Regular use of Ibuprofen may lead to compensated hypogonadism, a condition that can lead to infertility and erectile dysfunction, study shows
The new study finds that Ibuprofen, a popular painkiller, alters human testicular physiology.
According to a new study, men that are regularly taking Ibuprofen, a common over-the-counter painkillers are at risk of infertility, a common problem in Nigeria and across the world.
The study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, found that regular ibuprofen use may lead to compensated hypogonadism, a condition that can lead to infertility, erectile dysfunction, depression and loss of bone and muscle mass, among other symptoms.
The condition is most commonly seen in smokers and the elderly, but the new research suggests it can affect young men, too.
Concern has been raised over declining male reproductive health in humans. The study addressed this issue by extending data showing antiandrogen effects of analgesics and suggests that such compounds may be involved in adult male reproductive problems.
“Using a unique combination of a randomised, controlled clinical trial and ex vivo and in vitro approaches, we report a univocal depression of important aspects of testicular function, including testosterone production, after use of over-the-counter ibuprofen,” the researchers stated.
The study shows that ibuprofen use results in selective transcriptional repression of endocrine cells in the human testis.
This repression results in the elevation of the stimulatory pituitary hormones, resulting in a state of compensated hypogonadism, a disorder associated with adverse reproductive and physical health disorders.
In young men exposed to ibuprofen, the study showed that the analgesic resulted in the clinical condition named “compensated hypogonadism,” a condition prevalent among elderly men and associated with reproductive and physical disorders.
Using adult testis explants exposed or not exposed to ibuprofen, the study demonstrated that the endocrine capabilities from testicular Leydig and Sertoli cells, including testosterone production, were suppressed through transcriptional repression.
