New male pill blocks sperm but leaves testosterone level intact

New study shows that men could soon be able to use a 'male Pill' that has no side effects.

Photo: New male pill blocks sperm but leaves testosterone level intact

The chemical implant acts as a contraceptive but does not change the balance of a man's sex hormones.

Scientists have discovered a substance that can temporarily block the development of sperm without altering testosterone levels and without causing unwanted side effects.

They hope human trials of a new contraceptive for men based on their discovery could begin within a few years, reports Daily Mail.

According to Xinhua, the drug, called Adjudin, which temporarily blocks the development of sperm does not interfere with testosterone levels in men and its effects wears off in 20 weeks.

So far, a male contraceptive pill has proved difficult to produce because of a basic biological fact of human reproduction: a man naturally produces about 150 million sperm each day of his adult life. Existing chemical contraceptives for men under development are based on altering the levels of sex hormones circulating in the bloodstream in order to inhibit the natural state of male hyper-fertility.

Adjudin nips wannabe sperm cells in the bud. Those cells, called germ cells, ordinarily develop into sperm. But they need the help of other cells, called Sertoli cells, to reach that destiny.