Smoking Harms Male Fertility

Smoking may hamper a man’s fertility, according to a small study funded by cigarette company Philip Morris. Scientists at the University of Buffalo compared sperm from screened sperm donors to sperm from 18 male smokers. In lab tests, the smokers’ sperm was less likely to bind tightly to an egg, a necessary step for fertilization. The results were presented in Montreal at the American Society of Reproductive Medicine’s annual meeting. “Specialized testing clearly reveals a significant drop in fertility potential for men who are heavy tobacco smokers,” says researcher Lani Burkman, PhD, in a news release. Men who smoke also “should be aware that smoking can damage their sperm DNA, passing on faulty DNA to their baby. Concerned smokers should quit or be tested in a local andrology laboratory,” says Burkman. Burkman is an assistant professor of urology at the University of Buffalo’s medical school. He is also an associate professor and head of the andrology section of the university’s gynecology and obstetrics department, reports FOXNews. I.L.