Several medications can cause low sperm count. Here are some of them:
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Antidepressants: Tricyclic antidepressants and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), such as clomipramine and paroxetine, can lead to significant but reversible decreases in sperm count and motility.
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Alkylating agents: These are chemotherapy drugs used to treat cancer, such as cyclophosphamide. They can have a long-lasting effect on spermatogenesis and may cause permanent oligo or azoospermia.
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Testosterone replacement therapy: This therapy can cause a decrease in sperm count.
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Anabolic steroids: These are taken to stimulate muscle strength and growth, but they can cause the testicles to shrink and sperm production to decrease.
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Calcium channel blockers: This group of medications, commonly used to treat high blood pressure, can affect the sperm directly and decrease sperm count.
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5-alpha-reductase inhibitors: These are used to treat hair loss and prostate enlargement. While the data is conflicting about the impact on sperm production when used for hair loss, taking it for prostate enlargement can cause a decrease in the volume of semen and total number of sperm in the semen, which can make it more difficult to get someone pregnant.
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Opiates: Higher doses of opiates can cause erectile dysfunction, low libido, and decrease sperm count.
Its important to note that most of these medications can cause reversible fertility problems, but some can cause permanent damage. If you're taking any of these medications and are having trouble creating a pregnancy, it's important to see a doctor for semen testing.
