Bike riding can impair your sex life

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

Cycling can increase the risk of erectile dysfunction, according to a new study.
Cycling is good for your health - but researchers at Harvard Medical School say that spending too long on your bike might lead to erectile dysfunction. The risk seems to be higher among those who cycle for more than three hours a week.

Sitting on a bike for a long time puts pressure upon the area between the genitals and the anus, known as the perineum. This can harm nerves in the area and impair blood flow, which could lead to erectile dysfunction. However, the design of the bike is important - conventional bikes carry more of a risk than recumbent bikes. The researchers say that you can avoid the risk of erectile dysfunction through cycling by wearing padded biking shorts and raising your handlebars to shift pressure from the perineum to the buttocks. Use a wide seat on your bike, when cycling, rather than a narrow one, as this creates less pressure on the perineum. And if you feel numbness or tingling in the area of the penis, stop cycling for a while.

Source
Harvard Medical School February 2007

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