Smoking Marijuana Lowers Fertility, Study Shows

Verto · October 13, 2003, 13:38

Quote:

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Sperm in men who smoke marijuana regularly lose stamina and burn out which may prevent conception, said a study released on Monday.

The study by the State University of New York in Buffalo, New York, is the first to focus on the swimming patterns of sperm in men who smoke marijuana, the authors say.

"The sperm from marijuana smokers were moving too fast too early," said Lani Burkman, lead author of the study, in a statement.

"To attach itself to the egg, the sperm has to swim like mad -- that's hyper activation -- and they have to be vigorous at the right time," Burkman said. "Smoking marijuana messes up the natural regulatory system."

"The timing was all wrong. These sperm will experience burnout before they reach the egg and would not be capable of fertilization."

The study, released at the annual conference of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine in San Antonio, found that men who smoke marijuana have less sperm because of lower quantities of seminal fluid compared to fertile men.

One of the ingredients of marijuana, tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, is the psychoactive chemical that causes people to feel "high."

SWIMMING TOO FAST

"We don't know exactly what is happening to change sperm functioning," said Burkman, "but we think it is one of two things: THC may be causing improper timing of sperm function by direct stimulation, or it may be bypassing natural inhibition mechanisms. Whatever the cause, the sperm are swimming too fast too early."

The speed, volume, shape, density, movement and count of sperm were studied in both men whose sperm is fertile and marijuana smokers.

A previous study found that the enzyme cap of human sperm changed when exposed to high levels of THC. As a result, the sperm has a harder time attaching to the egg before fertilization.

Even if people stop smoking marijuana, THC gets stored in the body fat and may take several months before leaving the body, Burkman said.

"I definitely would advise anyone trying to conceive not to smoke marijuana, and that would include women as well as men," Burkman said.

Not only does it make your whole day better, but it also acts as birth control!

monkspider · October 13, 2003, 13:39

Dis · October 13, 2003, 13:50

so?

who wants to have children?

is there anything marijunana can't do?

amazing drug

Jon Miller · October 13, 2003, 13:52

having children is a good thing

and it is not an effective means of birth control, just lowers the chances somewhat

pretty meaningless for people who are not having troubles getting pregnant

Jon Miller

Verres · October 13, 2003, 13:55

Quote:

Originally posted by Jon Miller

and it is not an effective means of birth control, just lowers the chances somewhat

Yet whats the betting if it ever is legalised in this country, this is what it will first be marketed as?

Dis · October 13, 2003, 13:57

It's too bad it isn't more effective at birth control.

that way we could weed stupid people out of the population

that's sure to piss the dope heads off.

Gatekeeper · October 13, 2003, 14:01

I hear the Aussies have come up with an injectable form of birth control for men. And, no, it's not chemical castration.

mrmitchell · October 13, 2003, 14:02

Quote:

Originally posted by mrmitchell
All we need to do is tell kids drugs make your schlong fall off, and bam! no more drug problem.

Gatekeeper · October 13, 2003, 14:06

^^^But that'd only work for boys. Girls would just laugh and light up ...

Verres · October 13, 2003, 14:08

MRT144 · October 13, 2003, 14:29

gatekeeper, even more incentive

monolith94 · October 13, 2003, 14:33

"I definitely would advise anyone trying to conceive not to smoke marijuana, and that would include women as well as men," Burkman said.

Conversely, he would encourage anyone trying not to conceive to smoke marijuana...

Stuie · October 13, 2003, 14:37

Last time I smoked some pot I got my wife pregnant.

Zero · October 13, 2003, 14:39

last time i smoked up was last friday.

Kuciwalker · October 13, 2003, 14:41

Quote:

Originally posted by monolith94
"I definitely would advise anyone trying to conceive not to smoke marijuana, and that would include women as well as men," Burkman said.

Conversely, he would encourage anyone trying not to conceive to smoke marijuana...

No, the converse is not always true. What he's saying is that it is ESPECIALLY bad to smoke marijuana if you are trying to conceive.

monolith94 · October 13, 2003, 14:44

Ok - so if I smoke pot and don't have sex, I'll be safe, right?

Zero · October 13, 2003, 15:00

Quote:

Originally posted by monolith94
Ok - so if I smoke pot and don't have sex, I'll be safe, right?

why wouldnt u want to smoke up and ****?

When your high repeated motions feels almost automated.

Kidicious · October 13, 2003, 15:26

I smoked plenty of pot in my 20s. I turned 30, and my wife and I decided to concieve. No problems at all. In fact I knocked her up twice, because the first egg was in the falopian tube. This study is BS.

mrmitchell · October 13, 2003, 16:11

Kid--you're probably just a statistical fluke...yeah, 1 out of every 100,000 people is allergic to the smallpox immunisations as well, but does that mean no smallpox immunisation can help?

Verres · October 13, 2003, 16:16

Quote:

Originally posted by monolith94
Ok - so if I smoke pot and don't have sex, I'll be safe, right?

So you'd rather smoke pot than have sex????

MikeH · October 13, 2003, 16:20

Best to smoke pot then have sex.

Verres · October 13, 2003, 16:20

Providing you're not aiming to to conceive, of course

Whaleboy · October 13, 2003, 16:36

Only works with certain types of weed, especially bud. Skunk has no effect on your libedo whatsoever. Personally, I find thai weed and shenzi shanti to be something of an aphrodisiac, whereas african bush seems to encourage my homosexual tendencies

And besides, it'd save money on condoms and actually mean I can get a decent amount of sleep, and pull at the same time!!

Theres a little Zylka in all of us...

pchang · October 13, 2003, 17:14

Evolution needs selection pressure against something. Modern medicine has removed all the old things.

Drogue · October 13, 2003, 17:17

It's not talking about libedo elijah, it's talking about potency and sperm-count. The thing I'd like to see is if this is tempory. Is it that you are less potent while high, or while using, but that it goes back to normal a while after you quit, or is it perminant?

monolith94 · October 13, 2003, 17:34

"So you'd rather smoke pot than have sex????"

Well, so far in my life option number one seems easier then nnumber two.

Kuciwalker · October 13, 2003, 17:54

Quote:

Well, so far in my life option number one seems easier then nnumber two.

doesn't say anything good about pot...

SuperSneak · October 13, 2003, 19:42

Ha ha ha...don't believe the hype. I've got two kids to prove that's a bunch of bullshit, and so do some of the biggest stoners I know.
It's the straight people that are having a hard time getting pregnant--probably 'cause they're so rigid and stressed out all the time.

relaxation=fertility

I notice they haven't factored that into it yet...

The Emperor Fabulous · October 13, 2003, 19:44

Wait wait wait...Marijuana INCREASES SPERM SPEED?!

Dr Strangelove · October 13, 2003, 19:48

Isn't marijuana smoke also teratogenic?