Marijuana and Male Infertility:
¿Positive Affect on Libido?

I will admit only a slight connection between libido and fertility, but there seems to be a connection.

Learn more about the documentary Grass: The History Of Marijuana at IMDB

(MOLALLA, Ore.) - We of Salem-News.com and myself have invited our readers to 'ask Dr. Leveque' questions about medical marijuana. We received this question about libido and fertility on 5 Feb 2010, with a story about the original findings from UCSF (University of California San Francisco) Departments of Bio-Physics and Molecular Biology. Why they were doing research on human reproduction wasn't clear, but I have no arguments against it.

The obstetricians are delivering babies as God intended. About three years ago a group at University of Washington published that marijuana (might?) cause testicular cancer. Hooah! Bushwah!

Getting back to this subject, they published that marijuana affected sperm motility and therefore fertility. This was based on their observations that sperm in the male genital tract is acidic and quiescent but in the female genital tract it is alkaline which activates the sperm to motility. Necessary for fertilizing the egg.

This process is also activated by the body's natural cannabinoids, and Anandamide released by neurons and the egg membrane itself which seems to be related to an Anandamide and possibly Two-Arachidonyl glycerol. Both of which seem to function as does THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) which appears slightly different in structuire but when stretched out resembles the 20 carbon chain and Anandamide and 2-AG.

I have predicted that the biophysical activities of THC, and Anandamide and 2-AG would be active on cell walls in addition to the known CB-1 and CB-2 sites in the brain and periphery. Because the THC seems to work on many different systems nobody has suggested that the known CB-1 and/or CB-2 are all over the place but maybe just haven't been discovered yet. This fertility study may offer the proof of a cell membrane activation site at least in this case.

There is obviously a very delicately sensitive window of sensitivity of all cells to cannabis/marijuana. The presumed active dose of THC in the body is about 2.0 mg. total. And more than that, will produce a high with panic attacks, Nystagmus, dry heaves and in effect, drunkenness. These authors seem to have found that a little THC (or an Anandamide) will cause excitation and motility of the sperm but a larger amount will cause the sperm motility to "burn out". Maybe this is like the euphoric high of both an Anandamide and THC.

I have interviewed about 5,000 medical marijuana patients and I have never heard anyone, male or female, question or suggest male infertility. In fact, many seem to indicate that it increases or promotes libido. I will admit only a slight connection between libido and fertility, but there seems to be a connection.

I will be waiting for someone to straighten out my thinking and remarks.

Salem-News.com Marijuana Coverage

Where and How to Smoke Legal Marijuana without Fear of Arrest in the U.S.

Eulogy of a Great Warrior: Hoss Plourde

The Ripple Effect How Marijuana Laws Are Impacting Society

Audit the Audit

Welcome Home, Tom

Comments Leave a comment on this story.

Name:

All comments and messages are approved by people and self promotional links or unacceptable comments are denied.

[Return to Top]

---

©2025 Salem-News.com. All opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Salem-News.com.