According to a new study, a male contraceptive pill could soon be a reality.
A research team has learned that a chemical called JQ1 is very effective in blocking sperm and inhibiting their movement. Free-swimming sperm are necessary components of the fertility process, and the effects of JQ1 essentially render sperm impotent.
Unlike the chemicals used in female birth control pills, which alter hormone levels, JQ1 has no effect on testosterone or any other male hormone and is essentially free of side effects. Sperm production and fertility return to normal once the drug is stopped, researchers say. Originally used in cancer drugs, JQ1 has been shown to have major potential as a male fertility control treatment.
Studies suggest that up to 70% of men would take their own birth control pill, if it were available. No timetable has been given for the marketing of JQ1 male fertility control drugs.
Source: Medical News Today
Jim Green
Jim has spent the past 5 years writing for a variety of health related websites. At Activebeat, James is an essential member of the editorial team, providing information on exercise, diet and nutrition, and men’s health – among other things.
