The Effect of Marijuana on the Incidence and Evolution of Male Infertility: A Systematic Review.
Level 3 - non-randomized controlled study
Systematic review of predominantly observational studies (cohort, cross-sectional, case-control)
PubMed 34984155 · doi:10.7759/cureus.20119
What was done
Authors conducted a systematic review searching PubMed, Google Scholar, BASE, UCSB Library, and PubMed Central for English-language studies published between 2010 and 2021. Included designs were systematic reviews, cross-sectional, case-control, cohort, and longitudinal studies evaluating marijuana's effects on male reproductive organs and fertility. Quality was appraised with standard tools, identifying 15 eligible studies.
What was found
The abstract reports no numerical values, effect sizes, or confidence intervals. It qualitatively reports that marijuana use was associated with adverse effects on sperm count, concentration, motility, morphology, capacitation, viability, and organic sexual dysfunction. Findings on reproductive hormones (testosterone, luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone) were inconclusive.
Why it matters
This review aggregates evidence on cannabis exposure and male reproductive health, pointing toward impaired semen quality as a potential factor in male subfertility.
Limits
The included literature consists exclusively of observational studies in small sample groups across various regions, making findings susceptible to residual lifestyle confounding. No pooled numerical estimates or meta-analytic data are provided in the abstract.
Cited by
- partial Cannabis use impairs sperm production, decreases testosterone, and increases sperm DNA fragmentation, leading to higher miscarriage rates in female partners.