The use of anti-depressants (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors or SSRIs) men interested in men seeking paternity is common. There has been quite a bit of research looking at the impact of certain medications on male fertility and semen parameters. Here are the take-home points:
- There has been no impact found on SSRIs with differences in ejaculate volume, sperm concentration, sperm motility, total motile sperm count, or normal morphology in a review of over 150 men compared to men who do not take SSRIs.1
- There is a substantial potential adverse effect of SSRIs on male fertility as measured by sperm DNA damage/fragmentation. 50% of men taking paroxetine (one type of SSRI) developed abnormal sperm DNA fragmentation. As we have discussed elevated sperm DNA damage can demonstrate poor semen quality even with normal sperm counts and can predict recurrent miscarriages or IVF failure.
If you take SSRIs, please talk to your reproductive urologist or fertility doctors on if adverse sperm testing is necessary to check for DNA fragmentation.
One of the proposed treatments of elevated sperm DNA damage includes oral antioxidants, many of which are evidence-based vitamins/dosages in Fertile Force, such as 300 mg of Coenzyme Q-10.
References:
- Pham MN, Siebert AL, Faw CA, Dubin JM, Hudnall MT, Lai JD, Wren JM, Bennett NE, Brannigan RE, Halpern JA. Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) Use is Not Associated With Impaired Semen Parameters. Urology. 2022 Jun;164:140-144. doi: 10.1016/j.urology.2022.01.026. Epub 2022 Jan 31. PMID: 35093399.
- Tanrikut C, Feldman AS, Altemus M, Paduch DA, Schlegel PN. Adverse effect of paroxetine on sperm. Fertil Steril. 2010 Aug;94(3):1021-6. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2009.04.039. Epub 2009 Jun 10. PMID: 19515367.
