Marijuana hampers sperm’s fertility

Nashville, Tennessee, January 22: Long term exposure to marijuana may have adverse effects on human male fertility, said the researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Centre.

A recent study revealed that the genetic loss of fatty acid amide hydrolase results in increased levels of anandamide, a cannabinoid-like molecule normally produced in the body, which further harms the fertilizing capacity of a sperm.

Endocannabinoids and their receptors are known to be present in the male reproductive tract, where they probably play a role in fertility but no genetic tests have clarified the mechanism, as yet.

The cannabinoid signaling system is said to be responsible for the regulation of sperm structure, vigor, and fertility in humans and marijuana abuse causes enhance cannabinoid/endocannbinoid signaling, eventually leading to fertility-related problems.

If fatty acid amide hydrolase is retained on an egg, the sperm’s ability to penetrate it is hampered, according to the study, published in the Biology of Reproduction.

Many couples, willing to have children these days, face difficulty in conception and fertility experts insist that these are not the problems that people are born with, they just depend on the choices people make through their lives.

“In the majority of patients, infertility is basically lifestyle related problems, conditions, and issues,” says Steven A. Brody, MD, of San Diego’s Advanced Fertility Institute. “Therefore, interventions that people do in their own lives may enhance fertility.”

Almost 20 percent of the couples are known to be dealing with infertility.

Though correcting adverse habits and some significant lifestyle changes may help in some cases, others require medical approach. “In some cases just the lifestyle changes will be sufficient and in some cases you really need to proceed with more complicated fertility treatments.”

Chronic marijuana users may seek expert advice to be able to get over their fertility problems.