Many are growing increasingly concerned regarding the potential impact that smoking weed has on your body, yet you might still be surprised to discover one area that cannabis negatively affects.
Marijuana often has a positive association compared to nicotine cigarettes – with the belief among many that it's better for your health – yet recent studies, which have been prompted by increased legalization across the globe, have revealed some concerning details.
First and foremost you still encounter a similar risk of heart and lung issues down the line as a consequence of smoke inhalation, but major health organizations have also identified potentially horrific side effects that come with heavy weed smoking habits.
One area that you might not have considered when it comes to the impact of smoking cannabis, however, is your fertility — and a recent study has illustrated that it could be negatively affecting your sperm.
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General evidence has suggested, as indicated by the Urology Associates of Colorado, that cannabis consumption can lead to factors such as reduce sperm count and sperm concentration, changes in the mobility and morphology of the reproductive cell, and generally impacted 'viability' in reproductive contexts.
Marijuana also impacts your hormones – which is clear when analyzing how the drug affects your brain within days of smoking it – which can then lead to lowered libido and afflicted sexual performance.
This has been reflected in a study published in the journal Scientific Reports, as researchers attempted to evaluate the impact of weed smoking among individuals at reproductive age, as while tobacco smoking has decreased, cannabis use has grown.
Semen samples were collected from 37 non-smokers, 39 tobacco smokers, and 37 cannabis smokers, and the results saw that "tobacco and cannabis smoking altered the mobility and morphology of the spermatozoa and sperm DNA integrity," although they weren't seemingly associated with genetic variants in the Cytochrome C Oxidase 1, 2, and 3 genes.
While it's not necessarily something that easily to quantify with exact data – especially when it comes to the impact on things like sexual performance and libido as that could easily vary between individuals regardless of their smoking habits – the data presented so far might make active smokers consider their habits and the impact that it might necessarily have on your long-term health.
That's far from the only thing that could be impacting your reproductive viability, however, as additional studies have revealed how one common laptop habit has the potential to damage your sperm if engaged in on a daily basis.