A new study has revealed that popular weight-loss drugs used to treat obesity and diabetes may also help improve male fertility by boosting testosterone levels and enhancing sperm quality.
WEBDESK – MEDIABITES NEWS
Researchers say glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) drugs, including widely used medications such as Ozempic and Mounjaro, could offer unexpected reproductive health benefits for obese men struggling with hormonal imbalance and infertility.
The findings were presented at the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting in Chicago, where scientists from Warwick Medical School in the UK reviewed multiple clinical studies examining the effects of GLP-1 drugs on male reproductive health.
According to the review, obesity is closely linked to poor sperm quality and low testosterone levels, both of which can negatively affect fertility. While GLP-1 drugs are already known for helping patients lose weight and manage diabetes, researchers found growing evidence that these medicines may also positively impact male reproductive hormones.
In one of the studies reviewed, 30 men with low testosterone levels were treated either with testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) or a GLP-1 drug. After 16 weeks, both groups showed improved testosterone levels.
Another trial involving 25 men with type 2 diabetes and hypogonadism found that while TRT produced slightly higher testosterone increases, men using GLP-1 drugs experienced significant improvement in sperm quality.
Researchers noted that the percentage of sperm with healthy shape and structure doubled from 2 percent to 4 percent during the study period.
Scientists stressed that the current evidence remains limited and more large-scale clinical trials are needed to fully understand the impact of GLP-1 medications on male fertility.
The latest findings add to a growing list of potential benefits linked to GLP-1 drugs, which previous studies have also associated with reduced risks of dementia, heart disease and certain cancers.
With obesity rates continuing to rise globally, experts believe the discovery could open new possibilities for treating male infertility alongside weight management.
