The risk of infertility when men take antidepressants

Over the years, people taking antidepressants have reported problems with their sex drive. Both men and women experience decreased libido. Men who have sexual desire often report that they are unable to get an erection. Among men who can get an erection, there are many who, despite their best efforts, still cannot ejaculate.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 10% of Americans are taking antidepressants. The use of this drug has positive effects in daily life such as improving sleep quality, improving concentration at work, increasing social interaction…

However, taking antidepressants can also make it difficult to conceive. One of the most common types of antidepressants is SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors), which are useful in alleviating the effects of depression but have side effects.

For men, these side effects include: decreased sex drive, erectile dysfunction, delayed ejaculation, inability to achieve orgasm. The potential side effects of SSRIs have a direct impact on fertility, because orgasm is fundamental to conception.

A 2015 study published in the journal Fertility and Sterility found that half of men taking SSRIs had sperm damage and effects on fertility.

The study, conducted by New York-Presbyterian Hospital and Weill Cornell Medical Center (USA), followed 35 healthy male volunteers who took the drug Paroxetine (Paxil) from 5 weeks to 23 months. After 5 weeks, sperm samples were taken from these men to determine if any genetic code was missing from the DNA.

The results showed that the proportion of men with abnormal DNA fragmentation increased from less than 10% at the start of the study to 50%. They also found that after at least three months of taking antidepressants, the participants began to have problems with their sperm, such as reduced sperm motility, decreased sperm concentration, sperm count, and sperm count. abnormal spermatozoa and increased levels of DNA fragmentation in sperm. That means that men who took those antidepressants had a higher risk of infertility.

While some people who take antidepressants are able to manage their sex drive and even have children, they later discover another previously unknown side effect of the drug, which is allergies. congenital. Even the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a warning that pregnant women taking antidepressants are at risk of giving birth to babies with holes in the heart and many other defects.

A clinical trial also found that children whose fathers were taking antidepressants experienced developmental delays. Researchers believe that the drug can disrupt the endocrine system of infants.

While the use of antidepressants does not completely cause infertility in men or women, experts recommend that men need to adjust their use of the drug to increase their chances of conceiving. In some cases, antidepressants are needed to manage mental health problems, but not everyone needs medications like SSRIs. If you’re taking antidepressants and want to have a baby, it’s best to consult your doctor to make a safe choice.

Mr. Ngoc