Mental Health

Male Birth Control Pill With No Side-Effects Likely

By Drishya Nair | Update Date: Sep 07, 2012 09:55 AM EDT

Men can rejoice as there is a ray of hope for them to have their own birth control pills.

According to a study done scientists including a researcher from Texas A&M University, the pill with no side effects might be on its way soon.

The researchers while conducting the experiment on mice have found that a compound called JQ1 can inhibit sperm production and mobility.

"Both of these are needed for fertility, but JQ1 prevents both," Qinglei Li, an assistant professor in Texas A&M's College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences was quoted as saying by Medical Xpress.

"It stopped the sperm production very dramatically. More good news is that there appear to be no side effects whatsoever. Once the JQ1 was no longer given to the mice, they were back to their normal reproduction rates, and it did not affect mating behavior or the health of the offspring."

Although, for the experiment, the mice were administered injections, scientists believe that they might be able to develop a pill for the same results.

A male contraceptive pill has been discussed for decades and there has been a strong demand for the same. Studies have shown that if the pill was available in the market, about 70 percent of men would be willing to take a birth control pill.

The problem with female contraceptives is that many of them seem to interfere with hormones, especially estrogen. However, Li says that the compound JQ1 would not affect testosterone levels in men, and it won't have any side effects either.

JQ1 compound was originally used for cancer treatment but researchers found that it was also an excellent compound in controlling fertility.

"This is an exciting step in male contraception. A compound with more specificity will be needed before clinical trials can be done for humans. It does not mean a male birth control just yet, but it is a great step forward in that direction," Li Said.

The study was published in the journal Cell.

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