A Study published in proceedings of science of the united States found out that regular ibuprofen use may lead to compensated hypogonadism, a condition that can lead to infertility, erectile dysfunction, depression and loss of bone and muscle mass, among other symptoms.
The condition is most commonly seen in smokers and the elderly, but the new research suggests it can affect young man too.
Young man who always take ibuprofen, a common over the counter painkiller drug, at high doses stand a high risk of infertility, a new research study has revealed.
The lowered fertility was noticed among some 31 man aged under 35 who take the maximum daily dose of Ibuprofen - 1200mg or six tables of 200mg each - for six weeks.
Within two weeks, the man developed hypogonadism, a sexual hormone dysfunction that meant their bodies produced less testosterone( the male sex hormone).
The level of the trouble hormone was dependent on the level of Ibuprofen in their blood. And these hormones are key to fertility, suggesting prolonged use of the drug could lead to a diminished sex drive.
The level of another hormone, which stimulates testosterone production, increased as the man took the drug, but overall production of testosterone didn't increase.
Ibuprofen belongs to a class of drug called nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug. Other members of this class include aspirin, naproxen (Aleve), indomethacin (Indocin), nabumetone (Relafen) and several others.
Those drugs are used for the management of mild to moderate pain, fever, and inflammation.
Ibuprofen is a common over the counter painkiller drug. Men who work in high energy job pop ibuprofen as a routine.
The problem is in man who use it for long - term pain management. Full blown hypogonadism impairs a man's ability to produce sperm.
There are not side effects for man who take the drug for occasional headaches.
According to the world health organisation there are one in every four couples of reproductive age in developing countries experience childlessness despite five years of attempting pregnancy.
In 2010, 45 million couple were infertile, according to one study. A separate study suggest that man are solely responsible for up to 30 per cent of all cases of childlessness. Overall, they contribute to half of all cases.
Other analyses in the journal, Human reproduction update, found sperm counts of men in developed world are plummeting. For forty years until 2011, sperm concentration has declined 52 per cent and sperm count has dropped 59 per cent.