As the new coronavirus has only been around since the end of 2019, it is difficult to fully understand the long-term effects that COVID will have on people over the next few years. Although researchers and doctors need more time to discover all the long-term effects that COVID can have on those who have overcome it, recent studies have begun to explore how the virus can impact the body beyond standard symptoms. This week, a new study found that the coronavirus can affect sperm quality and therefore male fertility, potentially affecting the COVID survivors’ ability to conceive. Although some experts say it is too early to say, keep reading to find out what the latest study found. And to see what else you won’t be able to do going forward, check out Dr. Fauci Just Said that we will never be able to do that again.
New research from Justus-Liebig-University in Germany has determined that COVID can negatively affect sperm quality and reduce male fertility. The researchers behind the study said in a statement that their findings showed that the virus can cause “increased sperm death, inflammation and oxidative stress, resulting in lower sperm quality and potentially reducing fertility”. According to their findings, the concentration, quality, mobility and shape of sperm were negatively impacted by COVID. The researchers also concluded that the more severe the disease, the more the sperm suffers.
“These effects on sperm cells are associated with poor sperm quality and reduced fertility potential.” Behzad Hajizadeh Maleki, principal researcher and doctoral student, said in a statement. “Although these effects tend to improve over time, they have remained significantly and abnormally higher in patients with COVID-19.” And for the most up-to-date COVID news delivered straight to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.
While the study’s findings are surprising, some experts say it needs to be considered carefully. “I need to raise a strong note of caution when interpreting this data”, Allan Pacey, PhD, professor of andrology at the University of Sheffield in South Yorkshire, UK, told CNN. “For example, the authors claim that their data demonstrate that ‘COVID-19 infection causes significant damage to male reproductive function’, although it only really shows an association.”
It is also important to note that the study was small and was carried out for a short period of time. The researchers compared the semen of only 105 healthy men with that of 84 men with COVID. The participants’ semen was studied at 10-day intervals over 60 days. As a result, skeptics note, the limitations of that time frame prevent us from seeing these effects on fertility in the long run. And to see if you are protected from a serious case of COVID, make sure you have it in your blood, you can be protected from COVID, says the study.
Since the beginning of the COVID pandemic, researchers have hypothesized about the potentially harmful effects of COVID on men’s sexual and reproductive health. Several studies have suggested that sperm can be affected by the virus.
Just a week before the appearance of this new study, another study published by the journal Open Biology stated that COVID may pose a “global threat to the potential for male fertility.” That study, conducted by Indian researchers, found several negative effects of the virus on male fertility, many of which coincided with the most recent German study. The study cited tissue damage, interference with sex hormones and sperm production, inflammation, erectile dysfunction and general stress associated with COVID. And for another COVID update you should know, check out this over-the-counter drug that can kill COVID, says the study.
It is not uncommon for viruses to affect sperm count for a while, but it is usually nothing to worry about. “Being sick with any virus, like the flu, can temporarily lower your sperm count (sometimes to zero) for a few weeks or months,” Channa Jayasena, MD, a consultant in reproductive endocrinology and andrology at Imperial College London, told CNN. “This makes it difficult to calculate how much of the reductions seen in this study were specific to COVID-19, rather than just being sick.”
Another recent report published in the magazine reproduction from Wuhan, China, where the virus originated, also noted that “harmful effects on male fertility have been reported during infections with Zika virus (ZIKV), mumps (MuV) and SARS-CoV-1, but the picture is less complete for COVID -19. “And if you are getting ready to be vaccinated soon, know that Dr. Fauci says that doing this after being vaccinated is a big mistake.