Smoking and drinking has 'little effect' on sperm count

Their study in the journal Human Reproduction said smoking, alcohol consumption and being obese did not affect semen quality.However, they warned that avoiding them was still "good health advice". Wearing boxer shorts rather than tighter underwear was linked to higher sperm levels. Advice for doctors by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence says men should be warned about the impact of smoking, drinking and taking recreational drugs on their sperm.

A study by researchers at the Universities of Sheffield and Manchester compared the lifestyles of 939 men with poor sperm quality with 1,310 men with normal sperm quality. The study showed there was little difference in the number of mobile sperm between patients who never smoked and those who had a 20-a-day habit.