Research Confirms Ibuprofen Is No Good for Male Fertility

Hubby got a headache? If you’re trying to conceive, then you may be inclined to tell him to skip the painkillers and lock the medicine cabinet after this latest study. 

New research confirms ibuprofen anti-inflammatories, including painkiller staple Nurofen, may decrease male fertility.

Researchers like to ban things when you’re trying to make a baby. There have already been countless studies confirming that, when trying to conceive and in the early stages of pregnancy, pretty much everything is off limits. No booze. No tobacco. Minimal caffeine.

And, now ibuprofen has been added to the no-no list.

But for blokes.

No Nurofen for you

Sorry, partners in pain. But your anti-inflammatory days may be over if you want to have a family. Research by Danish and French scientists has found that regular ibuprofen use reduces fertility.

The study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, discovered that ibuprofen is linked to hypogonadism, which sounds like a weird STI, but is actually a medical condition that can lead to infertility, erectile dysfunction, depression and loss of bone and muscle mass, among other complications.

These symptoms aren’t exactly desirable in the best of times. Especially when you’re trying for a baby!

Drop your pants… and the ibuprofen

The study included 31 healthy men aged 18 to 35. About half of the men took two 600-milligram doses of ibuprofen per day for six weeks. This may seem like a lot, but many men, including athletes, take this much to manage everyday aches and pains.

The researchers discovered that with regular ibuprofen use, the males experienced disruptions in testosterone and other hormone production, suggesting wide-ranging consequences of hypogonadism. As the days went on, the testosterone levels in the testicles went down, confirming that Nurofen is no good for your man’s balls.

So, the next time your partner complains of a back ache, you may want to tell him to ‘Suck it up, Buttercup’. And reach for the ice pack instead.

For more research on male fertility, check out this baby-making sperm superfood.