Cannabis can certainly help couples get closer in the bedroom, but what about the age-old rumor that it can also lower sperm count?
The truth is that lots of factors can negatively affect sperm count, and according to Harvard scientists cannabis may actually help in this area.
A study published by Harvard on Feb 5, 2019, in Human Reproduction involved more than 660 men who submitted 1,400+ semen samples between 2000 and 2017, self-reporting their cannabis use and other lifestyle variables.
What did researchers find after crunching all the data?
The study basically concluded:
“Men who had ever smoked marijuana had significantly higher sperm concentration than men who had never smoked marijuana.”
Researchers Thought the Opposite Would Happen
At the beginning of the study, researchers had hypothesized that cannabis would worsen sperm levels and were surprised when they found cannabis consumers instead had higher concentrations of sperm.
In a press release, lead researcher on the study, Feiby Hassan, cautioned that further research is still needed for definitive results, and maybe higher levels of cannabis consumption would not be so beneficial to the reproductive system:
“Our findings were contrary to what we initially hypothesized. However, they are consistent with two different interpretations, the first being that low levels of marijuana use could benefit sperm production because of its effect on the endocannabinoid system, which is known to play a role in fertility, but those benefits are lost with higher levels of marijuana consumption.”
The Bottom Line on Cannabis and Sperm
Many different factors can affect sperm count, and for any couples having trouble with this issue, cannabis should be last on the list of potential things to consider quitting.
Plenty of heavy cannabis consumers have conceived multiple children without issue. In fact, many couples are finding cannabis can indeed be an amazing thing to bring into the bedroom…
