Study finds Marijuana could decrease sperm count

 

New research from the University of Copenhagen in Denmark has found that smoking marijuana more than once a week may lower men’s sperm counts by an average of 29%, LiveScience reports.

Surveying 1,215 Danish men aged 18 to 28 on their drug usage over the past three months, the researchers then collected semen samples and measured the men’s sperm counts.

45 percent of the participants had used cannabis in the past three months, and 10 percent said they had used marijuana and other recreational drugs. The former group saw an average 29 percent decrease in sperm count as opposed to those who had not used marijuana in the past three months, with the latter seeing as much as a 55 percent drop.

The researchers noted that the men who smoked marijuana regularly were also more likely to smoke cigarettes and consume more alcohol and caffeine than those who didn’t. Taking this into account, they say that the link between cannabis and sperm levels holds up, though they also acknowledge that this still doesn’t entirely prove that the drug is the specific cause of the lower sperm counts.

“We cannot exclude the possibility that the men who used marijuana generally have an unhealthier lifestyle and health behavior, which may also affect their semen quality and hormone levels,” said the study.

In other (older) news, too much chilling out in front of the television can also lead to a lowered sperm count. Could there be a connection here?

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