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01/04/2004
Study reveals Viagra can reduce fertility
Researchers at Queen's University Belfast have revealed that men who take Viagra when they are hoping to start a family could be affecting their fertility.
A group at the University's Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology have shown that, while Viagra enhances sperm motility, it also seems to speed up the "acrosome reaction", which normally occurs only when the sperm reaches the egg.
The acrosome reaction enables the sperm to fertilise the egg. It releases digestive enzymes that break down the egg's protective outer layer, allowing the sperm to penetrate more easily.
Dr David Glenn, Professor Neil McClure and Dr Sheena Lewis split 45 samples of semen, and treated half with Viagra, while the other half were used as control. Up to 79% more sperm were fully "reacted" in the Viagra samples.
If the acrosome enzymes are released too early, as seen in this study when Viagra is present, sperm are rendered infertile. This is backed up by studies on mice showing that, in the presence of Viagra, significantly fewer eggs are fertilised, and fewer of the resulting embryos develop to the "blastocyst" stage at around five days.
Dr David Glenn, who presented the work at the Annual British Fertility Society Meeting in Cheltenham, commented: "Nearly half of licensed fertility units in the UK currently use Viagra to assist patient semen production. Our study raises questions about the drug’s use in assisted reproduction."
(MB)
A group at the University's Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology have shown that, while Viagra enhances sperm motility, it also seems to speed up the "acrosome reaction", which normally occurs only when the sperm reaches the egg.
The acrosome reaction enables the sperm to fertilise the egg. It releases digestive enzymes that break down the egg's protective outer layer, allowing the sperm to penetrate more easily.
Dr David Glenn, Professor Neil McClure and Dr Sheena Lewis split 45 samples of semen, and treated half with Viagra, while the other half were used as control. Up to 79% more sperm were fully "reacted" in the Viagra samples.
If the acrosome enzymes are released too early, as seen in this study when Viagra is present, sperm are rendered infertile. This is backed up by studies on mice showing that, in the presence of Viagra, significantly fewer eggs are fertilised, and fewer of the resulting embryos develop to the "blastocyst" stage at around five days.
Dr David Glenn, who presented the work at the Annual British Fertility Society Meeting in Cheltenham, commented: "Nearly half of licensed fertility units in the UK currently use Viagra to assist patient semen production. Our study raises questions about the drug’s use in assisted reproduction."
(MB)
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