BOSTON — Science may have finally answered the age-old boxers vs. briefs debate, at least as far as your swimmers are concerned.<br /><br />According to a new study led by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, semen and blood samples were collected from 656 men seeking treatment at a fertility center with their partners. The men were also asked what the type of underwear they wore the last three months.<br /><br />Researchers found that while the subjects produced similar amounts of ejaculation fluid, boxer-wearers had 25% higher sperm concentration, 17% higher total sperm count, and better motility compared to those who wore jockeys or briefs.<br /><br />Brief wearers' blood had more follicle-stimulating hormones, which are released by the pituitary gland and associated with sperm production. This suggests the gland may have been boosting hormone production to compensate for lower sperm numbers.<br /><br />The Guardian reports that previous studies have found scrotal temperature to affect spermatogenesis, and that wearing loose-fitting underwear is better than tighter undergarments at keeping it cool.<br /><br />But while the new study shows a link between type of underwear and fertility, more research is needed to account for other factors and establish clear causality.
