Statins significantly increase sperm abnormalities

This study was published in Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology 2014 Jul 12;12(1):65

Study title and authors:
Evaluation of atorvastatin efficacy and toxicity on spermatozoa, accessory glands and gonadal hormones of healthy men: a pilot prospective clinical trial.

Pons-Rejraji H, Brugnon F, Sion B, Maqdasy S, Gouby G, Pereira B, Marceau G, Gremeau AS, Drevet J, Grizard G, Janny L, Tauveron I.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25016482

This study investigated the effect of statins on male fertility. In the study semen parameters were measured in 17 healthy young men (average age 24 years) who were given atorvastatin for five months.

The study found:
(a) Semen volume decreased by 10%.
(b) Sperm concentration decreased by 25%.
(c) The number of sperm decreased by 31%.
(d) The vitality of the sperm decreased by 9.5%
(e) Sperm head abnormalities increased by 11%.
(f) Sperm neck and midpiece abnormalities increased by 33%.
(g) Sperm tail abnormalities increased by 4.5%.
(h) Excess residual cytoplasm (which can impair overall sperm function and produce higher levels of reactive oxygen species, potentially leading to male infertility) increased by 68%.

Pons-Rejraji concluded that atorvastatin: "affected significantly sperm parameters of young and healthy men and was considered as deleterious... in view of our results in this young population, it may be considered that the effects could be more pronounced among older men specifically if less healthy".

Statins reduce male fertility

This study was published in Endocrine Abstracts 2010 22 P526

Study title and authors:

Effects of atorvastatin on male fertility

Hanae Pons-Rejraji^1,2, Benoit Sion¹, Florence Brugnon^1,2, Christine Artonne¹, Gérald Gouby³, Geneviève Grizard^1,2, Laurent Janny^1,2 & Igor Tauveron^4
1EA975, Laboratoire Biologie de la Reproduction, UFR Médecine, Université Clermont 1, Clermont-Ferrand, France; ²CHU Clermont Ferrand, Hôtel Dieu, Biologie de la Reproduction, CECOS, Clermont-Ferrand, France; ³Clermont-Ferrand, Délégation à la Recherche Clinique & à l’Innovation, Clermont-Ferrand, France; ⁴CHU Clermont-Ferrand, Hôpital Gabriel Montpied, Service d’endocrinologie, Clermont-Ferrand, France.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.endocrine-abstracts.org/ea/0022/ea0022p526.htm

High levels of the enzyme Alpha-glucosidase are associated with higher percentages of sperm that have good motility.

The Acrosome is the "cap" on the head of the sperm that contains enzymes that make it possible for the sperm to penetrate the egg.

The aim of the study was to analyze the consequences on sperm parameters with atorvastatin (Lipitor) intake. The study included 17 men who were administered 10 mg/day of atorvastatin for five months. Various sperm parameters were measured before taking the treatment, after 5 months of treatment, and 3 months after its withdrawal.

The study found:
(a) Live spermatozoa percentage was reduced by atorvastatin by 8%.
(b) Concentrations of alpha-glucosidase were significantly decreased 3 months after ending the atorvastatin treatment.
(c) Significantly high concentrations of spermatozoa had spontaneously lost their acrosome 3 months after ending the atorvastatin treatment.

The results from the study indicate that atorvastatin treatment may reduce male fertility.

How statins cause male infertility

This paper was published in the Journal of Andrology 2005 Jan-Feb;26(1):12

Study title and author:

Atorvastatin and male infertility: is there a link?

Niederberger C.

Division of Andrology, University of Illinois, Chicago, IL, USA.

This paper can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15611560

Niederberger notes that some doctors have noticed many men on Lipitor (atorvastatin) have low sperm motility. Sperm motility describes the ability of sperm to "swim" properly towards an egg to enable a successful pregnancy.

Coenzyme Q10 (ubiquinone) is a vitamin-like substance produced by the body.

Niedberger relays how sperm motility may be affected by statins by the following mechanism:
(a) Statins inhibit the production of Coenzyme Q10. Even a brief exposure to atorvastatin causes a marked decrease in blood Coenzyme Q10 concentrations.
(b) Coenzyme Q10 is vital for energy production and is also an important antioxidant. Both these properties are vital for sperm motility.
(c) Coenzyme Q10 is present in high concentrations in semen and high levels of coenzyme Q10 correlate with increased sperm motility.

This paper shows the mechanism of how statins can cause male infertility.