Does Smoking Weed Cause Erectile Dysfunction
Many factors cause ED, and regularly smoking marijuana could be one. Cannabis interacts with receptors in the bodys endocannabinoid system, which are also located in the part of the brain that regulates sexual behavior and erectile function.
That doesnt mean if you smoke once youll experience erection problems. Marijuana use may have a dose-dependent effect on erections this essentially means that when smoking higher doses of marijuana, the higher your risk is of ED. However, lesser doses may actually heighten sexual desire and sensations during intercourse .
Overall, information about how marijuana can affect your sex life is conflicting. Some studies show people report increased pleasure, stronger orgasms, and are able to last longer in bed when using marijuana, with no connection identified between ED and smoking weed.
Other studies have found that daily marijuana users have almost double the rate of ED, and that smoking cannabis may lead to premature ejaculation .
What Do We Know About The Effects Of Cbd Use During Pregnancy And While Breastfeeding
There is no comprehensive research studying the effects of CBD on the developing fetus, pregnant mother, or breastfed baby. FDA is continuing to collect and study the data on the possible harmful effects of CBD during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. However, based on what we do know, there is significant cause for concern.
High doses of CBD in pregnant test animals have caused problems with the reproductive system of developing male fetuses2 . In addition, based on what we already know about CBD, we expect that some amount of CBD will be transferred to babies through breast milk.
We also know that there is a potential for CBD products to be contaminated with substances that may pose a risk to the fetus or breastfed baby, including THC. We have also heard reports of CBD potentially containing other contaminants we are investigating this.
Moreover, CBD has known risks for people in general. Based on clinical studies in humans, risks can include the following:
- liver toxicity
- extreme sleepiness
- harmful interactions with other drugs
FDA is studying the effects of CBD use from different angles, such as: the use of CBD-containing products, like food, cosmetics, or supplements, over a persons entire life and the effects of using these various products in combination. There are many unanswered questions about the science, safety, and quality of products containing CBD.
May Day: Effects Of Smoking Weed During Pregnancy
The effects of smoking weed during pregnancy spans through the pregnancy phase, breastfeeding phase and developmental phase of a baby. Smoking weed while pregnant will cause a significant reduction in oxygen supplied to the fetus and the effects can range from low birth weight to stillbirth. Another major downside of combining pot and pregnancy is the penetrative power of THC which can cause permanent damage in the brain of the child. Studies have shown that children exposed to prenatal smoking can have their executive function affected which may cause defects in concentration, attention, impulse control and problem-solving skills. Furthermore, because of the addictive nature of smoking pot, it is highly probable to get issues with caring for the baby when it is born.
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What Are The Risks Of Smoking Marijuana While Pregnant
Studies have shown that daily or weekly marijuana use may make your pregnancy more high-risk.
Research has found that babies born to moms who use pot are more likely to end up in the NICU compared to other babies, be underweight at birth, be born prematurely , and/or have smaller heads at birth. It can also increase the risk of stillbirth.
Using pot can also alter your judgment and make you dizzy, adding to the faintness some pregnant women experience and to the risk of injury or falls.
A number of studies have also suggested that the health risks of smoking marijuana during pregnancy may extend to the fetus’ brain. One group of researchers found that the area of the brain controlling emotion, called the amygdala, showed abnormal function in male fetuses whose mothers smoked pot during pregnancy.
And because marijuana can affect memory and cognitive ability in adults, researchers believe it might have a similar impact on a developing baby-to-be. Marijuana is known to have an impact on a fetus’ brain neurotransmitters and biochemistry, as well as the intake of oxygen, and it can alter fetal heart rate.
Because marijuana can stay in the system for a prolonged period of time, a baby’s exposure to it in utero might be longer than the mother realizes.
Safety Aside There Are Also Some Legal Considerations
Dr. Luo says that even in states where marijuana is legal, some hospitals test babies after birth for drugs. If your baby tests positive for THC at birth, some states have laws that say child protective services must be notified.
Even with the sometimes conflicting findings above, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends people avoid using cannabis during pregnancy as well as while breastfeeding/chestfeeding.
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Conceive With Caution: How Cannabis Can Affect Fertility
The desperate years my partner and I spent tryingand failingto produce a second child were full of contrasts. On the one hand, almost everyone who hadnt experienced miscarriage or infertility themselves suggested that if we just relaxed, a baby would materialize.
On the other hand, the doctors who defined our substandard fertility had nothing relaxing to offer us. Instead, they prescribed rules and routines covering everything from diet to sex, to the precise number of daily blood draws and vaginal probe ultrasounds required to give us a shot at viable pregnancy. They also told us how much alcohol we could drink and how much cannabis we could consume .
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Key Messages To Share With Women Planning A Pregnancy And Pregnant And Breastfeeding Women
Having legal access to cannabis in Canada for people over 18 years old does not mean cannabis is safe to use while trying to conceive or while pregnant and/or breastfeeding. As with alcohol or tobacco, cannabis use while trying to conceive or while pregnant and/or breastfeeding carries risks and should be avoided.
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Confuses The Bodys Natural Hormone Cycles
The active mind-altering agent in marijuana, tetrahydrocannabinol , interferes with the bodys endocannabinoid system. The result is that our natural communication system can be confused by the influx of additional cannabinoids, and that can alter hormone balance including reproductive hormone balance.
Researchers continue to examine how this balance impacts fertility but have seen how smoking or ingesting cannabis confuses the biological communication network responsible for balancing hormone production and hormone levels. One study indicated a correlation between women who smoked marijuana and delayed ovulation cycles, similar to the ovulatory issues seen in women who smoke cigarettes.
So Does Marijuana Lead To Infertility
Kind of. But not irreparably. Using marijuana can hinder the process by decreasing viable sperm in men, and it may make getting pregnant a little harder in women. In men, a low sperm count may continue for as long as you keep smoking weed. In women, however, tolerance to the plant over time seems to mitigate some of the initial effects.
The herb might slow things down. But, putting away the vape while you try to conceive seems to get everything back in working order. We cant say for sure, though, until more advanced clinical research is done in humans.
This list of research is also far from complete. The political debate surrounding marijuana makes the plant difficult to study in general. The social stigma faced by marijuana-loving moms makes examining cannabis use among childbearing women even harder. Much of the human research weve seen relies on relatively small sample sizes and self-reporting. Both of these factors hinder the accuracy of what little scientific research we have available. So be safe instead of potentially sorry when considering marijuana use and pregnancy.
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Can You Become Infertile From Smoking Weed
The research is not conclusive, but some studies suggest that smoking weed may affect fertilityespecially in men. These studies have linked marijuana use with factors that can influence male fertility, including :
- Reduced sperm motility
- Reduced sperm count and concentration
- Poor sperm morphology
- Reduced sexual performance or desire
Other side effects of chronic marijuana use for men may include erectile dysfunction , low libido , and potential changes in reproductive hormones . In women, chronic cannabis use may affect monthly menstrual cycles .
Marijuana Use Can Exasperate Preexisting Fertility Issues
Considering the effects marijuana can have on fertility namely reduced sperm motility and delayed ovulation it appears that marijuana could potentially exasperate any difficulties a couple may have getting pregnant.
Marijuana interferes with the normal functioning of our endocannabinoid system, and that complex biological system is involved with every aspect of fertility-ovulation, tubal transport, readying of the uterine lining, and timing and proper implantation of the embryo at the blastocyst stage, Gersh said.
Consequently, marijuana can potentially take any fertility problem and make it worse, simply by impacting all of these aspects of the reproductive system, Gersh added.
That said, previous evidence suggests that couples without fertility issues will not experience major issues conceiving if they use marijuana somewhat regularly.
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Maternal Health Practices And Child Development Study
Another longitudinal cohort focused mainly on prenatal alcohol and marijuana exposure in women who were of lower socioeconomic status and comprised approximately half white and half African American ethnicity.107 A total of 1360 women from a hospital-based prenatal clinic were interviewed, of which 30% reported marijuana use in the first trimester.107 This study found that prenatal marijuana exposure negatively impacted sleep continuity and organization at birth through 3 years of age. At age 3 years, children born to mothers who used marijuana had lower scores on verbal reasoning and short-term memory. By age 6 years, first-trimester marijuana exposure was associated with lower verbal reasoning scores, second-trimester exposure was associated with lower scores on the composite short-term memory and quantitative reasoning scores, and third-trimester exposure predicted lower scores on quantitative reasoning measures.107 At age 10 years, exposed offspring were noted to have higher rates of depression and anxiety, impulsivity, hyperactivity, inattention, and memory deficits.107 The observed deficits in this study, after adjusting for maternal confounders, were not found to be linear, but rather associated with heavy use . Similar to OPPS, the Maternal Health Practices and Child Development Study demonstrated deficits in executive function that persisted into late adolescence and young adulthood in children of marijuana users.107
Does Smoking And/or Vaping Cause Infertility
Before we get into the ingredients themselves, lets talk about the method of consumption. Most experts agree that smoking anything isnt great for our reproductive health . Thats because the combustion of the substance creates toxins that cause oxidative stress, which negatively impacts sperm and egg health.
Vaping might seem like a cleaner option, but theres no consensus that it is a safer option at this point. Though a 2019 study indicated that cannabis vapor contains significantly fewer toxins than smoke, theres still the question of what else is in it. In fact, additives to THC-containing vapes or e-cigarettes are thought to be harmful agents.
Because we know that the number-one factor that affects egg and sperm quality is oxidative stress, for now, the recommendation is to not smoke or vape anything while TTC. So does that mean that edibles and oils are OK? Lets break down the effects of the actual THC/CBD on preconception and pregnancy.
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Makes It Harder To Get Pregnant
When you’re trying to have a baby, you want to stack the odds in your favor. Eliminating anything that might make it less likely for you to conceive is important.
There are some things that can make it harder to get pregnant that you can’t change, such as advanced age or a medical condition you may face. But you can make healthy choices, like skipping the weed, that help prepare your body for successful conception. “Even if you’re perfectly healthy, you don’t necessarily get pregnant every time you try,” notes Dr. June. “It’s best to abstain from anything that will make it harder.”
Study By Tulane Researcher Suggests Marijuana Can Cause Infertility In Men
As more states legalize marijuana, a new study by a Tulane University researcher has a warning for would-be dads. Smoking weed regularly may harm a mans fertility.
Researchers from Tulane and the University of Washington found a connection between low semen volume and damaged sperm among men who smoked marijuana. But the side effects werent all bad. The study also found that men who smoked marijuana were more likely to have sperm that swam faster.
The findings were published in the journal Therapeutic Advances in Urology.
This is one of the first studies that show a decline in sperm quality in current and past marijuana smokers, compared to non-smokers, said Dr. Omer A. Raheem, lead author on the study and assistant professor of urology at Tulane University School of Medicine. This is significant because it adds to the evolving evidence of the potential negative impacts of marijuana on human reproduction.
Globally, marijuana use has risen by 60 percent over the past decade, and the drug affects more than the mind. Cannabis has compounds that can affect the male reproductive system, yet prior studies havent agreed on how that impacts fertility.
To better understand the connection, researchers surveyed men undergoing fertility evaluation at a urology clinic in Washington state where recreational marijuana use is legal. They asked patients about their marijuana use and results were compared to a semen analysis.
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How Does Marijuana Affect Male Fertility
The use of cannabis is on the rise, as it has become legal for both medical and recreational use in several states across the country.This comes with its own unique challenges. One of those challenges is the negative effect that marijuana can have on male fertility.
There is a body of evidence today that supports this finding and studies now suggest that the impact is multi-factorial. The use of marijuana can lead to:
- Reduced sperm count
- Changes in sperm motility and morphology
- Hormone changes
- Reduction in libido and sexual performance
- Reduced sperm viability
Unfortunately, many of these effects can linger for weeks and even months after discontinuing the use of marijuana. Dr. Daniel Mazur at Urology Associates has been involved in researching and reporting the effects of marijuana use on male fertility. Lets take a closer look at some of the things he and the team discovered.
For many years, studies have shown that sperm have cannabinoid receptors on them, which suggests that cannabis has the ability to disrupt sperm function. Additionally, studies have shown a high correlation of men using marijuana who have reduced sperm counts and concentration. In fact, men who use marijuana more than once a week have nearly a 30% reduction in sperm count and sperm concentration, and this has been shown to last five to six weeks even after they stop using marijuana.
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What The Science Says About Marijuana And Fetal Development
Here’s what we have evidence for so far in terms of marijuana and pregnancy:
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Why You Should Not Smoke Weed In Pregnancy
Though an advocate of therapeutic cannabis usage for people who are not pregnant, Dr. Tishler says there are too many risks and unknowns at this time to recommend smoking during pregnancy. Additionally, he says, there are no benefits to smoking weed that cannot be obtained from conventional medicine that is already known to be safe for pregnant women.
Theres really no option besides abstinence at this time, says Dr. Tishler. He also explains that though you may have heard of mothers who used cannabis during pregnancy and had a fine outcome, this is not the same as scientific evidence, and anecdotes like these should not inform your decision about whether to smoke weed while pregnant.
Many mothers have heard that smoking weed or using cannabis helps with morning sickness. Dr. Jones says that there is no proof of that and either way, smoking weed to treat morning sickness comes with too many risks.
has not been proven, and we recommend using safer options that can help with morning sickness or hyperemesis during pregnancy, says Dr. Jones.
