Caffeine’s Effects on Fertility

Does caffeine make it harder for women to get pregnant as well as lower sperm count in men?

Let’s take a look at what the research reveals about how caffeine affects human fertility.

Caffeine and Infertility in Women

It looks like women who regularly consume coffee and/or energy drinks reduce their chances of getting pregnant.

However, don’t ditch the birth control just yet for a Rockstar Pink. It only reduces a woman’s chance of getting pregnant by about 27 percent.

A study conducted at The University of Nevada School of Medicine in Reno showed that caffeine interfered with the muscular contractions of the fallopian tubes. The fallopian tubes are responsible for moving the egg from the ovary to the uterus. It is in the fallopian tubes where conception takes place. Therefore, if the smooth muscle contractions are reduced the egg won’t be in the optimal area for conception.

This study was conducted on mice, but gives researchers more insight into how the fallopian tubes work in humans and could lead to cures for certain types of infertility.

The researchers recommend that women who are trying to get pregnant should quit consuming caffeine.

And if you think you can drink caffeine for added birth control, I wouldn’t count on it as nature usually finds a way.

Caffeine and Lower Sperm Count

Researchers at the University Department of Growth and Reproduction at the Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen, Denmark revealed the results of study which investigated whether or not high caffeine consumption effects sperm count.

Some of the participants consumed mainly Cola as apart of their 800mg daily caffeine consumption while others consumed mainly coffee and tea as their primary source of caffeine. The results showed that the group that consumed mainly Cola based soft drinks had 30% lower sperm count. The men that primarily consumed coffee and tea had no change in their sperm count.

The researchers believe that there is some ingredient in the cola flavored soda that is causing this, but they aren’t sure what it is as further research would have to be conducted to determine the culprit.

A more recent study showed that caffeine did not effect semen quality or sperm count. Src.

However, research out of Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston found that men who consumed 265 mg of caffeine or more had the lowest chance of becoming a father through IVF. Why this happened is not understood since caffeine didn’t affect the number or quality of the sperm. Src.

The good news is that male caffeine addicts can still reproduce like rabbits, the bad news is that if this mystery ingredient is also in energy drinks then many men could have a problem.

Caffeine consumed in natural products like coffee and tea is usually best.

Source: PhysOrg.com

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