Marijuana, phytocannabinoids, the endocannabinoid system, and male fertility

Stefan S du Plessis; Ashok Agarwal; Arun Syriac

doi:10.1007/s10815-015-0553-8

Male Fertility Male Factor Causes

Marijuana, phytocannabinoids, the endocannabinoid system, and male fertility

du Plessis SS, Agarwal A, Syriac A

Published November 2015 Journal of assisted reproduction and genetics, 32(11), 1575-88

DOI 10.1007/s10815-015-0553-8 PMID 26277482 PMC PMC4651943

RRM Academy Synopsis

Marijuana use is linked to harm to male fertility, a review finds

Marijuana use is linked to harm to male reproductive potential, a 2015 review concludes. Lower sperm counts are one finding. The authors summarize earlier human studies plus newer animal, lab-dish and retrospective studies. The review also explains how the body's own endocannabinoid system helps run male reproduction.

Study at a glance, 2015 review: A review links marijuana use to lower sperm counts and male fertility harm. Source: du Plessis SS et al., 2015, PMID 26277482.

Key Findings

Regular cannabis exposure was reported to lower sperm concentration in humans in three cited studies, and sperm counts appeared inversely proportional to the amount of drug taken.
One unmatched case-referent study of 1700 participants found cannabis exposure was a risk factor for poor sperm morphology (OR = 1.94, 95 % CI 1.05–3.60).
Among 86 men at an infertility clinic, anandamide levels in seminal plasma were significantly lower in men with low sperm motility than in men with normal sperm.
Reports on testosterone conflict. A case control study of men aged 18 to 26 found a significant drop. A study of 66 males found no significant effect.
A Swiss study of more than 9000 linked cannabis indirectly to premature ejaculation and erectile dysfunction. In 4350 men, how often they used cannabis showed no link to trouble keeping an erection.

Interpretation

This review draws on human, animal and lab-dish studies of cannabis and male reproduction, and lays out how the body's own endocannabinoid system helps run sperm production and function. The authors note that legal and ethical limits make large human studies hard to run. Larger, prospective studies could help clarify how much cannabis use raises the risk to male fertility.

RRM Context

Restorative reproductive medicine checks both partners for causes of infertility. Male factor can be the only cause or one of several. Substance use is one exposure to cover when evaluating the man.

Our editorial summary of this paper, not the article's abstract.

Abstract

Marijuana has the highest consumption rate among all of the illicit drugs used in the USA, and its popularity as both a recreational and medicinal drug is increasing especially among men of reproductive age. Male factor infertility is on the increase, and the exposure to the cannabinoid compounds released by marijuana could be a contributing cause. The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is deeply involved in the complex regulation of male reproduction through the endogenous release of endocannabinoids and binding to cannabinoid receptors. Disturbing the delicate balance of the ECS due to marijuana use can negatively impact reproductive potential. Various in vivo and in vitro studies have reported on the empirical role that marijuana plays in disrupting the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis, spermatogenesis, and sperm function such as motility, capacitation, and the acrosome reaction. In this review, we highlight the latest evidence regarding the effect of marijuana use on male fertility and also provide a detailed insight into the ECS and its significance in the male reproductive system.

Topics

Male Fertility

Male Factor Causes Lifestyle and Environment

Male Fertility › Male Factor Causes › Lifestyle and Environment

Stefan S du Plessis, Ashok Agarwal, Arun Syriac

S Plessis, A Agarwal, A Syriac

PMID 26277482 26277482 DOI 10.1007/s10815-015-0553-8 10.1007/s10815-015-0553-8 du Plessis et al. 2015, du Plessis 2015

Keywords

Endocannabinoid system, Estrogen, FSH, LH, Male infertility, Marijuana, Sperm motility, Sperm viability, Spermatozoa, Testosterone

Marijuana, phytocannabinoids, the endocannabinoid system, and male fertility

Marijuana use is linked to harm to male fertility, a review finds

Key Findings

Interpretation

RRM Context

Abstract

Topics

By this author

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Keywords