Healthy Living: New birth control pill for men

SAN DIEGO (KUSI) — Attention guys, a new birth control option may soon be available to you and it comes in a pill form.

For decades, women have relied on the pill to prevent conception and soon, men may be able to do the same.

Researchers have spent decades trying to develop a birth control pill for men…and according to a new study, they may finally be making headway. The results were presented at a recent endocrine society meeting.

They indicate that the proposed pill reduces hormone levels responsible for sperm production — including testosterone — without any major side effects.

Participants were randomly assigned to one of four groups.

One group received a placebo and the other three received varying doses of the medication.

After 28 days, testosterone levels in all three groups taking the medication were comparable to levels seen after castration.

The group getting the highest dose*also* had a significant reduction in two hormones that regulate testosterone and sperm production.

9 participants reported decreased libido.

The main purpose of this study was to find an effective dosage — more research needs to be done before any pill could go into production.

The study’s sample size is too small to definitively evaluate potential side effects for the general population —

and the duration was too short to evaluate the potential for liver damage.

Researchers say the important next step is to show the male birth control pill suppresses the production of sperm, and that requires at least a three-month study, which we’re going to be undertaking starting next month.