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14/10/2003
Smoking dope could affect male fertility, says study
Men who smoke marijuana frequently have significantly less semen, a lower total sperm count and their sperm behave abnormally, "all of which may affect fertility adversely", a new study in reproductive physiology at the University at Buffalo has shown.
The study is the first to assess marijuana's effects on specific swimming behaviour of sperm from marijuana smokers and to compare the results with sperm from men with confirmed fertility.
Results of the study were presented today at the annual meeting of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine in San Antonio.
"The bottom line is, the active ingredients in marijuana are doing something to sperm, and the numbers are in the direction toward infertility," said Lani Burkman, lead author on the study.
In the current study, Burkman received semen samples from 22 confirmed marijuana smokers and subjected the samples to a variety of tests. The volunteers reported smoking marijuana approximately 14 times a week, and for an average of 5.1 years.
Control numbers were obtained from 59 fertile men who had produced a pregnancy. All men abstained from sexual activity for two days before the lab analysis.
"The sperm from marijuana smokers were moving too fast too early," said Ms Burkman. "The timing was all wrong. These sperm will experience burnout before they reach the egg and would not be capable of fertilization."
(gmcg)
The study is the first to assess marijuana's effects on specific swimming behaviour of sperm from marijuana smokers and to compare the results with sperm from men with confirmed fertility.
Results of the study were presented today at the annual meeting of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine in San Antonio.
"The bottom line is, the active ingredients in marijuana are doing something to sperm, and the numbers are in the direction toward infertility," said Lani Burkman, lead author on the study.
In the current study, Burkman received semen samples from 22 confirmed marijuana smokers and subjected the samples to a variety of tests. The volunteers reported smoking marijuana approximately 14 times a week, and for an average of 5.1 years.
Control numbers were obtained from 59 fertile men who had produced a pregnancy. All men abstained from sexual activity for two days before the lab analysis.
"The sperm from marijuana smokers were moving too fast too early," said Ms Burkman. "The timing was all wrong. These sperm will experience burnout before they reach the egg and would not be capable of fertilization."
(gmcg)
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