Millions of people around the world take antidepressants to deal with the stressful life. Numerous tensions of personal as well as professional life are forcing men to take help of antidepressants to lead a normal life. Recent research has shown that intake of antidepressants has negative effect on the fertility of men. Researchers found that common antidepressants can damage sperm which decreases the chances of becoming a father. This research was done by Peter Schlegel and his team at Cornell Medical Centre in New York. 

For the study, researchers analyzed the data collected from 35 healthy men. These men were given doses of a third SSRI called paroxetine, sold as Seroxat or Paxil, for more than five weeks. Sperm of these men were examined before treatment and after four weeks. Outwardly the sperm appeared healthy. The amounts of sperm and semen and the shape and mobility of sperm were all normal. Then researchers used the TUNEL method to look at the DNA fragmentation in the sperm. Researchers found that the proportion of sperm cells with fragmented DNA rose from 13.8 percent before taking paroxetine to 30.3 percent after just four weeks.

Fertility specialists regard sperm with DNA damage of at least 30% as ‘clinically significant’ because similar levels of sperm DNA damage have already been linked to problems with embryo viability. IVF (in vitro fertilisation), studies have shown that in couples where the man has more sperm with damaged DNA, fewer embryos form and those that do form are less likely to implant successfully into the woman’s uterus. 

The present research has shown that it might be possible that some men currently taking SSRIs may be suffering damage to their fertility. It is also a fact that number of men taking antidepressants is increasing.

Janet Morgan, a spokeswoman GlaxoSmithKline, which sells paroxine, said it is reviewing the findings. She added that the company seriously takes its responsibility to ensure its medicines are used safely.