New study links male infertility to ibuprofen

The common painkiller, ibuprofen, could cause infertility issues for men, a new study revealed.

The study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) concluded that taking ibuprofen increases the risk of developing compensated hypogonadism – a condition linked to reproductive and physical disorders such as infertility.

In the case of the condition, infertility comes about due to higher levels of luteinizing hormone than testosterone.

“We normally see this condition in elderly men, so it raises an alarm,” study author Bernard Jégou, of the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research, told the Guardian. “We are concerned about it, particularly for healthy people who don’t need to take these drugs. The risk is greater than the benefit.”

The study had a sample of 31 healthy men aged 18 to 35, who, after being interviewed, assessed, and had their blood tested, were divided into two groups: a group of men taking ibuprofen, and a placebo group. Those in the former group consumed two doses of ibuprofen a day.