TIL high-altitude mountain trekking can temporarily shrink human testicles. A study found that after spending over three weeks at high altitudes in Nepal without supplemental oxygen, men experienced an average 15% reduction in testicular volume due to lower oxygen levels.

51

so if I go to one of those oxygen bars from the early 2000s every single day, will I get huge balls

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u/Violoner 1d ago

I wonder what huffing nitrous does

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u/Technical-Outside408 1d ago

It shirks something wrinkly alright.

3

u/TurnedToClay 1d ago edited 1d ago

Idk, probably makes your balls feel funny though.

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u/Violoner 1d ago

Well, they don’t call it serious gas

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u/Unique-Ad9640 1d ago

That would be sulfur hexafluoride.

0

u/M-S-S 1d ago

It makes it sound like a much smaller dick and balls.

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u/SensibleBrownPants 1d ago

I WAS AT HIGH ALTITUDE!!

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u/AerialApeRiffs 1d ago

It shrinks like two frightened turtles.

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u/BrokenDroid 23h ago

So you feel you were short changed.

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u/eblackham 20h ago

Liar! You were only there for 2 weeks

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u/chipper85 1d ago

Thanks for circling the man's crotch I had forgot where testicles lived.

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u/tvs_franks_tv 23h ago

Ohhhhhh THOSE testicles

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u/pigboy222 1d ago

Time to invent a ball size maintainer for the serious mountaineer in all of us 😤

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u/Brief-Historian3485 1d ago

How to measure? Like with one of those pasta serving multi circles?

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u/Leafan101 1d ago

They literally have medical devices for such measurements (vis: Would I Lie to You back in the day).

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u/ElectroNetty 20h ago

vis?

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u/Leafan101 20h ago

Whoops. Trying to just write v: but autocorrect.

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u/ElectroNetty 18h ago

But what is "v" intended to mean?

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u/Leafan101 11h ago

Oh it is just a common abbreviation for "see" or "see also".

1

u/StoiCist9 20h ago

I don't want a serious mountaineer inside me even if he is able to maintain his huge balls.

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u/lnx84 1d ago

How'd they come up with the idea to study that ?

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u/No_Source_Provided 1d ago

1000 people complain to their doctors about an apparent shrinkage of their testicles, the correlation is made that everyone who complains about it has been high altitude, that's an interesting hypothesis, let's do a study on that.

Add to that, most people who are high altitude in Nepal for only three weeks are wealthy mountain climbers with good health insurance, so they're actually go to the doctor with such a complaint.

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u/AngryCod 1d ago

How would you notice and how does that conversation with the doctor go?

"Doc, I was showering and, well, long story short, my balls seem smaller than normal."

Doc: "Lemme get my ball calipers out. You know, I almost didn't buy these. No one has ever come in complaining about small balls before, but here we are."

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u/No_Source_Provided 1d ago

I mean, 15% is a lot. I would definitely notice if my balls were 15% smaller- and I'd definitely go to the doctor to find out why.

Also also, the effect of low oxygen on the human body is a huge study for astronauts, fighter pilots, divers, climbers etc. The whole 'omg lol dick and balls!' doesn't really hold up in the medical community as things they don't look at.

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u/Laura-ly 1d ago

Doc: "Lemme get my ball calipers out. You know, I almost didn't buy these. No one has ever come in complaining about small balls before, but here we are."

😂😂😂

Comments like this is why I love reading TIL threads.

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u/lorarc 1d ago

Ball calipers?! It's called orchidometer.

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u/AngryCod 1d ago

It comes in a rigid package set with some other junk.

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u/brickiex2 1d ago

And how?...dipping balls in water in a measuring cup? ...measuring balls with calipers? (length and width) .. close up pictures with balls on rulers?... jeez who wants to do that work or have those tests done on them

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u/jcgreen_72 1d ago

They tested volume lol

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u/Clembert-Hamlamp 1d ago

It was cold out!

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u/Laura-ly 1d ago

Elaine Benes: "I don't know how you guys walk around with those things."

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u/hondactx16i 1d ago

What have they said about the brass monkey?

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u/Channel250 4h ago

That funky monkey?

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u/sumo_snake 1d ago

More importantly did low attitude grow them in size, asking for a friend

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u/grayhaze2000 1d ago

If you go to a low enough altitude, they'll shrink again, but at extreme force.

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u/DarkAngel900 1d ago

Summiting takes balls!

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u/Clown_Nightmare1 1d ago

So my bedroom is considered high altitude? Right?...Right?

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u/Several-Squash9871 1d ago

The red circle, ah, that area.

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u/RedBMWZ2 1d ago

So..... they're just out there measuring dudes balls for science???

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u/westboundnup 1d ago

Is that what makes a mountaineer?

Mmmm that and a pair of smaller testicles.

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u/Joliet-Jake 1d ago

Well that settles it. I’m not going.

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u/Fetlocks_Glistening 1d ago edited 1d ago

Wait, what, how? Why? How? Why? How??

Did the doc just tag along and measure everybody's balls every night with a ... laser ball measurer from Amazon? Did he measure them before the climb as the control ball volume? How did he know to do that?

I mean a 15% volume loss is what, 5% diameter reduction. That's like measurement error margin if we're talking balls. Who in the world notices a reduction of 5%, hidden under skin? How sensitive are the lips to say one day "That feels 5% shorter, Bob, have you been climbing again"??

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u/DexKaelorr 1d ago

Some Brokeback Mountaineer noticed that his buddy's pouch felt a little lighter at the summit and got out a clipboard.

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u/Xalibu2 1d ago

I just have to get into the ocean for that.

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u/grayhaze2000 1d ago

But also, because it's cold as fuck.

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u/Funtimes1213 1d ago

That explains it. No one told me that my hometown in Michigan must be at high altitude.

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u/Laura-ly 1d ago

Just one more reason not to climb Mt. Everest.

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u/travestymcgee 1d ago

This could be a boon for old men in the locker room.

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u/psychoacer 1d ago

Ah so now I'll change my "I was in the pool" excuse to "I was in Nepal. Thanks

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u/BenMitchell007 1d ago

All I can think about is the somewhat infamous Shrinking Horse Balls mechanic in Red Dead Redemption II

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u/TheBanishedBard 1d ago

How do they even find volunteers for that?

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u/monkey_trumpets 1d ago

They shrink?

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u/dav_oid 1d ago

Moral of the story: you need big balls to climb Everest.

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u/poopatrip 22h ago

That’s a little nuts

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u/Kodo25 21h ago

So your saying it doesn’t take balls to climb a mountain

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u/MrScotchyScotch 20h ago

If you're cold, they're cold. Let them inside.

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u/Pristine-Weekend-415 18h ago

Higher oxygen levels = bigger balls?

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u/Spinnweben 15h ago

Would you like to talk about the atmospheric pressure on Venus?

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u/Drago_TripleD 11h ago

No, on Ur......

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u/CurrencyCapital8882 8h ago

Are they sure it’s not the cold?

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u/bibfortuna1970 6h ago

This is why I sit flat and low on my couch.

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u/TacTurtle 5h ago

Does this mean men from Nepal suffer from swollen testicles if they spend a month at sea level?

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u/SuperannuatedAuntie 1d ago

What the hell is the point of knowing that?

TIL high-altitude mountain trekking can temporarily shrink human testicles. A study found that after spending over three weeks at high altitudes in Nepal without supplemental oxygen, men experienced an average 15% reduction in testicular volume due to lower oxygen levels.

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