Ibuprofen - Damages Male Fertility - Endocrine Disruptor

Ibuprofen - Damages Fertility - Endocrine Disruptor

A new study published on the 8th of October in the  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA presents evidence that Ibuprofen (a widely used anti-inflammatory) shows the “the broadest endocrine-disrupting properties identified so far in men”, with a “striking dual effect” on two types of testicular cells. This may be good news for the environment, population growth has risen over 5 births per second in 2017. In some respects it is s shame this has been discovered. . . .

Endocrine disruptors are chemicals that may interfere with the body’s endocrine system and produce adverse developmental, reproductive, neurological, and immune effects in both humans and wildlife.

Ibuprofen disrupts the balance of hormones within the body, with the normal production of testosterone being altered, and sustained by increased activity of the pituitary gland which is not a good thing. 

This over activity of the pituitary gland was diagnosed via the measurement of the hormone luteinising, which was shown to be elevated in the clinical trail participants and in vitro cellular study. 

This imbalance is termed compensated hypogonadism. Hypogonadism means diminished functional activity of the gonads—the testes in males or the ovaries in females—that may result in diminished sex hormone biosynthesis.

Ibuprofen has also been observed to have other negative effects such as slowing healing. These findings are unsurprising as the bodies response to healing or cell production is often inflammatory in nature, and as an anti inflammatory, Ibuprofen is very likley to put a spanner in the works of many bodily processes, that we do not fully comprehend. 

In the UK 1.4 billion Ibuprofen Pills are taken each year.

Illustrator Devon