Popping painkillers, ibuprofen in particular, could result in reduced fertility in men. Bernard Jégou, director of the Institute of Research in Environmental and Occupational Health in France, and a team of French and Danish researchers have found that as ibuprofen is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, long-term use could lead to ‘compensated hypogonadism’—a condition that typically begins during middle age and disrupts the male hormones. It is also associated with depression and increased risk of cardiovascular events, including heart failure and stroke. These conclusions are based on a research study where 31 male volunteers aged between 18 and 35 were tested. Of these, 14 were given 1,200 mg of ibuprofen daily and the others were given a placebo. After two weeks, the ones taking ibuprofen showed a decrease in luteinising hormones (hormones that stimulate the testicles to produce testosterone), leading to impaired fertility. The study was published in journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

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Featured in Harmony — Celebrate Age Magazine
March 2018