Ep. 39 - Cannabis & Sperm Donors: Just Say No! (Part 4)

Our past several episodes have focused on how cannabis use is harmful across all stages of pregnancy, from the prenatal to the lactation period. However, there is another person in this equation that results in a pregnancy, and until just recently, men have been largely left out of the research regarding the effects of cannabis use in relation to reproduction. That is changing as increased legalization and access to cannabis has researchers examining the effects of its exposure on male reproduction. 

In this episode of CNT, we highlight the adverse effects of cannabis exposure in men that may create long-term genetic changes in their offspring.  From the accumulating evidence, we can state with certainty that men who are interested in contributing to a pregnancy should refrain from cannabis use, as it affects not only sperm cells but can also create harmful DNA alterations that are hereditary.  In other words, men should also just say no if they plan on contributing to a pregnancy.  

EPISODE RESOURCES

Carvalho, R.K., Andersen, M.L., & Mazaro‐Costa, R. (2020). The effects of cannabidiol on male reproductive system: A literature review. Journal of Applied Toxicology, 40(1), 132–150. https://doi.org/10.1002/jat.3831

Carvalho, R.K., Santos, M.L., Souza, M.R., Rocha, T.L., Guimarães, F.S., Anselmo‐Franci, J.A., & Mazaro‐Costa, R. (2018). Chronic exposure to cannabidiol induces reproductive toxicity in male Swiss mice. Journal of Applied Toxicology, 38(9), 1215–1223. https://doi.org/10.1002/jat.3631

Govahi, A., Eghbali, S., Ajdary, M., Amjadi, F., Nazari, M., Kazorgah, F.M., & Mehdizadeh, M. (2024). Cannabidiol impairs sperm quality and function in adult mice. Middle East Fertility Society Journal, 29(1), 26. https://doi.org/10.1186/s43043-024-00184-8

Gundersen, T.D., Jørgensen, N., Andersson, A.-M., Bang, A. K., Nordkap, L., Skakkebæk, N.E., Priskorn, L., Juul, A., & Jensen, T.K. (2015). Association between use of marijuana and male reproductive hormones and semen quality: A study among 1,215 healthy young men. American Journal of Epidemiology, 182(6), 473–481. https://doi.org/10.1093/aje/kwv135 

Ismaeil, A., Jankowski, P.M., Riffat Bibi, F., Hammadeh, M.E., & Amor, H. (2024). The effects of cannabis compounds (THC, CBD, and THC-COOH) on sperm motility in male participants: A prospective study. International Journal of Women’s Health and Reproduction Sciences, 12(1), 16–20. https://doi.org/10.15296/ijwhr.2024.6001

Lim, J., Squire, E., & Jung, K.-M. (2023). Phytocannabinoids, the endocannabinoid system and male reproduction. World Journal of Men’s Health, 41(1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.5534/wjmh.220132

Lotfi, N., Khazaei, M., Shariatzadeh, S.M.A., Soleimani Mehranjani, M., & Ghanbari, A. (2013). The effect of cannabis sativa hydroalcoholic extract on sperm parameters and testis histology in rats. International Journal of Morphology, 31(1), 82–86. https://doi.org/10.4067/S0717-95022013000100012 

Maccarrone, M., Rapino, C., Francavilla, F., & Barbonetti, A. (2021). Cannabinoid signaling and effects of cannabis on the male reproductive system. Nature Reviews Urology, 18(1), 19–32. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41585-020-00391-8

Schrott, R., & Murphy, S.K. (2020). Cannabis use and the sperm epigenome: A budding concern? Environmental Epigenetics, 6(1). https://doi.org/10.1093/eep/dvaa002

Schrott, R., Modliszewski, J.L., Hawkey, A.B., Grenier, C., Holloway, Z., Evans, J., Pippen, E., Corcoran, D.L., Levin, E.D., & Murphy, S.K. (2022). Sperm DNA methylation alterations from cannabis extract exposure are evident in offspring. Epigenetics & Chromatin, 15(1), 33. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13072-022-00466-3

Schrott, R., Murphy, S.K., Modliszewski, J.L., King, D.E., Hill, B., Itchon-Ramos, N., Raburn, D., Price, T., Levin, E.D., Vandrey, R., Corcoran, D.L., Kollins, S.H., & Mitchell, J.T. (2021). Refraining from use diminishes cannabis-associated epigenetic changes in human sperm. Environmental Epigenetics, 7(1). https://doi.org/10.1093/eep/dvab009