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Epilepsy Newfoundland and Labrador
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| Drug Alert Notices | |
Anti-Epileptic Medication "Can Affect Men's Fertility"
Two new reports have suggested that men with epilepsy, who often have fertility problems, may find these problems worsened due to their anti-epileptic drugs.
One team, from the University of Oulu in Finland, suggest that if fertility problems are encountered by a man with epilepsy then analysis of the semen should be conducted. However, measuring hormone levels in individual men is of little use according to a study from the University of Bonn.
The team from Bonn, led by Dr Jurgen Bauer, studied 200 men with epilepsy who were taking no more than one anti-epileptic drug and compared the results to a study of 105 other men without epilepsy.
While total testosterone levels were similar in the two groups, levels of "free" testosterone were lower in the group of men with epilepsy, and levels of both types of testosterone were lower in men with temporal lobe epilepsy than in other types of the condition. In addition, levels of testosterone in men taking the anti-epileptic drug carbamazepine were "significantly lower" than in men taking valproate.
The researchers wrote:
"Carbamazepine may therefore have the potential to aggravate the negative effects of temporal lobe epilepsy on testicular testosterone production."
Meanwhile, the Finnish group studied the reproductive health of 60 men with epilepsy taking the anti-epileptic drugs valproate, carbamazepine or oxcarbazepine and a group of 41 men who didn't have epilepsy. They found that abnormal sperm was more often found in the men with epilepsy.
Lead researcher Dr Jouko Isojarvi wrote:
"Carbamazepine or partial epilepsy may affect sperm concentration, morphology, and motility. Valproate or generalized epilepsy may be associated with a high number of spermatozoa with abnormal morphology and motility, and oxcarbazepine may be associated with abnormal morphology of sperm."
Valproate was also linked to reduced testicular volume, which was associated with abnormal sperm but not with serum hormone levels.
Epilepsy Action News - February 19, 2004
Disclaimer
The materials contained on the Epilepsy Newfoundland and Labrador website are to provide general information about epilepsy to the public. The information presented is not intended as medical or legal advice. Epilepsy Newfoundland and Labrador, its employees, board members, medical advisors, volunteers, agents and sponsors do not assume responsibility for inaccuracies or omissions or for the consequences from the use of the information obtained over this site or any links accessed through this site. Epilepsy Newfoundland and Labrador is not liable for any outcome or damages resulting from information in either a direct or indirect form. We recognize that each individual's experience of epilepsy is different. Consult your physician and/or neurologist with any questions you have.
People with epilepsy should never discontinue anti-epileptic medications or make changes in activities unless specifically advised to do so by an attending physician.
Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others and use this medication only for the condition prescribed.
