Coffee Consumption Linked to Male Infertility

For men, too much coffee may cause more than the jitters. According to a new study that researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, Mass., presented at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine’s annual conference, drinking too much coffee can actually impair a man’s ability to father a child.

Male infertility can be caused by a variety of factors. Lifestyle choices, physical problems, infections, hormonal imbalances, genetic issues, environmental toxins and even medications can all contribute to a man’s inability to get his partner pregnant. Treatments like sperm retrieval, surgical fixes and lifestyle changes aim to correct the underlying problem and increase the odds of a pregnancy.

In this study, researchers assessed the coffee intake of 105 men whose partners were undergoing in vitro fertilization at their hospital. They found that the men who consumed two or more cups of coffee daily had less than a 20 percent chance of establishing a pregnancy with IVF. In contrast, the men who drank less than a cup of coffee daily were more than twice as likely to become fathers through IVF; their success rate was more than 50 percent.

“Historically, caffeine intake has been associated with an impact on female fertility,” notes Dr. Parviz Kavoussi, an award-winning specialist in male infertility who has earned a great deal of respect for his own research in the field. “This particular study looked specifically at coffee consumption and IVF, and further study is certainly warranted. But, based on this early data, the safe answer would be for the man to limit coffee intake while trying to conceive or undergoing fertility treatments.”

A leader in the field of reproductive urology, Dr. Kavoussi puts his expertise to work for his patients at Austin Fertility and Reproductive Medicine/Westlake IVF, the only private fertility center in the U.S. that offers comprehensive couples care with in-house fellowship trained specialists in both male and female fertility. He offers evaluations and treatments for a wide array of male infertility and sexual health issues.

To request a personal infertility consultation with Dr. Kavoussi, contact Austin Fertility and Reproductive Medicine/Westlake IVF at (512) 444-1414.