Reduce in Sperm Count by Male Hormonal Contraceptives

Male hormonal contraception applied on a regular basis to the skin cut down sperm production, finds new research to be presented Sunday at The Endocrine Society's 94th Annual Meeting in Houston.

Very low sperm counts resulted for roughly 89 percent of males utilizing a new combination of human hormones, the authors reported. They actually combined a transdermal (skin) gel containing the male hormone testosterone as well as a gel containing a brand new synthetic progestin known as Nestorone.

Before, studies of male contraceptives that are actually combined testosterone and progestin used progestin pills, implants or shots, based on Wang. In men, progestin boosts the contraceptive performance of testosterone. Both testosterone and progestin interact with each other to turn off the production of reproductive hormones regulating the production of sperm, she said. Furthermore, Wang said, in contrast to other progestin examined as male birth control methods, Nestorone does not have any androgenic (male hormone) exercise. Androgenic activity might cause negative effects such as acne and changes in bad and good cholesterol.

Within this preliminary survey, the private investigators randomly allotted 99 healthy men to work with one of three unidentified transdermal treatments daily for six months. The allotted treatment ended up being a gel containing 10 grams of testosterone plus a placebo gel, or even the same testosterone gel plus a gel containing either 8 or 12 milligrams (mg) of Nestorone.

Fifty-six men finished a minimum of 20 weeks of therapy and adhered to the research protocol, in accordance with the abstract. Only 23 percent of males who acquired androgen hormone alone obtained a sperm attention less than 1 million sperm per milliliter, "a level that would be suitable for very low pregnancy rate," Wang said. Regarding the testosterone-progestin mixtures, sperm counts met that level in 88 to 89 proportions of men, based on the progestin dose.