cannabisnews.com: Marijuana Firmly Linked to Infertility Marijuana Firmly Linked to Infertility Posted by FoM on December 12, 2000 at 08:14:28 PT By Kristin Leutwyler Source: Scientific American Scientists from the University of Buffalo have smoked out what may cause some cases of infertility: marijuana.Today at the annual meeting of the American Society for Cell Biology, Herbert Schuel and his colleagues describe a cellular signaling system that responds to THC--the active substance in marijuana--and that may regulate sperm functions necessary for normal egg fertilization. The signaling system may be activated by anandamide, a cannabinoid-like molecule which this study shows for the first time is found in human seminal plasma, mid-cycle oviductal fluid and follicular fluid."These findings suggest that defects in the cannabinoid receptor-signaling system could account for certain types of infertility," Schuel says. "A better understanding of these mechanisms might lead to the development of novel drugs useful in reproductive medicine. For heavy marijuana users, the study results raise the possibility they are jeopardizing fertility by overloading this system."To be sure, the process by which sperm prepare to fertilize an egg in the female reproductive tract is still mysterious. They must first become "capacitated" before they can begin swimming vigorously towards an egg and secrete the enzymes necessary to penetrate the egg's protective coat, a process called the acrosome reaction.But Schuel's work shows that both AM-356--a synthetic version of natural anandamide--and THC affect this sequence of events in three distinct ways: first, although low amounts of AM-356 stimulate sperm to swim more vigorously, too much of it has the exact opposite effect.Both AM-356 and TCH inhibit structural changes over the acrosome.And AM-356 significantly impairs sperm from binding to an egg's protective coat."The increased load of cannabinoids in people who abuse marijuana could flood natural endocannabinoid-signal systems in reproductive organs and adversely impact fertility," Schuel adds. "This possibility may explain observations made over the past 30 to 40 years that marijuana smoke drastically reduces sperm production in males."Source: Scientific American (US)Author: Kristin LeutwylerPublished: December 12, 2000Copyright: 2000 Scientific American, IncContact: editors sciam.comWebsite: http://www.sciam.com/CannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #21 posted by na on January 20, 2002 at 14:22:09 PT Hard to believe! Hard to believe! I know men who have been smoking a quarter a day since 13. Also women who are frequent users. They all have at least one child. One the heaviest user has several maybe 10 (he's not sure how many are out there) his wife is expecting twins, and already has one child with her. Another one has two children. I think this study needs to be re-done. There are problably other factors contributing to the thc infertility or other causes causing infertility. I don't smoke weed, my boyfriend smokes very little and we have been trying to get pregnant for almost two years. We were unsuccessful once (miscarriage). How is it the heavy users can have kids but the non-users or little use users have infertility problems? Let's see a study done on this? I WANT A CHILD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! [ Post Comment ] Comment #20 posted by skeezix on December 18, 2000 at 05:07:58 PT good one I like the last comment(#19). "I cant figure it out man....I smoked about a pound a month for the last 4 years,and she still got pregnant.Maybe there was something wrong with the study I read about.That guy Herbert Schuel burned me." [ Post Comment ] Comment #19 posted by Anonymous on December 18, 2000 at 04:32:11 PT And now teens will be using it as birth control Bad idea to let these lies get out. Watch the teen birth rate go up once this becomes "fact". [ Post Comment ] Comment #18 posted by dddd on December 13, 2000 at 12:18:09 PT Missing link Herbert Schuel Firmly Linked to Idiocy [ Post Comment ] Comment #17 posted by Maleksalem on December 13, 2000 at 11:06:26 PT: Crock-O-Crap award This month the prestigious Crock-O-Crap award goes to the "Scientists?" at the University of Buffalo. [ Post Comment ] Comment #16 posted by Curendero on December 12, 2000 at 18:36:47 PT: It's true!...but it was this way I heard long ago that pot was a great method of birth control.....First roll up the doob... then have her sit down on a chair and place it tightly between her knees!.....works every time....LOL,..sorry.. [ Post Comment ] Comment #15 posted by freedom fighter on December 12, 2000 at 17:32:31 PT Copyright: 2000 Scientific American, Inc Real Science!Factual!Gawd!If it was not for the herb, I am not so sure if my ex-wife would had a child with me. My son seemed so fine to me. And if they are talking about 9 more, geez! [ Post Comment ] Comment #14 posted by observer on December 12, 2000 at 14:58:19 PT ``Schuel's work is funded by NIDA'' -- more I seem to remember a flap when Schuel perennial reefer madness "research" reared its ugly political head in 1998. The flap involved the hiding of the fact that NIDA funded this clown, but that the propaganda "news" releases `just accidently forgot' (innocent omission, you see) to mention that Schuel is funded by NIDA.``Schuel's work is funded by the National Institute on DrugAbuse...''http://www.spermconfirm.com/MARIJUANA.html``...the study involved sea urchins, not humans; that it was funded by the U.S. ministry of propaganda known as the National Institute on Drug Abuse [NIDA], and that there have been no epidemiological studies showing increased infertility in marijuana-using humans... ''http://www.pdxnorml.org/981226.html``...Nor did the story explain that the study had been funded by the U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse [NIDA] and published last Aug. 2 - more than four months ago - in Proceedings of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences.'' http://www.familywatch.org/library/sdu.001.html (Dec 1998) from the US Governments' 1999 IOM Report --Doesn't marijuana cause fertility problems?"[T]he effect of cannabinoids on the capacity of sperm to fertilize eggs is reversible and is observed at [concentrations] which are higher than those likely to be experienced by marijuana smokers." [p. 122]"The well-documented inhibition of reproductive functions by THC is thus not a serious concern for evaluating the short-term medical use of marijuana or specific cannabinoids." [p. 123]Institute of Medicine's report, Marijuana and Medicine: Assessing the Science Base (1999)http://www.mpp.org/science.html#19Myth: Marijuana causes sterility and lowers testosteronehttp://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/hemp/general/gier1.htm#myth13and finally...Cannabis used in worship of Shinto fertility goddess --``Purity and fertility are paramount shinto concepts, and cannabis is an essential symbol of both....''http://www.cannabisculture.com/cgi/article.cgi?num=101more: http://www.google.com/search?q=cannabis+Shinto+fertility+goddess [ Post Comment ] Comment #13 posted by FoM on December 12, 2000 at 14:04:52 PT: Very Well Said Pete W that was very well said. I hope it get's published. [ Post Comment ] Comment #12 posted by Pete W (UK) on December 12, 2000 at 13:40:24 PT This story ran in England too (Daily Telegraph) I fired the following letter off to them:RE: CANNABIS CAN HALT 'FERTILITY SIGNALS' I read with great interest David Derbyshire's report claiming that cannabis users may be lowering their chances of having children (11 December 2000). Researchers, particularly in the United States, have been making these sensationalist claims regarding the effects on cannabis on sex hormones and reproduction since the early 1970's when it was claimed that cannabis caused male adolescents to grow breasts! While more research into this area is warranted, it does need to be stated that there is no scientific consensus on the effects of cannabis on fertility. Indeed Professors Lynn Zimmer and John P Morgan in their book, 'Marijuana Myths, Marijuana Facts' , state categorically that 'There are no epidemiological studies showing that men who use marijuana have higher rates of infertility than men who do no not. Nor is there evidence of diminished reproductive capacity among men in countries where marijuana use is common.' Public calls for the legalisation of cannabis, such as we have seen recently in this country, are invariably followed by a rash of anti-cannabis scare stories, the majority of which originate or are funded from the same source, the United States National Institute On Drug Abuse. It is just a shame that the millions wasted on the never ending, politically skewed quest to find harm from cannabis use cannot be channelled into research of its medical benefits, which is limping along on a shoestring budget. Meanwhile the arrests of cannabis users continue in record numbers, including the sick who use the plant medically, while politicans hide behind questionable research to justify the criminal prohibition. [ Post Comment ] Comment #11 posted by ras james RSIFWH on December 12, 2000 at 12:45:13 PT A WONDER DRUG...CANNABIS SATIVA LET US SAY HEAVY USERS OF CANNABIS REDUCE THEIR SPERM COUNTS AND REDUCE THEIR FERTILIZATION RATES TO SOME DEGREE. ARE THESE RESULTS PERMANENT OR TEMPORARY? I THINK THEY ARE TEMPORARY SINCE THERE IS NO DAMAGE; FOR THE CANNABIS USER IS ONLY CONNECTING "THC" WITH HIS OR HER CANNABINOID RECEPTORS. THER IS NO DAMAGE IN THIS PROCESS WHICH ONLY LAST A SHORT TIME. SOUNDS VERY NATURAL TO ME. PERHAPS WHEN A GROUP (TRIBE) OF PEOPLE BEGIN STARVING, THEIR BODIES STARTED INCREASING THE PRODUCTION OF ANANDAMIDE (THC) WHICH ACTS AS A NATURAL AND SAFE BIRTH CONTROL. THUS PRESERVING THE TRIBES SCARCE RESOURCES BY TEMPORARILY RESTRICTING THE GROUPS BIRTH RATE. THIS HAS PROBABLY HAPPENED MANY TIMES IN THE LAST 250,000 YEARS. MY GUESS IS THAT THIS IS A NATURUAL PROCESS WHICH HAS HELPED SAVE OUR SPECIES FROM STARVATION CYCLES MANY TIMES. TRULY CANNABIS SATIVA IS A WONDER DRUG THAT HAS MEDICALLY PROTECTED US, SPIRITUALLY ENRICHED US, AND GIVEN US OUR DAILY FOOD FOR HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF YEARS...AND NOW CANNABIS SATIVA IS MANIFESTING AS THE SACRED TREE OF LIFE, REV 22 1&2. GIVE ALL PRAISE... [ Post Comment ] Comment #10 posted by Smokeless in Seattle on December 12, 2000 at 12:20:25 PT Shocking that a publication of this stature would make such a bold statement without thinking it would generate skepticism, given the current MJ movement. What were there sources? What peer-reviewed journal did this appear in? Hm. [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by cryote on December 12, 2000 at 12:17:17 PT March of Dimes, Jamaica Study; Superbabies .Marijuana-Smoking Mothersin Jamaica BearDevelopmentally SuperiorBabies One tragic ill effect of the illegal status ofmarijuanais the difficulty it creates in performing scientificresearch intomarijuana's physical effects. As a woman, I feelparticularly robbedby the lack of studies into cannabis use during childbirth,to relievemorning sickness associated with pregnancy, and for thepain anddiscomfort of menstrual cramps and PMS. (Strong cannabistinctures have been used during labor since at least 2,000B.C., andeven prudish Queen Victoria used it to relieve hermenstrualcramps.)It has occurred to me that since many women suffer fromseveremorning sickness while pregnant, and since cannabis isperhaps themost effective anti-nauseant known, using the herb mightallowpregnant women to better nourish themselves possiblyimproving thehealth of their children. Yet women in this country oftenceasesmoking marijuana when they become pregnant, because theydonot feel enough is known about what effects the herb mayhave ontheir child.Despite the prevalence of marijuana smoking among women ofchild-bearing age, few behavioral studies have beenperformed todate on babies whose mothers smoke, and these areconflicting andinconclusive in their findings.* Studies have been plaguedbyinconsistencies in measuring techniques and difficulty incontrollingpossible confounding effects of factors that could lead todifferencesin newborn behavior, such as multiple drug use, nutrition,age andsocioeconomic status. Furthermore, the illegal status ofmarijuanamakes self-reporting data suspect.A March of Dimes sponsored study recently published in thejournalPediatrics is remarkable in several ways and emphasizes theneedfor further studies. The researchers were the first to usesevensupplementary items on the Brazelton Neonatal AssessmentScale ina study of the effects of in utero drug exposure, possiblymeasuringfor more subtle effects than previous studies. Theyconducted theirresearch in Jamaica, making theirs the first such studydone outsideof the United States and Canada. The researchers noted thatwhilein the U.S. and Canada marijuana use is mainlyrecreational,"scientific reports have documented the culturalintegration ofmarijuana and its ritual and medicinal as well asrecreationalfunctions." The mothers studied were mainly the so-called"RootsDaughters," a relatively new group described as women withapurpose who can "think, reason and smoke like a man."Self-reliantand dignified, many of these women smoke on a daily basisandcontinue to do so during pregnancy and breast-feeding.The study tested 24 Jamaican newborns exposed to marijuanaprenatally and 20 nonexposed babies from socioeconomicallymatched mothers. The babies were compared when one day,threedays and one month old by a Harvard-trained examiner whowasunaware which babies had mothers who smoked.The results at one day were thrown out because ofdifferences inbirth times, and the researchers found no significantdifferences onday three. At one month, the children of marijuana-usingmothersscored markedly higher on autonomic stability, reflexes,and generalirritability. Babies born to the heaviest smokers (thosewho smokedevery day, at least 21 joints weekly) scored significantlyhigher in 10of the 14 characteristics measured, including quality ofalertness,robustness, regulatory capacity, and orientation.Even accounting for factors such as a higher level ofeducation andmore adults per child in the heavy-marijuana-smokingmothers'cases, these results are highly significant. No ill effectsfrommarijuana were found, and quite possibly there weredose-relatedpositive effects. The researchers recognize the preliminarynature ofthe study, but go so far as to speculate that, "It ispossible ... that theoutcomes at one month are related to neonatal exposure tomarijuana constituents via breast milk.Nineteen of the 24 Jamaican mothers reported that cannabisincreased their appetites throughout the prenatal periodand/orrelieved the nausea of pregnancy. Fifteen reported using itto relievefatigue and provide rest during pregnancy. It is alsopossible thatthese positive effects were responsible for theirdevelopmentallysuperior babies.It is significant that these superior children were born inanatmosphere of acceptance and reverence for the herb.Unfortunately, this is seldom the case in this country.A law is on the books which would allow the AttorneyGeneral ofCalifornia to distribute confiscated marijuana toresearchers, and thisstep should be taken immediately. We must further demand anendto the persecution of our people, so that we and ourchildren mayflourish in an atmosphere of tolerance, understanding andpeace. http://www.ukcia.org/medical/e_komp.html [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by Colleen Furlong on December 12, 2000 at 11:52:33 PT Just a Myth For such a creditable magazine, I really wonder were they get this information.I'm a mom in Canada and I can honestly say my daughter was concieved shortly after my boyfriend and I had smoked lots of pot. (I'm talking about months of continous pot smoking, probably the most I have smoked in my 8 years of smoking the stuff.)And am happy to say I have a very beautifull daughter who is developing very well and is now going to be celebrating her third christmas this year!Colleen in Canada [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by defenderoffreeworld on December 12, 2000 at 11:31:06 PT: I agree with JR Bob Dobbs that's the most reasonable argument you can uphold. and even if it did lead to hardcore sterilization or whatever it is they are saying, so what? what is this leading us to? are they going to say that since its been proven that weed causes sterilization we have to put people in jail for longer? [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by JR Bob Dobbs on December 12, 2000 at 10:26:09 PT Yeah, right If this is true, why are there still so many Jamaicans? Reminds me, obliquely, of Hitler's plans of sterilization. Sure, he wanted to kill undesirables, but sterilization was the next best option. I guess the prohibitionists are just hoping we're doing it to ourselves. Which produces more cases of impotence - alcohol or marijuana? "It provokes the desire, but takes away the performance," to quote the porter from Macbeth on alcohol... lines written, quite possibly, by the world's most famous pothead... http://www.pot-tv.net/ [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by Ethan Russo, MD on December 12, 2000 at 09:54:44 PT: Deja Vu All Over Again Morgan, I'm delighted for you. It is hard to believe this argument is being recycled. Firstly, it is clear that the cannabinoid system has an important role in fertilization pharmacology. Cannabinoids are proving key to regulation of many important bodily functions. That is why cannabis helps so many conditions. I run when I hear the word "might" in relation to some side effect of cannabis. Usually, it is totally offbase. See Chapter 12 of Marijuana Myths, Marijuana Facts if you need good evidence that cannabis does not affect fertility in a clinically relevant manner. Additionally, I have been delving into the chronic use data from Costa Rica, Jamaica, and Greece, and there is no evidence of a problem in that literature. "Might" is meaningless when you cannot support it with epidemiological data. So there. Another example of "news" that is not. [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by Sudaca on December 12, 2000 at 09:18:35 PT "Scientific" American? This is absurd. I've been smoking chronically for 10 years now, and got my wife pregnant 3 weeks after she stopped taking her pills. My 1 year old daughter is healthy and happy and my more mature smoking buddies are on their way to a second kid already.Don't trade in your rubbers yet.. [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by FoM on December 12, 2000 at 09:13:25 PT Birht Control TroutMask I thought that it might help with birth control too. You say it doesn't help. Most people I know have had plenty of children. I wonder how they determine all this information? [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by Morgan on December 12, 2000 at 09:11:23 PT Monthly Salvo Is this the monthly salvo from Junk Science Inc.? (Brought to you by your tax money!)And, after many years of partaking, I can safely say that it hasn't kept my boys from swimming and finding their mark. ******************************************* [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by TroutMask on December 12, 2000 at 08:57:02 PT Don't try this at home! Is this supposed to be good news or bad news??FYI, I would not recommend the "smoke a doobie" method of birth control. It has never worked for me.-TM [ Post Comment ] Post Comment Name: Optional Password: E-Mail: Subject: Comment: [Please refrain from using profanity in your message] Link URL: Link Title: