Adverse Effects of Common Medications on Male Fertility
June 2015
in “
Nature Reviews Urology
”
TLDR Some common medications can harm male fertility, but many effects can be reversed.
The document from June 23, 2015, reviews the adverse effects of common medications on male fertility, including hormonal effects, direct gonadotoxic effects, effects on sperm function, and sexual function. It discusses specific drug classes such as exogenous testosterone, which suppresses spermatogenesis; 5α-reductase inhibitors, which can impair sexual function and affect sperm parameters; α-blockers, which may decrease seminal emission; and phosphodiesterase inhibitors, which have variable effects on sperm. The review also covers the impact of antihypertensive and psychotropic agents, antibiotics, and chemotherapeutic agents on male fertility. It emphasizes the reversible nature of many of these effects but notes that conclusive evidence in humans is often limited. The document concludes with the recommendation that men should be counseled about potential drug-related adverse effects on their fertility and suggests the need for further research due to the variability and sometimes conflicting results of existing studies.
