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Do Antidepressants Lower Sperm Count?

About 10 percent of men in America suffer from some form of depression in their life. Despite their popularity as a treatment, recent studies have shown that the side effects of antidepressant use have affected the sperm count and even caused infertility in men.

  1. Significance

    • According to Dr. Peter Schlegel of the Cornell Medical Center, antidepressants have been proven to negatively impact "erectile function and ejaculation" and can even cause "a major increase in genetic damage to sperm."

    Considerations

    • A recent study published by Dr. Mark Olfson of Columbia University found that in 2008 around 165 million prescriptions were written for antidepressants in the United States.

    Medications in Question

    • Even popular medications such as "(SSRIs) Citalopram (Cipramil) or Sertraline (Lustral), which belong to the same class of drugs as Prozac and Seroxat" have been shown to cause these side effects, according to research.

    Other Sexual Side Effects

    • Antidepressants have also been linked to other sexual side effects such as erectile dysfunction, decreased sex drive, inability to enjoy sex and the inability to have orgasms.

    Warning

    • The U.S. Food and Drug Administration reports that the use of antidepressants also carries the risk of even more serious side effects such as suicide.

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