A potential link between male infertility and ibuprofen use
A recent study has found a possible link between male infertility and ibuprofen use. The team at our Tennessee male fertility center is here to explain the results and whether you need to purge your medicine cabinet of Advil and Motrin.
What to know about male infertility and ibuprofen use
The study found multiple reasons why ibuprofen use may contribute to male infertility.
- Ibuprofen is anti-androgenic, which means it disrupts male hormones.
- Regularly taking ibuprofen can decrease the ratio of testosterone to luteinizing hormone – a sign of dysfunction in the testicles. Luteinizing hormone is the primary stimulator of testosterone production.
- Another connection between male infertility and ibuprofen use is that it causes a repression of endocrine cells in the testicles, which could result in compensated hypogonadism, a common condition among elderly men.
- While the negative effects from short-term use of ibuprofen are reversible, it is unknown whether the reproductive health effects of long-term use are reversible.
Other medications that could be harmful to male fertility include opioids, antidepressants, antipsychotics, immune modulators, cimetidine (an antacid and antihistaime) and acetaminophen.
With rates of male infertility rising, it’s important to explore the potential causes of these issues and stay up-to-date on current research.
How to determine if you have male fertility challenges
Men concerned with male infertility and ibuprofen use should contact us about scheduling a male fertility evaluation. This evaluation often reveals essential information that allows one of our Tennessee male fertility center specialists to make the right infertility diagnosis and support the man in creating a treatment plan to help him become a father.
A male fertility evaluation may include a review of the man’s medical history, semen analysis, blood work, antisperm antibody testing, semen culture and preconception genetic testing.
Contact us for more information about male infertility and ibuprofen use.
