# boxers or briefs **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 16, 2003, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boxers-or-briefs/207727 "2003-10-16T03:38:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![silentbear1283](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e0b2c6/32.png) [@silentbear1283](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silentbear1283)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2003, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boxers-or-briefs/207727/1 "2003-10-16T03:38:08Z")
Have there been any studies to prove whether or not briefs reduce sperm count? what’s the word on this? thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2003, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boxers-or-briefs/207727/2 "2003-10-16T03:43:48Z")
Briefs CAN though this is not common. Basically sperm require a lower tempature (slightly) than normal body tempature. This is why the testicles are outside the body. By wearing breifs you push the testicles closer to your body thus “warming” them up. This slight rise may reduce sperm count. While this is not particularly unherard of it isn’t common. If you are young and fertile this isn’t going to make you sterile anymore than sitting in a hot tub. ---
**Author:** ![UncleBill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d26b3c/32.png) [@UncleBill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBill)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2003, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boxers-or-briefs/207727/3 "2003-10-16T03:48:40Z")
[WebMD](http://my.webmd.com/content/article/11/1687_50040.htm?lastselectedguid=%7B5FE84E90-BC77-4056-A91C-9531713CA348%7D) says no, there is no proven link. > [@](#): > > Have you ever heard the debate about whether men should wear boxers or briefs? It goes something like this: Briefs are tighter, so it’s possible that they can raise your body temperature above the norm for sperm to survive. So if a guy wants to be really fertile, boxers are the way to go. Truth is, this has yet to be scientifically proven. But if you’re trying to get pregnant, there’s no harm in wearing loose clothing and staying out of hot tubs and saunas. Same as what **Marxxx** says. ---
**Author:** ![NeSBiT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@NeSBiT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NeSBiT)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2003, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boxers-or-briefs/207727/4 "2003-10-16T04:26:29Z")
Hot tubs and saunas… don’t stay in em for too long or you’ll cook yourself. The body only operates within a certain temperature range, and if you raise your temperature too much the required chemical reactions and processes don’t function correctly. also, never use hot tubs or saunas if you’re pregnant. Topic: wear briefs. chicks like em more. ---
**Author:** ![scott\_evil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/91b2a8/32.png) [@scott\_evil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scott_evil)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2003, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boxers-or-briefs/207727/5 "2003-10-16T10:34:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by UncleBill \* > \*\*[WebMD](http://my.webmd.com/content/article/11/1687_50040.htm?lastselectedguid=%7B5FE84E90-BC77-4056-A91C-9531713CA348%7D) says no, there is no proven link.Same as what **Marxxx** says. \*\* So why do you wear kilts? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2003, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boxers-or-briefs/207727/6 "2003-10-16T10:43:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by NeSBiT \* > \*\*Topic: wear briefs. chicks like em more. \*\* Eeeew! Gross! I’ve NEVER been with a woman who prefers briefs. Briefs are SO faggy! Only wear briefs if you want to have sex with other men! (Although, from the perspective of someone who can be perfectly happy having sex with either men OR women, if I was getting hot and heavy with a guy and undid his pants to find he was wearing briefs I would be SO turned off!!! Briefs are SO faggy!) Personally, I prefer free-balling, comando-style, swaying in the breeze! ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2003, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boxers-or-briefs/207727/7 "2003-10-16T11:31:08Z")
…and the same thing goes for SPEEDOS! (That’s right, I’m looking at _you_, Europe!) ---
**Author:** ![Myron\_Van\_Horowitzski](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@Myron\_Van\_Horowitzski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myron_Van_Horowitzski)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2003, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boxers-or-briefs/207727/8 "2003-10-16T13:27:07Z")
Just be careful how you [answer…](http://ars.userfriendly.org/cartoons/?id=20000124) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2003, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boxers-or-briefs/207727/9 "2003-10-16T14:57:59Z")
Bob Dole was on the campaign trail when a wag asked him, “Mr. Dole, do you wear boxers, or briefs?” “Depends.” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![UncleBill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d26b3c/32.png) [@UncleBill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBill)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2003, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boxers-or-briefs/207727/10 "2003-10-16T17:17:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by scott evil \* > \*\*So why do you wear kilts? 😃 \*\* Because chicks, and some guys, dig it! ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2003, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boxers-or-briefs/207727/11 "2003-11-02T01:59:54Z")
When the core body temperature rises or falls beyond certain allowable extremes trouble ensues, e.g. freezing to death, heat stroke, heat prostration, or reduced sperm count. Steam rooms, hot tubs, and saunas are OK, just don’t overdo the exposure. ---
**Author:** ![scott\_evil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/91b2a8/32.png) [@scott\_evil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scott_evil)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2003, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boxers-or-briefs/207727/12 "2003-11-02T02:32:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by bienville \* > _{{crap snipped out}}_ **Briefs are SO faggy!** > > (Although, **from the perspective of someone who can be perfectly happy having sex with either men OR women** , if I was getting hot and heavy with a guy and undid his pants to find he was wearing briefs I would be SO turned off!!! **Briefs are SO faggy!** ) _(Bolding mine.)_ I can’t believe I missed this. So, **bienville** , are you saying you’re bisexual? 😕 Briefs are faggy? Granted, that’s just about all you see in gay porn, but almost every guy I’ve slept with in the past 10 years has worn either boxers or boxer-briefs. > [@](#): > > Only wear briefs if you want to have sex with other men! I haven’t worn briefs in 12 years, and I still seem to manage to have sex with other men (currently, with my fiancé) on a very regular basis. There must be something in the water here, because dammit, I don’t wear briefs and _I keep getting laid!_ :smack: :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![scott\_evil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/91b2a8/32.png) [@scott\_evil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scott_evil)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2003, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boxers-or-briefs/207727/13 "2003-11-02T02:34:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by UncleBill \* > \*\*Because chicks, and some guys, dig it! \*\* Yeah, I still can’t believe you let me do that. Will you be wearing a kilt to the NYC Megadope Saturday evening activities again next year? 'Cuz if you are, and **Trout** is, I might just as well. :eek: 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2003, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boxers-or-briefs/207727/14 "2003-11-02T03:01:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by bienville \* > \*\*…and the same thing goes for SPEEDOS! > > (That’s right, I’m looking at _you_, Europe!) \*\* I should probably point out that Speedo is merely a brand name in Europe, and is not synonymous with “tight nylon swimwear for men”. The word you’d be looking for if you really wanted to do some admonishing would be “trunks”. Of course, then you have to worry about what to tell non-English speakers. ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2003, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boxers-or-briefs/207727/15 "2003-11-02T03:44:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*originally posted by \ ***bienville** > > Eeeew! Gross! Dude, that kind of talk for a guy is… well, faggy! ---
**Author:** ![scott\_evil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/91b2a8/32.png) [@scott\_evil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scott_evil)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2003, 8:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boxers-or-briefs/207727/16 "2003-11-02T08:55:22Z")
Good one, **x-ray**. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2003, 9:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boxers-or-briefs/207727/17 "2003-11-02T09:10:09Z")
I have NEVER worn anthing except briefs, and I always use the hot tub in any hotel I’ve stayed in, I drink booze, and when I was young I smoked pot. I’ve made my wife pregnant 3 times, 2 of them planned. Another theory[s] bites the dust! ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2003, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boxers-or-briefs/207727/18 "2003-11-02T11:27:28Z")
I find boxers are poor at keeping you in place and comfortable, particularly when aroused! On the GQ, vast numbers of brief wearing dads would be the proof that wearing them does not stop sperm production. ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2003, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boxers-or-briefs/207727/19 "2003-11-02T13:58:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*originally posted by \ ***pkbites** > > I have NEVER worn anthing except briefs, and I always use the hot tub in any hotel I’ve stayed in, I drink booze, and when I was young I smoked pot. I’ve made my wife pregnant 3 times, 2 of them planned. > Another theory[s] bites the dust! I hear ya **pk**. I don’t know why money is spent on research when they can just look at a success story like yours. My father is 80 years old and has been smokin’ two packs of cigs a day since he was a kid, and they’re tryin’ to tell us that cigarettes cause lung cancer and emphysema? Yeah right. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Great\_Philosopher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3ec8ea/32.png) [@The\_Great\_Philosopher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Great_Philosopher)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2003, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boxers-or-briefs/207727/20 "2003-11-02T17:41:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by bienville \* > \*\*Eeeew! Gross! I’ve NEVER been with a woman who prefers briefs. Briefs are SO faggy! Only wear briefs if you want to have sex with other men! > > (Although, from the perspective of someone who can be perfectly happy having sex with either men OR women, if I was getting hot and heavy with a guy and undid his pants to find he was wearing briefs I would be SO turned off!!! Briefs are SO faggy!)\*\* Ohmygod - eew! Briefs are like, SOOO totally faggy!! Because that’s how manly, rugged heterosexuals speak! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boxers-or-briefs/207727.md?page=2)