(Cool testicle benefits medically reviewed by Dr. Zac Hyde)
You probably remember hearing somewhere, at some point, that briefs (also knows as “tighty whiteys”) are bad for male sexual health.
Indeed, this rumor is so pervasive that it was addressed in great detail in a 1994 episode of Seinfeld.
However, more recently, science has not only supported the idea that men should not wear briefs but that men should actually take specific steps to keep their testicles cool.
In this article, we’ll discuss just why this is so important and even highlight some cool testicle benefits that might surprise you.
Cool Testicle Benefits for Men
The tighty whitey debate might have remained an “old wives’ tale” had Harvard not eventually thrown their hat into the conversation.
Now, it’s considered a medical fact that the closer your testicles remain to your body, the worse the sexual side effects will be.
But before we discuss why this is true, it’s important to remind ourselves what our testicles actually do for us.
You see, our balls have two main jobs: to produce sperm and to produce testosterone.
One way that they can fail in these duties is by neglecting to descend from the body while in the womb.
Remember, your balls actually develop in your abdomen. But at some point, before you’re born, they drop into your newly-formed scrotum.
And if they remain in the abdomen for even as little as twelve months, the heat exposure and subsequent damage may cause you to lose all chance of ever producing sperm.
Obviously, this is something that can only happen when you’re very young.
Still, I tell you this to illustrate just how much heat plays a role in your sexual potency and health.
So, as we move forward through this article, I want you to keep this fact in the back of your mind.
Ideal Testicle Temps
We know from grade school science class that our bodies always attempt to maintain a perfect 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit.
However, your balls don’t like it quite so “balmy” as the rest of your body, which is why they’ve liberated themselves to the baggy flap of skin know as your scrotum.
Here, they can drop- down and maximize their productivity at their ideal temperature: 95 degrees Fahrenheit.
As we’ll see in a minute, this temperature is ideal for generating both sperm and testosterone.
In fact, from an evolutionary standpoint, this is why our ancestors (and modern cousins) developed scrotal sacks in the first place.
If we were still walking around in loin cloths on the savanna, it’s likely we’d all have high-quality sperm and testosterone in spades.
But we don’t, do we?
Instead, we subject our balls to hot tubs, saunas, laptops, seat warmers, prolonged sitting sessions, tight clothing, and long, hot showers.
And while we rarely think about it, this repeated exposure to heat is drastically affecting how our testicles function – both in the short term and the long term.
Cool Testicle Benefits – More Testosterone
When you keep your testicles at the right temperature, they produce testosterone at much healthier levels than when they are repeatedly exposed to heat.
This means more libido, less fat development, an improved mood, and improved sexual function.
Indeed, even if your testosterone levels aren’t technically “low,” you can still see a variety of improvements by taking additional steps to keep your boys cool.
Cool Testicles Ejaculate More Sperm
Remember, aside from producing testosterone, your testicles are also tasked with producing sperm.
Unfortunately, every single time your balls become overheated for an extended period, your sperm start to die.
In fact, you don’t even need to be in a hot tub or sauna for this to happen.
Merely allowing your testicles to reach the same temperature as the rest of your body can kill sperm by the millions (source).
Therefore, one of the biggest cool testicle benefits is a dramatically-increased sperm counts.
This not only drastically affects your ability to procreate, but ensure that you ejaculate more when you climax.
Those giant ejaculations you see in porn movies?
They don’t come from men who heat their boys up every day. If you want big, pleasurable orgasms, you can’t be scorching your gonads on a regular basis.
Cooler Testicles Generate Healthier Sperm
We don’t just want to consider the volume of sperm per ejaculation, but the quality as well.
You see, the sperm that aren’t killed by repeated exposure to high temperatures may still be damaged.
In some recent studies of men whose jobs require them to be around sources of heat, most participants displayed weak sperm motility, reduced sperm viability, and increased sperm DNA damage.
How to Keep Your Testicles Cool
All of this information begs the question, “what can I do to avoid overheating my testicles?”
While this is indeed the right question to ask, there’s a little more to it than that.
To show you what I mean, let’s take a look at the list of sperm and testosterone-killing heat sources.
- Hot Tubs
- Saunas
- Seat Warmers
- Laptops
- Prolonged Sitting
- Grilling
- Bike Riding
- Tight Clothing
- Hot baths
The problem is, while some of these can be avoided, not all of them are things you can just cut out of your life.
You don’t completely want to remove a good soak in a hot tub, nor can you simply walk into your office and demand a stand-up desk.
And if you’re into cycling or own a motorcycle, you’re not likely to want to give that hobby up just for an increased sperm count.
But while it’s certainly important to minimize the time spend exposing your testicles to extensive heat, maximizing those cool testicle benefits is more about what you do, not what you don’t do.
Below, we’ll outline some of the ways that men are getting the most from their testicles without having to completely give up the things they love.
Testicle Icing Protocol
Like the idea that tight pants inhibit your sperm count, testicle icing for increased sexual potency was once primarily thought of as an “old wives” tale.
But this mindset eventually changed.
In fact, before the steroid era, it was rumored that Russian powerlifters took zinc and iced their testicles to get an edge over their competition.
However, more and more men are finding out that regularly icing their testicles has dramatic effects on their sex drive and sperm count, and science is backing up their results.
Recently, experts recommended that men ice their balls for 30-60 minutes a day to counteract the damage done by unavoidable heat exposure.
It doesn’t matter if you use an ice pack or a bag of frozen peas. This is a habit that you should definitely get into.
Testicle Dunking
Whereas testicle icing is more of a long-term strategy, testicle dunking is designed to reverse short-term damage from heat exposure.
Examples of times where dunking might be appropriate include following a trip to the sauna, or when you just got back from a long bike.
Most proponents of this method recommend you use ice water, dunking your balls anywhere between four and eight minutes at a time.
They also state that the sooner after the heat exposure you can dunk, the better.
This will minimize damage to your sperm while ensuring your testosterone engines keep on pumping.
Testicle Cooling Clothing
Clearly, the first things that need to go from your wardrobe are the tight undies, tight pants, or other constricting garments.
Simultaneously, those men who can get away with wearing loose-fitting, breathable cotton clothing are encouraged to do so whenever possible.
But what if you don’t have that option? Moreover, what if you have a job that requires extensive sitting or exposure to a waist level heat source?
Luckily, scientific research on the benefits of cool testicles has led to a surge in new products designed to help men like you.
From special cooling underwear to hidden harnesses that keep your testes as far from your body as possible, more solutions are hitting the market every year.
In the end, it’s up to you to separate the novelty devices from the real deal.
Still, anything that keeps your testicles hanging freely and away from your body is likely to have a positive impact on load size and testicular health.
Cool Testicle Benefits– Conclusion
From a throwaway sitcom joke to legitimate science, the “tighty whiteys” theory has evolved quite a bit in the past half-century.
Still, there is no longer any denying that excess heat exposure can not only grind your testosterone production to a halt, but drastically reduce the health, quality, and volume of your sperm.
Not to mention the testicular atrophy that hits a pair of balls that have been heated up too much.
Fortunately, there are proven solutions to this problem, both in things you can do your best to avoid and habits you can add to your daily routine.
Whether you’re trying to conceive or not, sexual potency is an essential part of sexual health.
From a higher sex drive to bigger, more pleasurable loads – it all starts with keeping your balls cool, happy, and healthy.
