Ibuprofen Linked To Male Infertility By Shrinking Men's Testicles | HuffPost Life

The drug costs just 2p per tablet.

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The popular over-the-counter painkiller ibuprofen widely used for aches and pains could make young men infertile by shrinking their testicles, scientists warn.

The drug that costs just 2p for a 200mg tablet lowers the male sex hormone testosterone.

The drop in the hormones produced by the testicles then causes them to shrivel up causing fertility problems.

A study of 18 to 35 year-olds found the painkiller increased the risk of the disorder compensated hypogonadism, which usually only affects the elderly or smokers.

Overuse of ibuprofen could also lead to full-blown hypogonadism- or low testosterone levels - which has been linked to premature death.

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Dr David Kristensen, of Copenhagen University, said: “Through a clinical trial with young men exposed to ibuprofen, we show that the analgesic resulted in the clinical condition named ‘compensated hypogonadism’ - a condition prevalent among elderly men and associated with reproductive and physical disorders.”

It occurs when men have normal levels of testosterone but higher levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) - a chemical that stimulates the production of testosterone.

Dr Kristensen said: “In the men, luteinizing hormone (LH) and ibuprofen plasma levels were positively correlated, and the testosterone/LH ratio decreased.”

The study of 31 male participants found the administration of ibuprofen reduced production of testosterone by nearly a quarter in about six weeks - resulting in compensated hypogonadism.

In experiments on testicles from prostate cancer donors and cultured testes cells, the researchers found ibuprofen induced the condition by affecting hormones.

Dr Kristensen said: “Concern has been raised over increased male reproductive disorders in the Western world and the disruption of male hormones has been suggested to play a central role.

“Several studies have shown mild analgesics exposure during foetal life is associated with anti-androgenic effects and congenital malformations.

“But the effects on the adult man remain largely unknown.”

Dr Kristensen said said painkillers such as paracetamol, aspirin and ibuprofen are among the most commonly drugs worldwide.

Ibuprofen is “especially interesting” because of its increasing use in the general population - and by elite athletes - for aches, pains, fever and arthritis.

In the first study of its kind the researchers split participants into two groups - with 14 receiving 600mg of ibuprofen twice a day two weeks before and 30 days after an exercise session. The others acted as a control.

After 14 days blood tests showed there was an 18% decrease in testosterone - rising to 23% after 44 days.

The experiments on testes from human donors and cells grown in the lab then revealed the mechanism, reports Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Dr Kristensen said: “Taken together these data suggest that ibuprofen induced a state of compensated hypogonadism - which occurred as early as 14 days and was maintained until the end of the trial at 44 days.”

He said investigating ibuprofen-induced compensatory hypogonadism is crucial as the disorder is “generally associated with smoking and ageing.”

Dr Kristensen said: “Moreover, compensated hypogonadic men present with an increased likelihood of reproductive, cognitive and physical symptoms.

“Further characterisations of the state of compensated hypogonadism induced by ibuprofen - which was already established after 14 days of ibuprofen administration - are therefore important in determining the potential effects on healthy young men.”

He added: “Moreover, ibuprofen appears to be the preferred pharmaceutical analgesic for long-term chronic pain and arthritis.

“Therefore it is also of concern that men with compensated hypogonadism may eventually progress to overt primary hypogonadism, which is characterised by low circulating testosterone and prevalent symptoms including reduced libido, reduced muscle mass and strength, and depressed mood and fatigue.”

Previous research has found an association between low testosterone levels and premature death from heart disease and all causes.

A study of almost 1,000 men tracked for seven years found almost twice as many with testosterone deficiency - or hypogonadism - died as did those with normal levels.

Compensated hypogonadism occurs before any obvious sypmtoms develop.

10 Things You May Not Know About Your Fertility

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1. Your fertility is mostly determined by genetics, which influences how many eggs you are born with. Doctors believe that the number of eggs you have at birth determines the length of time you will remain fertile. At birth, women have about two million eggs in their ovaries. For every egg ovulated during your reproductive life, about 1,000 eggs undergo programmed cell death. Other things, such as smoking cigarettes and certain types of chemotherapy, can accelerate egg cell death and promote an earlier menopause.

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2. Regular menstrual cycles are a sign of regular ovulation.Most women have regular cycles lasting between 24 and 35 days. This is usually a sign of regular, predictable ovulation. Women who do not ovulate regularly have irregular menstrual cycles. Those who do not ovulate at all may have a genetic condition called polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).

(03 of10)

3. Basal temperature charting does not predict ovulation.An older method of tracking ovulation involves taking your oral body temperature each morning before getting out of bed. This is called basal body temperature. This method is used to spot a rise in basal temperature, which is a sign that progesterone is being produced. The main problem with using this method is that your temperature rises after ovulation has already occurred. This makes it more difficult to time intercourse at an optimal time for conception. A better method is to use over-the-counter urine ovulation predictor test kits such as Clearblue Easy. These kits test for the hormone that prompts ovulation, which is called luteinizing hormone (LH).

(04 of10)

4. Most women with blocked fallopian tubes are completely unaware they may have had a prior pelvic infection.About 10 percent of infertility cases are due to tubal disease, either complete blockage or pelvic scarring causing tubal malfunction. One major cause of tubal disease is a prior pelvic infection from a sexually transmitted disease such as chlamydia. These infections can cause so few symptoms that you may be completely unaware your tubes are affected. This is why fertility physicians will order a dye test of the tubes, called a hysterosalpingogram (HSG), if you have been trying and failing to conceive for 6 months or longer.

(05 of10)

5. In most cases, stress does not cause infertility. Except in rare cases of extreme physical or emotional distress, women will keep ovulating regularly. Conceiving while on vacation is likely less about relaxation than about coincidence and good timing of sex.

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6. By age 44, most women are infertile, even if they are still ovulating regularly. Even with significant fertility treatment, rates of conception are very low after age 43. Most women who conceive in their mid-40s with fertility treatment are using donated eggs from younger women.

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7. Having fathered a pregnancy in the past does not guarantee fertility. Sperm counts can change quite a bit with time, so never assume that a prior pregnancy guarantees fertile sperm. Obtaining a semen analysis is the only way to be sure the sperm are still healthy!

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8. For the most part, diet has little or nothing to do with fertility. Despite popular press, there is little scientific data showing that a particular diet or food promotes fertility. One limited study did suggest a Mediterranean diet with olive oil, fish and legumes may help promote fertility.

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9. Vitamin D may improve results of fertility treatments. A recent study from the University of Southern California suggested that women who were undergoing fertility treatments, but had low vitamin D levels, might have lower rates of conception. This vitamin is also essential during pregnancy. At Pacific Fertility Center, we recommend our patients take 2,000-4,000 IU per day.

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10. Being either underweight or overweight is clearly linked with lowered levels of fertility. The evidence in recent years is that obesity is clearly linked with a longer time to conception. Having a body mass index less than 18 or over 32 is associated with problems ovulating and conceiving, as well as problems during pregnancy.

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