3 commonly used over the counter pain relievers associated with hypogonadism and low testosterone.
Some summary points from the article…
Many people falsely believe that just because a medication is available over the counter that it’s completely safe and without risk.
There is no doubt that this is not true as this article about pain relievers clearly shows.
Researchers find taking any of these 3 VERY common over the counter pain relievers may be causing serious problems in males and puts their male offspring at risk.
This is very important considering the plummeting fertility rates, the ever-increasing number of men with low testosterone, and how commonly these pain relievers are taken.
It’s also important because of the growing awareness about the massive problem with opiates is causing more people to turn to other medications for pain relief.
Aspirin, acetaminophen (Tylenol), and ibuprofen (Motrin) disrupt male hormones.
All three drugs then are “anti-androgenic,” meaning they disrupt male hormones, according to David M. Kristensen, the study’s co-author and a senior scientist in the Department of Neurology at Copenhagen University Hospital.
Taken in high daily doses, ibuprofen induced compensated hypogonadism in young men.
The 3 pain reliever drugs also increased the likelihood that male babies would be born with congenital malformations of the sex organ.
Taken from the CNN article…
“For the men taking ibuprofen, within 14 days, their luteinizing hormones from the pituitary gland which stimulate the testicles to produce testosterone became coordinated with the level of ibuprofen circulating in their blood.
At the same time, the ratio of testosterone to luteinizing hormones decreased, a sign of dysfunctional testicles.
This hormonal imbalance produced compensated hypogonadism
This is associated with impaired fertility, depression, and increased risk for cardiovascular events, including heart failure and stroke.
For the small group of young study participants who used ibuprofen for only a short time, “it is sure that these effects are reversible,” Jégou said.
However, it’s unknown whether the health effects of long-term ibuprofen use are reversible, he said.”
More quoted directly from the CNN article…
“There is evidence that some medications are particularly harmful to the male reproductive system, including testosterone, opioids, antidepressants, antipsychotics, immune modulators and even the over-the-counter antacid cimetidine (Tagamet),” she said.
“However, prescribing providers rarely mention these adverse effects with patients when prescribing these medications.
She believes the new study, though small, is “important” because ibuprofen is on of the most commonly used medications.
Though the new research indicates that ibuprofen disrupts the reproductive hormones in healthy young men, she thinks it’s possible there’s an even greater negative effect in men with low fertility.
The other OTC drugs concerning for potential fathers are cimetidine and acetaminophen. She recommends that men who are planning to father a child avoid drugs for several months.”
We already know that taking NSAIDs for a short period of time is associated heart attacks and much more.
I discuss it here on my blog.
NSAIDs associated with a 50% increase in heart attacks…
CNN article talking about research and potential dangers of pain relievers for males…
https://www.cnn.com/2018/01/08/health/ibuprofen-male-fertility-study/index.html
Leave a Reply