January 10, 2017.
According to a Franco-Danish study, coordinated by Bernard Jégou, researcher at Inserm (National Institute of Health and Medical Research), ibuprofen can disrupt testosterone production and fertility.
Adverse effects on testosterone production
We never know all the side effects of the medications we take, even for a simple headache. We learn today, in a study published in the American journal Proceedings of the national academy of sicences, that ibuprofen can have harmful effects on the production of testosterone and fertility. As a reminder, ibuprofen is a nonsteroidal pain reliever, available without a prescription.
This study is likely to cause a lot of noise because ibuprofen is used by so many patients to treat fever and aches and pains such as headaches, body aches or menstruation. We already knew that it was not recommended for children in cases of chickenpox and for pregnant women beyond six months. We are now learning that it can also be harmful for men.
Sperm production is also disrupted
To reach this conclusion, the researchers followed around thirty athletic men aged 18 to 35. Some were taking ibuprofen (1200 mg per day), others were taking a placebo. After 6 weeks, the researchers observed that ibuprofen acted directly on the hormones responsible for making testosterone, but also on those which manage the production of sperm.
” Ibuprofen has a real role for people with chronic rheumatism, for example “, Note the authors of this study. ” But we clearly demonstrate that apart from these indications, its massive consumption is to be avoided. ” Clear, this medication should only be reserved for athletes or in case of severe muscle aches, but should in no case be taken for a simple headache.
Marine Rondot
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