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Smoking marijuana regularly triggers infertility
Last reviewed: 02.07.2025
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Marijuana use is contraindicated for couples planning to have a child. As experts have established, the drug can reduce fertility, especially in men under thirty.
When a man smokes marijuana, the size and shape of his sperm begin to change, experts warn. A research group at one of the universities found that the worst indicators in seminal fluid occur in the summer months.
The specialists conducted a survey of more than two thousand men who were examined in reproductive medicine clinics. The scientists were most interested in lifestyle and existing diseases. As a result, it turned out that less than 4% of healthy spermatozoa were observed during ejaculation in the summer (from June to August). Similar problems occurred in the bodies of men under 30 years of age and those who had used marijuana in the last three months before the study.
Scientists also noted that smoking regular cigarettes and alcohol do not have a similar effect on the male body, while lead can worsen the quality of sperm and as a result, the couple may have problems conceiving.
Previously, specialists managed to establish that the compounds present in marijuana can prevent inflammatory processes in the brain or spinal cord, which helps protect against diseases, especially multiple sclerosis and other similar pathologies. As experts note, inflammation in the body is the immune system's response to the disease, but with multiple sclerosis, some disorders are observed.
The drug of natural origin contains substances that can regulate inflammatory processes while preserving the nervous system. Scientists paid close attention to cannabidiol and tetrahydrocannabinol, which were used to treat immune cells that typically affect the brain or spinal cord. As a result, scientists determined that immune cells removed from paralyzed rodents produced fewer inflammatory molecules, especially those directly related to multiple sclerosis, since such molecules pose a particular danger to nerve cells and their membranes.
After the therapy, the rodents whose limbs were paralyzed gradually regained their mobility. The mice began to move their tails first, and then walk.
The specialists plan to conduct similar therapy for people.
Cannabidiol is the most active component of marijuana. In addition, it does not have a strong intoxicating effect on consciousness, unlike tetrahydrocannabinol.
Several years ago, scientists proved that cannabidiol can suppress the symptoms of multiple sclerosis in rodents by preventing immune cells from damaging nerve cells in the spinal cord.
In addition, research into the effects of marijuana on the human body has shown that tetrahydrocannabinol helps protect the immune system, which is gradually destroyed by HIV infection. This psychoactive component prevents the destruction of tissue in the gastrointestinal tract, which is necessary for the immune system to function.
Experts have been able to prove that tetrahydrocannabinol promotes the survival of T cells and reduces cell death in the gastrointestinal tract.
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