In general, the pill had few effects collateral and the participants’ libido has not diminished – good news for men, and probably even better news for women …
Briefly, men may take pills as a contraceptive method. A study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism was successful in Phase 1, which is the stage at which the drug was first tested in humans to detect its degree of safety and side effects.
In the revolutionary research, 40 healthy men participated in the LA BioMed laboratory at the University of Washington, located in Seattle, USA. All of them took one pill – known as 11-beta-MNTDC – at different doses for approximately one month.
According to the researchers, the pill has a ‘sister composition’ compared to another experience to develop a male contraceptive – the DMAU – released last year.
The new drug contains a form of testosterone that combines the actions of androgen and progesterone. Androgen is a male hormone that helps neutralize the falls in testosterone levels. Progesterone, in turn, blocks the production of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), which help in the production of sperm and testosterone.
Results
Scientists have noticed changes in hormones that cause a decrease in sperm production sufficient for effective contraceptive action.
According to the researchers, the negative repercussions caused by the medication intake were few. Although some of the men – the minority – reported fatigue, acne and headaches, in addition to erectile dysfunctions and lower sexual desire, the participants’ libido generally did not subside and it was enough to stop the treatment so that the contraceptive effects would end.
“Our results suggest that this pill, which combines two hormonal activities into one, will decrease sperm production while preserving libido,” researcher Christina Wang of the Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute and UCLA Harbor Medical Center.
The research, however, is still ongoing, making room now for tests with sexually active couples and more elaborate results. “A new, reversible and safe male contraceptive method will be available in about ten years,” Wang said.
