December 24th News card

http://www.shvoong.com/medicine-and-health/1673884-health-techenology/

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HEALTH AND TECHENOLOGY

How laptops cause infertility in men. Business men and teenage boys could be risking their fertility by using laptop computers, research suggests. Drug use, alcohol, smoking, obesity, chemicals and radioactive materials have been linked to decrease in sperm count. Now the growing popularity of laptops could also negatively influence sperm production. Men, who balance laptops on their thighs while working, may unwittingly jeopardize their chances of having children. Heat generated by the laptop is transferred to the scrotum, where temperature can rise several degrees, putting the users within the danger zone for testicular dysfunction. And for the growing segment of the working world for which laptops are almost indispensable, a dilemma may emerge on whether to be productive at work, or at bedroom. To keep the testicles at the ideal temperature –and for greater comfort-men naturally sit with their legs further apart than women. When working on a laptop, however, they will adopt a less natural position in order to balance it on their laps, which results in a significant rise in body heat between their thighs. The combination of heat generated by the computers, and the posture needed to balance the equipment on the lap leads to raise in temperatures around the scrotum.Past research shows that higher scrotal temperatures can damage sperm and affect fertility. And the introduction of new technologies such as Bluetooth and infrared connections-which provide wireless links to the internet-has resulted in a growing number of men using the machines on their laps other than at a desk. Laptops can reach internal operating temperatures of over 70 degrees celsius.With the increased popularity in use of laptops; it is prudent that we revisit notes of some past studies. A research project from the state university of New York found that the heat from a Laptop can elevate the scrotum temperature by up to 2.8 degrees, killing the sperms. Scrotal temperature increase of more than one degree Celsius above baseline temperatures can have negative effects. This is a worrying situation to the significant proportion of over 200 million people who use laptops worldwide daily. Since laptops have become more popular with young men and teenage boys due to continued improvements in power, prize and size, it is important to be safe than sorry. Meanwhile, it may be worth placing your laptop on the table or moving it as far away from your testicles as in workplace.