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TV watching could reduce men’s sperm count

Nicole Lafond Contributor
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Men who watched 20 or more hours of TV a week had a 44 percent lower sperm count, on average, than men who did not watch TV, in a study of 189 young men published earlier this week in the British Journal of Sports and Medicine.

The findings took into account various factors that could affect sperm count, according to Fox News.

The researchers suggested that men who watch 20-plus hours of TV a week might practice an inactive lifestyle. The men in the study who exercised 15-plus hours a week held a higher sperm count than those who exercised less per week.

“The findings suggest that having a more physically active lifestyle may improve sperm quality,” Audrey Gaskins, a doctoral student at Harvard School of Public Health, told Fox News.

The study found an association between inactivity and lower sperm counts. However, the authors noted that their study does not directly prove the effects a sedentary lifestyle can have on a man’s sperm count.

The study tested 189 18- to 22-year-old men enrolled at the University of Rochester in New York.