Study: Cannabis use increases testosterone in young men
Keystone-SDA
Contrary to previous assumptions, cannabis use does not lower testosterone levels in young men.
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A study by the University of Geneva on the fertility impact of the drug found an increase in the hormone.
The researchers analysed blood samples from 94 Swiss recruits between the ages of 18 and 23, said the university.
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The results showed that testosterone levels were around 23% higher in the 47 cannabis users compared to the 47 non-users.
According to the authors of the study, the cause of this increase can be found specifically in the testicles. The production of male sex hormones, the androgens, in the adrenal glands was not affected.
Cannabis therefore appears to have a direct effect on the Leydig cells in the testicles, which produce testosterone.
No direct link to fertility
However, the researchers warned against interpreting the increase in hormone levels as an indicator of better sperm quality. The relationship between testosterone and fertility is very complex.
The observed increase could be a compensatory reaction of the body to a reduced sensitivity of certain hormone receptors. It is also possible that men with naturally higher testosterone levels are more prone to risky behaviour and thus to cannabis use.
Although cannabis appears to influence certain biological mechanisms of reproduction, the exact clinical consequences for the fertility of young men remain unclear, the press release added. Further research is needed to assess possible long-term effects.
The study was conducted in collaboration with the Swiss Centre for Applied Human Toxicology in Basel. The results were published in the journal Communications Medicine.
The results confirm earlier large-scale studies from Denmark and the United States, which also found a link between cannabis use and higher testosterone levels. Older, smaller studies had suggested contradictory or contrary effects in some cases.
Adapted from German by AI/mga
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