underwear can affect your fertility. That’s why we’re here today to discuss the best underwear for sperm count.

There are several different men’s underwear types out there and they all offer a different level of support and containment. As such, they can have a varying effect on your genital health. In the case of maintaining a healthy sperm count, going without underwear may even be a good choice.

But, before you start going commando men, stick with me to the end of this post. The perfect pair of underwear for a healthy sperm count exists and I’ll help you find it!

Before we can start ranking the best underwear for sperm count, we should take a look at the conditions that change how much sperm you produce. A low sperm count can be difficult to identify unless you are actively trying (and having difficulty) to conceive a child. That’s why it’s important to familiarize yourself with the factors that lead to it so you can work to prevent it (when possible)!

Here are some of the things that can contribute to a low sperm count:

• Depression/Stress

• Excessive Use Of Tobacco/Alcohol/Drugs

• Certain Medications

• Obesity

• Certain Medical Conditions

• Exposure To Toxins/Chemicals

• Overheating Of The Testicles

While many of these causes pertain to your lifestyle or circumstances outside of your control, the type of underwear you wear can be the biggest contributor to the overheating of your testicles.

This meta-analysis of 178 studies conducted to find the correlation between high ambient temperature and a low sperm count suggests that exposure to heat stress does reduce the volume of semen per ejaculation.

At this point you may be wondering, how does underwear come into play here? Well, the amount of sweat and heat that your privates produce depends entirely on the fit, fabric, and style of your underwear. The tighter the skivvies, the warmer things will get down there.

If you often find yourself asking “ Why do my balls smell? ”, it’s likely that your boys are living in an environment that’s too tropical for them. If that’s the case, it’s time to make some changes. Let’s start with choosing the underwear style that’s least likely to give you swamp crotch and overheat your testicles.

We’ve established that the looser your underwear is the more likely you are to have a higher sperm count. Tight underwear causes your genitals to conduct more heat and should be avoided. With that in mind, let’s rank the four most popular styles of men’s underwear according to which is the best underwear for sperm count!

Men’s boxers are easily the winner of the best underwear for sperm count debate. This is because boxers are designed to be loose and offer little in the way of support which means your boys just get to hang out in there, as nature intended. Boxers are also bulky enough that they’ll prevent you from selecting tight bottoms which will also help in the way of airflow. Wearing only boxers when lounging in the privacy of your own home is a good habit to pick up because the more breathing room your balls get the better your chances are for a high sperm count! When it comes to boxer briefs vs boxers sperm count, boxers are the better choice. 

Trunks underwear and boxer briefs have a nearly identical design and their position on this list is pretty much interchangeable. That said, I’ve ranked trunks at number two because they have a little bit less fabric than boxer briefs. Trunks are designed to have the same mix of support and breathability that boxer briefs do but they come up to the upper-thigh area in the leg openings. Trunks are ideal for wearing under tighter clothes because they have a sleeker look and the shorter cut allows for more breathing room for the boys. 

Men’s boxer briefs are probably the go-to underwear style for most of the dudes reading this post. Why are boxer briefs so popular? They’re a perfect mix of briefs and boxers which means that they’re designed to be both supportive and breathable. Just like trunks, they’re perfect for wearing under tighter clothes and, provided that they’re made of a natural material, will still allow your junk to breathe. Are boxer briefs bad for your balls? Nope! The boxer briefs vs boxers sperm count debate is easily settled with boxers as the winner, but that doesn’t mean boxer briefs aren’t a good choice for your body as well!

Men’s briefs are the most classic style of men’s underwear and the unfortunate loser of today’s ranking. Briefs are the most supportive of all four of the men’s underwear styles but that means they’re also the tightest (their most popular nickname is tighty-whities!). Briefs keep your testicles close to your body thus causing your body heat to warm your testicles faster than the other underwear styles. That said, wearing briefs from time to time is fine, as long as they fit you well and are made of a breathable, natural fabric. 

The style of your underwear is an important factor when it comes to improving your sperm count but it is not the only one to consider. While the answer to the question “Are boxer briefs bad for your balls?” isn’t a definitive yes, it largely depends on the fit and fabric of the boxer briefs in question. Here’s why the fit and fabric of your underwear are so important:

FIT

Ill-fitting underwear is the known cause for many underwear fails, like constant wedgies or chafing. If your undies are too big they’ll move all over your body and if they’re too small they’ll try to move into your body, neither of which are pleasant sensations. Since we’re talking mainly about the dangers of overheated testicles, too-small underwear is exactly what we should be avoiding. If your underwear is too tight, things are more likely to get hot down there.

That said, how should underwear fit? It depends on the style but the general idea is for the waistband to rest snugly around your hips without digging in anywhere. For boxers, that’s pretty much the only requirement since everything else should fit nice and loose. When it comes to briefs, trunks, and boxer briefs, the front and back panels should also be snug but not restrictive and not saggy anywhere. The leg openings should rest around your thighs comfortably.

FABRIC

One thing is certain, polyester underwear (and all its synthetic cousins) are not among the contenders for best underwear for sperm count. The positive effects of a loose and airy style of underwear are rendered obsolete if the material of said underwear is not made of natural fibers. This is because synthetic fibers don’t make for breathable underwear and breathability is one of the most important factors for maintaining a healthy sperm count.

Synthetic fabrics are also known to contain harmful toxins that can negatively impact the health of your genitals. Instead of synthetic skivvies, try out hemp underwear ! It’s made out of the strongest natural fiber out there which makes for super supportive underwear that still lets in air and wicks away moisture. Organic cotton and linen are also good natural fabric choices. 

Now that you know how to find the best underwear for sperm count, don’t stop there! There are many other active steps you can take to ensure that your sperm count is high and healthy.

• Eat Healthy: Limiting your junk food intake and eating plenty of fruits and vegetables high in antioxidants can help improve your sperm count. A good diet also helps keep you from becoming overweight (a known cause of low sperm count). 

• Exercise Regularly: Moving your body can also be a good way to increase antioxidants and it’s imperative to staying fit and healthy and thus increasing your sperm count. Be mindful of the type of workout underwear you choose! Supportive underwear is a must but be sure to avoid tight, restrictive, synthetic fabrics. 

• Don’t Get Too Stressed: Easier said than done, I know, but prioritizing your mental health will prove to have positive effects on all areas of your life, sperm count included. Try to introduce activities that help you find a state of calm (like meditation, yoga, or reading something pleasant) and turn to them whenever you start feeling too fired up.

• Don’t Smoke: This is just golden life advice. What are cigarettes good for, anyway, besides their long laundry list of adverse health effects?

• Drink Less: More advice to live by, gents. Imbibing heavily can lead to lower levels of testosterone and issues like impotence and lower sperm production. Stick to 2-3 drinks on a night out to keep your sperm count healthy and to avoid the morning headache!

• Don’t Use Lubricants: While there’s not enough research for a definitive stance on lubricants being bad for sperm production, there have been studies conducted that suggest certain vaginal lubricants have a more detrimental effect on sperm count than others . 

Even if you’re young and unsure about whether you want kids or not, paying attention to your testicular health and sperm count is never a bad choice. Knowing how to pick the best underwear for sperm count is a great place to start!

Now, I’d love to hear about your experiences with this topic! Do you pay attention to the style of underwear you wear? Did you realize that underwear can have such a big impact on your fertility? Share your thoughts in the comments!