Anabolic steroids, one of the most abused drugs in the sports world, can possibly cause low sperm count in males. In the United States, the use of steroids without a prescription is illegal and can warrant an arrest, hefty fine and prison sentence. In most sports organizations, nationally as well as internationally, a long list of steroids is included in the list of banned substances. Any athlete found to be using steroids is automatically disqualified from competing.

Repeated and prolonged use of steroids can lead to very serious physical and psychological side-effects. Because anabolic steroids are synthesized male hormones or testosterone, which play a major role in sexual reproduction, it can affect the male reproductive system. One of the side-effects of using steroids in males is low sperm count. Anabolic steroids can be injected or taken orally and both type of administration have serious consequences. Side effects of steroids can take months or years to show or come out. Even after years that a person has quit taking steroids, problems can still occur later on, such as having a low sperm count.

Steroids can lead to various sexual and reproductive side effects. Besides low sperm count, steroid use can lead to decreased sex drive and impotence. Furthermore, it can cause men to develop enlarged breasts and smaller testicles. In some cases, ceasing the use of steroids can alleviate the side-effects but some side-effects such as low sperm count can be experiences in a long term basis even when the steroid use has stopped. For some, the problem may never disappear.

In a new study done by professor Sergio Recabarren of the University of Concepcion in Chile, it was found that excess exposure to sexual steroids, such as testosterone, during pregnancy and when the fetus is in development, may potentially cause low sperm count and motility in the baby.

Professor Recabarren says that most of the disorders affecting sperm count in males originate during fetal life. A developing fetus is very sensitive and vulnerable to its environment. When the fetus’ environment is exposed to too much sexual steroids, it can dramatically affect the fertility of a male offspring. Dr. Recabarren says that excessive exposure to steroids prenatally can occur in two ways. It can either be due to a hormonal condition like polycystic ovary syndrome which occurs in the maternal environment or it can be due to industrial pollutants which mimic steroid activity, inhibiting or accelerating the native steroid production of the body.

In the study, the researchers injected 30mg testosterone propionate to pregnant sheep twice weekly from the 30th to the 90th day of pregnancy. They also injected pregnant sheep with 40mg testosterone propionate during the 90th to 120th day of pregnancy. The male sheep born from the mothers who were injected with testosterone were found to have significantly reduced sperm count, body weight, and scroital circumference compared with the control sheep. While the study involved sheep, Dr. Recabarren says that the results can certainly be the same for humans.

Trackback URI | Comments RSS