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Low sperm count...anybody?
Tue, 03/20/2007 - 14:17Comments
Fertility There is
Submitted by Anie on Fri, 2008-01-25 - 11:11
Fertility
There is limited information about fertility in men with epilepsy. Some studies have suggested that men with epilepsy may have reduced fertility compared with men in the general population. This may be due to the effect of epileptic activity or anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) on testosterone levels. Some AEDs may reduce the production of sperm or affect the quality of a man’s sperm, in particular carbamazepine, oxcarbazepine and sodium valproate. Nevertheless, the majority of men with epilepsy have no problems with fertility and father healthy children.
http://www.epilepsy.org.uk/info/men/starting.html
Some men taking antiepileptic drugs experience decreased libido and potency, low sperm count, decreased sperm viability, and decreased likelihood of ovum fertilization. Herzog et al4 assessed 20 unselected men with complex partial seizures for comparison with impotent men seen in an endocrine clinic. Hypogonadotropism was found in 20% of men with epilepsy compared to 25% of impotent men, hypergonadotropism in 10% and 7%, respectively, and hyperprolactinemia in 10% and 8%, respectively. They suggested involvement of the temporal lobe discharges because of the similar incidence of endocrine disorders in this small group of men with epilepsy matching the men diagnosed with impotence.
They compared men with partial-onset epilepsy taking carbamazepine or oxcarbazepine with men with generalized epilepsy taking valproate. The findings could be expected based on the enzyme-inducing properties of carbamazepine and oxcarbazepine at higher doses, whereas valproate is an enzyme inhibitor. They also found morphologically abnormal sperm, low sperm motility, and reduced testicular volume among all epilepsy groups compared to healthy controls.
AEDs also might affect spermatogenesis in humans as they do in vitro. Carbamazepine inhibited testosterone synthesis in Leydig cells, phenytoin inhibited testosterone conversion from progestins, and valproate had the least effect on testosterone.5 This in vitro model showed the differential effects of each AED on the metabolic pathway of sex steroid hormones.
http://professionals.epilepsy.com/page/specpop_men.html
Smile :)
Fertility
There is limited information about fertility in men with epilepsy. Some studies have suggested that men with epilepsy may have reduced fertility compared with men in the general population. This may be due to the effect of epileptic activity or anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) on testosterone levels. Some AEDs may reduce the production of sperm or affect the quality of a man’s sperm, in particular carbamazepine, oxcarbazepine and sodium valproate. Nevertheless, the majority of men with epilepsy have no problems with fertility and father healthy children.
http://www.epilepsy.org.uk/info/men/starting.html
Some men taking antiepileptic drugs experience decreased libido and potency, low sperm count, decreased sperm viability, and decreased likelihood of ovum fertilization. Herzog et al4 assessed 20 unselected men with complex partial seizures for comparison with impotent men seen in an endocrine clinic. Hypogonadotropism was found in 20% of men with epilepsy compared to 25% of impotent men, hypergonadotropism in 10% and 7%, respectively, and hyperprolactinemia in 10% and 8%, respectively. They suggested involvement of the temporal lobe discharges because of the similar incidence of endocrine disorders in this small group of men with epilepsy matching the men diagnosed with impotence.
They compared men with partial-onset epilepsy taking carbamazepine or oxcarbazepine with men with generalized epilepsy taking valproate. The findings could be expected based on the enzyme-inducing properties of carbamazepine and oxcarbazepine at higher doses, whereas valproate is an enzyme inhibitor. They also found morphologically abnormal sperm, low sperm motility, and reduced testicular volume among all epilepsy groups compared to healthy controls.
AEDs also might affect spermatogenesis in humans as they do in vitro. Carbamazepine inhibited testosterone synthesis in Leydig cells, phenytoin inhibited testosterone conversion from progestins, and valproate had the least effect on testosterone.5 This in vitro model showed the differential effects of each AED on the metabolic pathway of sex steroid hormones.
http://professionals.epilepsy.com/page/specpop_men.html
Smile :)
Re: Low sperm count...anybody?
Submitted by nmehta0 on Tue, 2007-05-08 - 20:30
I have low(er) sperm count as well. And my desire has gone down a bit. I am on Keppra. Maybe there's a connection between sperm count and Keppra? Anyone know of medical evidence to this effect?